Professional Courses
Industry-relevant training in Business, Technology, and Design to help professionals and graduates upskill for real-world careers.
Categories
Interactive Games
Fun, engaging games to boost memory, math fluency, typing speed, and English skills—perfect for learners of all ages.
Typing
Memory
Math
English Adventures
Knowledge
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Express Server Setup
Unlock Audio Lesson
Let's start by discussing how to set up an Express server. Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features for web and mobile applications.
What do we need to do first to set it up?
Great question! First, we need to require the necessary modules, including Express and Mongoose. After that, we'll create an instance of Express.
And how do we connect to MongoDB?
We'll use Mongoose to connect. It allows us to facilitate the connection easily with the MongoDB URI.
What’s the purpose of CORS in our application?
CORS stands for Cross-Origin Resource Sharing. It's used to allow or restrict requested resources on a web server depending on where the HTTP request was initiated. We'll implement it to avoid cross-origin issues. Remember: CORS = Cross-Origin Resource Sharing.
So, after we connect and set CORS, what’s next?
Next, we'll define the basic routes. For instance, we can create a GET route to fetch tasks from the database. To sum up, setting up an Express server involves importing modules, creating an app instance, connecting to the database, enabling CORS, and defining routes.
Routing in Express
Unlock Audio Lesson
Now that our Express server is set up, let’s focus on routing, which allows the server to respond to client requests.
How do we define a route for fetching tasks?
We can define a GET route using `app.get('/api/tasks', ...)`. This will allow us to respond to requests for tasks from the frontend.
What kind of logic would we put in that route?
Good question! Inside the route, we will use Mongoose methods to fetch tasks from the database and send them back in the response.
And how do we handle errors if something goes wrong?
Excellent point! We should implement error handling within our route to catch any errors that may occur during the database operation. An example would be using a try-catch block.
Server Listening
Unlock Audio Lesson
Lastly, we need to ensure our server is actively listening for incoming requests.
What code do we use to start the server?
We use `app.listen(PORT, ...)` to start our server on a specified port, typically 5000 for local development.
What should we include in the callback function for `app.listen`?
It’s a good practice to log a message to the console indicating that the server is running. For example, `console.log('Server running on port 5000')`.
So, once the server is running, it will handle requests to our defined routes?
Exactly! Once your Express server is live, it responds to client requests via the routes you have defined. Remember: Listening = Waiting for Requests!
Introduction & Overview
Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.
Quick Overview
Standard
In this section, you will learn how to set up an Express server using Node.js, creating essential routes, and connecting to a MongoDB database. Key aspects of server configuration and middleware integration are also highlighted.
Detailed
Detailed Summary
In this section, the focus is on setting up an Express server as part of developing a full-stack application for your Capstone Project. The process begins with importing necessary modules, including express for server creation, mongoose for MongoDB interaction, and cors to enable cross-origin requests. The basic server configuration is introduced, which involves creating an instance of an Express app, setting up middleware for JSON parsing and CORS, and establishing a connection to MongoDB using Mongoose.
Following this setup, you will define sample API routes, notably a route to handle GET requests for tasks from the database. The section emphasizes the importance of correct routing and server listening, concluding with the server running on port 5000. This setup forms the backbone of any full-stack application, as it allows for client-server communication, enabling features such as task management, user authentication, and other functionalities as you develop your application further.
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Creating the Server
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Create your server and define basic routes in server.js:
const express = require('express');
const mongoose = require('mongoose');
const cors = require('cors');
const app = express();
app.use(cors());
app.use(express.json());
Detailed Explanation
In this chunk, you learn how to initiate your Express server using the Express framework, which is a web application framework for Node.js. You start by importing the required modules: express, mongoose, and cors.
Next, you create an instance of Express by calling express(), and then you configure your application to use CORS by calling app.use(cors()). This allows you to handle cross-origin requests, which is important when your frontend and backend are running on different domains or ports.
Finally, app.use(express.json()) parses the incoming requests with JSON payloads, making it easier to handle data sent from the client.
Examples & Analogies
Think of this step like setting up a new store for your business. First, you need to get the building (your server) and make sure it's ready to welcome customers (handle requests). Just like how you'd install security cameras (CORS) and set up a register to process sales (express.json()), here you’re preparing your server to handle data and requests securely and efficiently.
Connecting to the Database
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
// Connect to MongoDB
mongoose.connect(process.env.MONGO_URI, { useNewUrlParser: true, useUnifiedTopology: true });
Detailed Explanation
In this chunk, you're connecting your Express server to a MongoDB database using Mongoose, which is an ODM (Object Data Modeling) library for MongoDB and Node.js.
You perform the connection using mongoose.connect(), passing in your MongoDB URI stored in environment variables (process.env.MONGO_URI). This keeps your sensitive connection string out of your codebase. Additionally, useNewUrlParser: true and useUnifiedTopology: true are options to eliminate deprecation warnings and to leverage the new connection management engine.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you're setting up a cash register in that store, but you need to ensure that it's connected to the bank for transactions. Just as you'd plug in the cash register to the bank's network to process payments, here, you connect your server to the database to store and retrieve data.
Defining a Sample Route
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
// Sample Route
app.get('/api/tasks', (req, res) => {
// Logic to fetch tasks from DB
});
Detailed Explanation
In this chunk, you are defining a sample route for your Express application. The app.get('/api/tasks', (req, res) => { ... }) method defines a route that listens for GET requests on the /api/tasks endpoint. When a request is received, the provided callback function is invoked, where you will eventually add logic to fetch tasks from the database and send that data back to the client.
This route acts as an interface between your frontend and your backend, allowing clients to request data, which your server will handle.
Examples & Analogies
Think of this route like a menu at a restaurant. When customers (clients) place an order (request data), it’s your job (the server) to understand what they want and retrieve it from the kitchen (database). Just as you'd need to prepare the right dish based on their order, you need to fetch the correct data whenever someone hits this endpoint.
Starting the Server
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
app.listen(5000, () => {
console.log('Server running on port 5000');
});
Detailed Explanation
In this final chunk, you start your Express server by using app.listen(), which tells the server to start listening for incoming connections on port 5000. The second argument is a callback function that will execute once the server is successfully up and running, logging a message to the console.
Running your server means it can now process requests made to it, and you can begin testing the routes and functionality you've set up.
Examples & Analogies
This is akin to opening the doors of your store to greet customers. By turning on the lights and unlocking the door, you signal that you're ready for business, just as your server signals that it's prepared to handle requests and interact with users.
Definitions & Key Concepts
Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.
Key Concepts
-
Express Server: A framework to facilitate the creation of web applications in Node.js.
-
MongoDB Connection: Utilizing Mongoose to connect and interact with MongoDB from a Node.js application.
-
CORS: A security measure allowing or disallowing resources from different origins.
Examples & Real-Life Applications
See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.
Examples
-
Example 1: Setting up an Express server can be achieved with the following code snippet:
-
const express = require('express');
-
const app = express();
-
app.listen(5000, () => {
-
console.log('Server running on port 5000');
-
});
-
Example 2: Defining a simple GET route can be done like this:
-
app.get('/api/tasks', (req, res) => {
-
res.send('Fetching tasks...');
-
});
Memory Aids
Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.
🎵 Rhymes Time
-
To make our server neat and clean, set express and log the routine!
📖 Fascinating Stories
-
Imagine you are setting up a cafe. Express is your cafe framework, Mongoose your order taker connecting with the kitchen (MongoDB), and CORS ensures that only your customers can get a meal, not outsiders.
🧠 Other Memory Gems
-
MEMORIZE: E - Express, M - Mongoose, C - CORS. Just remember: 'Every Meal Comes' when setting up the server!
🎯 Super Acronyms
SETUP
- S: - Server
- E: - Express
- T: - Tasks
- U: - Users
- P: - Port. Remember to SET UP your server!
Flash Cards
Review key concepts with flashcards.
Glossary of Terms
Review the Definitions for terms.
-
Term: Express
Definition:
A minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features for web and mobile applications.
-
Term: Mongoose
Definition:
An Object Data Modeling (ODM) library for MongoDB and Node.js, serving to map MongoDB documents to JavaScript objects.
-
Term: CORS
Definition:
Cross-Origin Resource Sharing; a security feature that restricts web pages from making requests to a different domain than the one that served the web page.