# Creating an HTTP Web Server in Node.js: A Complete Guide

#webdev #node #backend #javascript

Why Node.js for Web Servers?

Node.js revolutionized backend development with its non-blocking I/O and event-driven architecture. Building HTTP servers with Node.js gives you direct control over request handling, making it perfect for custom APIs, microservices, and learning server fundamentals.

In this guide, you'll create a functional web server using Node.js's built-in http module and ES6 modules.

Understanding the HTTP Module

The http module is Node.js's core tool for creating web servers. It handles:

Request-response cycles – Processing incoming HTTP requests and sending responses
Server creation – The createServer() method instantiates your server
Stream management – Efficiently handling file transfers without loading entire files into memory

Building Your HTTP Server

Step 1: Import Required Modules

import { createReadStream } from 'node:fs';
import http from 'node:http';

We use ES6 import syntax with the node: protocol prefix for clarity. The createReadStream function enables efficient file streaming.

Step 2: Create the Server with Routing Logic

const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
    console.log(req.url);

    if (req.url === '/') {
        const readStream = createReadStream('./public/index.html');
        readStream.pipe(res);
    } else {
        const readStream = createReadStream(`./public/${req.url}`);
        readStream.on('error', (err) => {
            res.end('Not Found!');
            console.log(err.message);
        });
        readStream.pipe(res);
    }
});

What's happening here:

createServer() accepts a callback that receives req (request) and res (response) objects
Root route (/) serves index.html
Other routes dynamically serve files from the public folder
pipe() streams file content directly to the response (memory-efficient!)
Error handling catches missing files and returns "Not Found!"

Step 3: Start the Server

server.listen(8080, "0.0.0.0", () => {
    console.log(`Server is listening on http://localhost:8080`);
});

The server binds to port 8080 on all network interfaces (0.0.0.0), making it accessible locally and on your network.

Complete Code

import { createReadStream } from 'node:fs';
import http from 'node:http';

const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
    console.log(req.url);

    if (req.url === '/') {
        const readStream = createReadStream('./public/index.html');
        readStream.pipe(res);
    } else {
        const readStream = createReadStream(`./public/${req.url}`);
        readStream.on('error', (err) => {
            res.end('Not Found!');
            console.log(err.message);
        });
        readStream.pipe(res);
    }
});

server.listen(8080, "0.0.0.0", () => {
    console.log(`Server is listening on http://localhost:8080`);
});

Why This Matters

Understanding HTTP servers at this level gives you:

Foundation knowledge for frameworks like Express.js
Performance insights – streaming vs. buffering files
Debugging skills – seeing exactly how requests flow through your application

Key Takeaways

✅ The http module provides low-level server control

✅ File streaming with pipe() is memory-efficient

✅ Error handling prevents server crashes from missing files

✅ ES6 modules improve code readability and maintainability