Back-End Development Basics

• Topic: "Getting Started with Node.js and Express"
• Description: Basics of server-side development with Node.js and Express.

Content:

1. Introduction to Node.js

• What is Node.js: Explain that Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine.
• Why use Node.js: Discuss the benefits such as non-blocking, event-driven architecture, and its popularity for backend services.

2. Setting Up Node.js

• Installation: Guide on how to install Node.js and NPM (Node Package Manager).
• Verify Installation: Show how to verify the installation using node -v and npm -v commands.

3. Basic Node.js Server

• Creating a Simple Server:
  

  const http = require('http');
  
  const hostname = '127.0.0.1';
  const port = 3000;
  
  const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
    res.statusCode = 200;
    res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
    res.end('Hello World\n');
  });
  
  server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
    console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
  });
  

• Explanation:

  • require('http'): Import the HTTP module.
  • http.createServer(): Create an HTTP server.
  • server.listen(): Bind the server to a port and IP address.

4. Introduction to Express.js

• What is Express.js: Explain that Express is a fast, unopinionated, minimalist web framework for Node.js.

• Installation:
  

  npm install express
  

• Basic Express Server:
  

  const express = require('express');
  const app = express();
  const port = 3000;
  
  app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Hello World!');
  });
  
  app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`Example app listening at http://localhost:${port}`);
  });
  

• Explanation:

  • require('express'): Import the Express module.
  • app.get(): Define a route handler for GET requests.
  • app.listen(): Bind the application to a port and start listening for connections.