Complete Guide to Building REST APIs with Node.js and Express in 2026

A practical guide to building production-ready REST APIs.

Getting Started

const express = require(express);
const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get("/api/health", (req, res) => {
  res.json({ status: "ok" });
});

app.listen(3000);

Best Practices

1. Use proper error handling
2. Implement rate limiting
3. Add authentication middleware
4. Document your API

Conclusion

Building REST APIs with Express is straightforward with the right patterns.