Table of contents

Introduction

Express as a Node.js Framework

Installation of Express

3.1.

Step 1: Project directory creation

3.2.

Step 2: JSON packet creation

3.3.

Step 3: Installing Express

3.3.1.

Terminal View

3.4.

Step 4: Verification

3.4.1.

Terminal View

Frequently Asked Questions

Key takeaways

Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024

Introduction to Express

Author SHUBHAM AGARWAL

Introduction

Express.js is a free and open-source back-end web framework for Node.js. Node.js is a runtime environment used to execute JavaScript code outside of a browser. It is used to produce dynamic web page content before sending it to the user's web browser.

One crucial point is that NodeJS isn't a framework, and it's not even a programing language. It aims at providing an event-driven, non-blocking (asynchronous) I/O and cross-platform runtime environment so that users can build highly scalable server-side applications using JavaScript.

In this article, we’ll be learning about express.js in detail. So, let’s get started!

Express as a Node.js Framework

Express is a small framework. It sits on top of Node.js as web server functionality to simplify its APIs and add more helpful new features.

With middleware and routing,

Express makes it easier to structure the functionality of our application. It allows us to provide useful utilities to the HTTP objects in Node.js. It makes it easier to render dynamic HTTP objects.

Express is a part of the MERN stack, a full-stack JavaScript solution used to build one of the fastest, robust, and maintainable production web applications.

MongoDB(Database)
ExpressJS(Web Framework)
AngularJS(Front-end Framework)
NodeJS(Application Server)

Installation of Express

For Express to be installed in our system, we must follow the procedures below:

Step 1: Project directory creation

We will aim to create a directory for our project and make that our working directory.

$ mkdir codingninjas

$ cd codingninjas

Step 2: JSON packet creation

To build a package.json file for the project we're working on, we use the npm init command.

$ npm init

The command above lists all of our project's dependencies. When you add further dependencies during the development process, such as when setting up your build system, the file will be updated.

When asked in the terminal, keep pressing enter and type "yes/no" at the terminus line.

Step 3: Installing Express

Now in your coding ninjas(name of your folder) folder, type the following command line:

$ npm install Express --save

Terminal View

Step 4: Verification

Verify that Express.js was installed on your Windows:

To check that express.js was installed on your system or not, you can run the following command line on cmd:

C:\Users\shubh>npm --version express

Terminal View

The version of express.js will be displayed on the command prompt on successful installation.

Also see, Difference Between Controller and Restcontroller

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NodeJS?

Answer: Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment that is used for javascript execution.

2. What is Express?

Answer: Express is a small framework. It sits on top of Node.js as web server functionality to simplify its APIs and add more helpful new features.

Key takeaways

In this blog, we introduced express.js as a back-end web application framework for Node.js and discussed its installation process to our system keeping the point in our mind that we have node.js already installed in our system. We also discussed how to verify that Express is successfully verified in our system or not.

You can use Coding Ninjas Studio to practise questions on web development and use the Coding Ninja Self-paced Web development to grasp numerous web development concepts.

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