Getting Started with Express.js to Build a JSON API in Node

Learn the first steps to building a web server with the minimalistic Node.js framework Express.js.

Step into the basics of setting up a bookstore catalog web service, writing your code in the Node.js (Server-side JavaScript) language and leveraging the framework Express. The course demonstrates how to create a simple RESTful API that serves data in the JSON format.

This course is intended for people who have never touched the framework and are looking for a brief introduction. Some basic knowledge of Node.js / JavaScript is required. Some exposure to fundamental database principles for data storage is highly advised.

NPM is used to generate the project and manage the package dependencies.

The course provides an quick overview of the Express.js framework and gets you started with building a JSON RESTful API with the four basic data operations of CREATE, READ, UPDATE, and DELETE ("CRUD"). To focus on the framework constructs, database configuration and maintenance are omitted from this course; a specific object-relational mapping (ORM) solution is not used nor any other third-party libraries other than Express itself.

The Express.js JSON API endpoints are tested using HTTP requests made by the program Postman, a good choice of software to conveniently debug the routes.

The course is a good quick start if you are looking to get started building APIs in the Node.js language. You can use the basic knowledge from the course to go on to build your own web services. You are welcome to iterate upon the knowledge you obtain from it.