A Real-World Project: Creating a Node.js REST API for a Social Media Backend using Node Express MongoDB

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Alfalfa

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November 3, 2023

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Build A Social Media Backend REST API With Node.JS | Node Express MongoDB Real-World Project

Build A Social Media Backend REST API With Node.JS

Node Express MongoDB Real-World Project

In this tutorial, we are going to build a social media backend REST API using Node.JS, Express, and MongoDB. By the end of this project, you will have a fully functional API that can handle user authentication, post creation, comment system, and more.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of JavaScript and Node.JS.
Understanding of REST APIs and HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).
Familiarity with Express framework for Node.JS.
Installation of MongoDB database.

Setting Up the Project

First, let’s create a new directory for our project and navigate into it:

mkdir social-media-api cd social-media-api

Next, initialize a new Node.JS project:

npm init -y

Now, let’s install the necessary dependencies:

npm install express mongoose dotenv

Creating the Server

Create a new file called server.js and add the following code:

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


        const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;

app.listen(PORT, () => { console.log(`Server running on port ${PORT}`); });

This code imports the required dependencies, creates an instance of the Express app, and starts the server on the specified port.

Connecting to MongoDB

In order to connect to the MongoDB database, create a new file called db.js and add the following code:

const mongoose = require('mongoose');

mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost/social-media', { useNewUrlParser: true, useUnifiedTopology: true }).then(() => { console.log('Connected to MongoDB successfully'); }).catch((err) => { console.error('Error connecting to MongoDB', err); });

Make sure to replace the connection URL with your own MongoDB connection string.

Defining the Routes

Create a new directory called routes and inside it, create a file called users.js. Add the following code:

const express = require('express'); const router = express.Router();


        router.get('/', (req, res) => {

            // Retrieve all users from the database

            res.send('Get all users');

        });
        router.get('/:id', (req, res) => {

            // Retrieve a single user by ID from the database

            res.send(`Get user with ID ${req.params.id}`);

        });
        router.post('/', (req, res) => {

            // Create a new user in the database

            res.send('Create a new user');

        });

module.exports = router;

This code defines the routes for retrieving all users, retrieving a single user by ID, and creating a new user. These routes are then exported for use in the main server.js file.

Using the Routes

In the server.js file, add the following code to use the routes:

const userRoutes = require('./routes/users');

app.use('/users', userRoutes);

This code imports the user routes from the users.js file and registers them under the /users endpoint.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully built a social media backend REST API using Node.JS, Express, and MongoDB. This project is a great starting point for developing your own real-world applications and can be extended to include additional features.