Express JS Crash Course: A Beginners’ Tutorial on Web Development

Express JS Crash Course | Web Dev Tutorial for Beginners

If you’re a beginner in web development and eager to learn how to create web applications using Express JS, then you’re in the right place. In this crash course, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to get started with Express JS and build your first web application.

Express JS is a minimalist web application framework for Node.js that allows you to create robust and scalable web applications and APIs. It is widely used in the industry and is known for its simplicity and flexibility. With Express JS, you don’t have to worry about writing complex code for common web application functionalities. It takes care of routing, middleware, and handling HTTP requests and responses.

To get started, you need to have Node.js installed on your machine. You can download and install it from the official Node.js website. Once you have Node.js installed, you can proceed with the following steps:

Step 1: Create a new directory for your project and navigate to it using the command line or terminal.

Step 2: Initialize a new Node.js project by running the following command:
“`
npm init
“`

Step 3: Install Express JS as a dependency in your project by running the following command:
“`
npm install express
“`

Step 4: Create a new file called ‘index.js’ or ‘app.js’ in your project directory and open it in your favorite code editor.

Step 5: Import the Express package at the top of your file by adding the following line of code:
“`javascript
const express = require(‘express’);
“`

Step 6: Create an instance of the Express application by calling the express function and storing it in a variable:
“`javascript
const app = express();
“`

Step 7: Define a route handler for the root URL (‘/’) by adding the following code:
“`javascript
app.get(‘/’, (req, res) => {
res.send(‘Hello, World!’);
});
“`

Step 8: Start the server by adding the following code at the end of your file:
“`javascript
app.listen(3000, () => {
console.log(‘Server is running on port 3000’);
});
“`

Step 9: Save the file and go back to your command line or terminal. Run the application by running the following command:
“`
node index.js
“`

Congratulations! You have just created your first web application using Express JS. Open your web browser and navigate to `http://localhost:3000`, and you should see the message “Hello, World!” displayed.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how to create a web application using Express JS, you can continue exploring its features and functionalities. Express JS provides various methods for routing, handling different HTTP methods, handling form data, serving static files, and much more.

In conclusion, Express JS is a powerful framework for web development, and this crash course has provided you with the necessary steps to get started. We encourage you to continue learning and experimenting with Express JS to build more advanced web applications. Good luck!