How to start a server in node using express.js (Part 1 of a project)

Express.js is a web application framework for Node.js. It provides a robust set of features for building web applications and APIs. In this article, we will guide you on how to start a server in Node using Express.js as part of a project.

Step 1: Set up your project

First, make sure that you have Node and npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your machine. If not, you can download and install them from the official Node.js website. Once you have Node and npm installed, create a new directory for your project and navigate to it using the command line.

Step 2: Initialize your project

Once you are in your project directory, run the following command to initialize a new Node.js project:

  
    npm init -y
  

This command will create a package.json file in your project directory, which will store information about your project and its dependencies.

Step 3: Install Express.js

Next, you need to install Express.js as a dependency for your project. Run the following command in your project directory:

  
    npm install express --save
  

This will install Express.js and add it to your package.json file as a dependency.

Step 4: Create a server file

Now, create a new file in your project directory called server.js. This file will be the entry point for your server code. Open server.js in your text editor and add the following code:

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

    app.get('/', (req, res) => {
      res.send('Hello, World!');
    });

    const port = 3000;
    app.listen(port, () => {
      console.log(`Server is running on port ${port}`);
    });
  

In this code, we first import the express module and create an instance of the app. We then define a route that responds with “Hello, World!” when a GET request is made to the root URL. Finally, we start the server and listen on port 3000.

Step 5: Start the server

To start the server, run the following command in your project directory:

  
    node server.js
  

Once the server is running, open a web browser and go to http://localhost:3000. You should see “Hello, World!” displayed in the browser, indicating that your server is up and running.

Congratulations! You have successfully started a server in Node using Express.js. Stay tuned for the next part of the project, where we will cover how to create routes and handle requests in Express.js.