Getting started with Node js Express and EJS templating

Welcome to the first part of our Express and Auth Series! In this article, we will guide you through getting started with Node.js, Express, and EJS templating.

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a runtime environment that allows you to run JavaScript code on the server side. It is built on the V8 JavaScript engine and provides a powerful and efficient way to build scalable network applications.

What is Express?

Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features for web and mobile applications. It provides a thin layer of fundamental web application features, without obscuring Node.js features.

What is EJS Templating?

EJS (Embedded JavaScript) is a simple templating language that lets you generate HTML markup with plain JavaScript. It allows you to embed JavaScript code within your HTML templates, making it easy to pass data and create dynamic content.

Setting up a Node.js/Express project

To get started with Node.js and Express, you’ll first need to install Node.js on your machine. Once installed, you can use npm to install the Express framework and create a new Express project. Here’s a basic example of how to set up a new Express project:

“`html

  
    // install express generator globally
    npm install express-generator -g

    // create a new express project
    express myapp

    // change into the project directory
    cd myapp

    // install dependencies
    npm install
  

“`

Adding EJS templating to your project

Once you have your Express project set up, you can add EJS templating to it by installing the `ejs` package using npm. Here’s an example of how to do this:

“`html

  
    npm install ejs
  

“`

After installing the `ejs` package, you can now use EJS templates in your Express project. Simply create a new `.ejs` file in the `views` directory of your project, and you can start using EJS to generate dynamic HTML content.

Conclusion

Getting started with Node.js, Express, and EJS templating is a great way to build powerful and efficient web applications. By using these technologies, you can create dynamic and responsive web applications that can handle large amounts of traffic and provide a great user experience.

In the next part of our Express and Auth Series, we will dive deeper into using Express for building web applications and implementing user authentication. Stay tuned!