Introduction to Node.js and Express

Node.js is a server-side JavaScript runtime environment that enables the creation of high-performance web applications. Express.js is a minimalist and flexible framework that simplifies the development of REST APIs.

In this article, we’ll explore the basics of Node.js and Express, and see how to create a simple API in just a few steps.

Installation

To get started, install Node.js from the official website, then create a new project:

npm init -y
npm install express

Creating a Basic Server

Here is an example of a minimal Express server:

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

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

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server started on port 3000');
});

Conclusion

Node.js and Express are a powerful combination for building modern, high-performance web applications.