Creating a Basic HTTP Route in Node.js

Description:

In this hands-on session, you will get your first taste of Node.js by creating a simple HTTP route. We'll explore the fundamentals of Node.js and how it handles HTTP requests. By the end of this exercise, you will be able to create a basic route that can send responses in both HTML and JSON formats.

Requirements:

• A computer with Node.js installed
• A code editor (e.g., Visual Studio Code)
• Basic understanding of JavaScript

Additional Challenges (Optional):

If you're looking for an extra challenge, try the following:

1. Enhance your route to handle different HTTP methods like POST or GET.
2. Implement error handling for invalid routes or requests.
3. Create multiple routes and organize your code effectively.

Hints:

• Start by creating a Node.js script.
• Use the 'http' module to create an HTTP server.
• Define a route that listens for incoming requests.
• When a request is received, send an HTML response using the 'response' object.
• To send a JSON response, use the 'JSON.stringify' method.

Instructions:

1. Open your code editor.
2. Create a new JavaScript file (e.g., app.js).
3. Import the 'http' module and create an HTTP server.
4. Define a route (e.g., '/hello') that listens for incoming requests.
5. When a request is made to your route, send an HTML response containing a greeting message.
6. Additionally, modify your route to respond with a JSON object that includes a message.
7. Test your route by opening a web browser and accessing 'http://localhost:PORT/route-name'.
8. Verify that both HTML and JSON responses are displayed in the browser.

By completing this hands-on exercise, you'll gain a solid understanding of creating HTTP routes in Node.js and how to respond with different content types. This is a foundational skill for building web applications with Node.js. Good luck!

tip

app.js

const http = require('http');
const port = 3000; // You can choose any available port

const server = http.createServer((request, response) => {
  if (request.url === '/') {
    // Handle the root path
    response.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/html' });
    response.end('<h1>Hello, this is an HTML response</h1>');
  } else if (request.url === '/json') {
    // Handle a JSON route
    const jsonData = { message: 'This is a JSON response' };
    response.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' });
    response.end(JSON.stringify(jsonData));
  } else {
    // Handle 404 Not Found
    response.writeHead(404, { 'Content-Type': 'text/html' });
    response.end('<h1>404 - Not Found</h1>');
  }
});


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