How to Set Up a Simple Server with Node.js

Node.js is a really cool tool that lets developers build web applications. One useful feature in Node.js is the HTTP module. This helps in creating basic web servers. Let's go through the steps to set up a simple server using the HTTP module. Later, we will look at the Express.js framework, which makes things even easier.

1. Setting Up a Simple HTTP Server

Follow these easy steps to create a basic HTTP server with Node.js:

1. Install Node.js: First, you need to have Node.js on your computer. You can download it from nodejs.org. In 2023, over 14 million developers around the world use Node.js!

2. Make a Project Folder: Open your terminal and type:

   mkdir my-server
   cd my-server
   

3. Create a File: Create a file called server.js in your project folder by typing:

   touch server.js
   

4. Write Your Server Code: Open server.js in a text editor and add this code:

   const http = require('http');
   
   const hostname = '127.0.0.1';
   const port = 3000;
   
   const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
       res.statusCode = 200;
       res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
       res.end('Hello, World!\n');
   });
   
   server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
       console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
   });
   

5. Run the Server: Go back to your terminal and run the server by typing:

   node server.js
   

6. See Your Server in Action: Open a web browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:3000/. You should see "Hello, World!" on the page.

2. Switching to Express.js

While the HTTP module is great for starting, Express.js makes it even easier to create servers and adds more features. Here’s how to set up an Express server:

1. Install Express: In your terminal, type:

   npm install express
   

2. Create an Express Server: Open the server.js file again and replace the old code with:

   const express = require('express');
   const app = express();
   
   app.get('/', (req, res) => {
       res.send('Hello, World!');
   });
   
   app.listen(3000, () => {
       console.log('Server running on http://localhost:3000');
   });
   

3. Run and Check the Server: Use the same commands to run the server and open it in your web browser.

Conclusion

Setting up a server with Node.js using the HTTP module and Express.js is important for working on the back-end of web apps. In 2023, around 47% of developers use Node.js as their main back-end tool, showing how popular it is in the tech world. Happy coding!