What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open source server environment
Node.js is free
Node.js runs on various platforms (Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, etc.)
Node.js uses JavaScript on the server
Why Node.js?
Node.js uses asynchronous programming!
A common task for a web server can be to open a file on the server and return
the content to the client.
Here is how PHP or ASP handles a file request:
1. Sends the task to the computer's file system.
2. Waits while the file system opens and reads the file.
3. Returns the content to the client.
4. Ready to handle the next request.
Here is how Node.js handles a file request:
1. Sends the task to the computer's file system.
2. Ready to handle the next request.
3. When the file system has opened and read the file, the server returns the
content to the client.
Node.js eliminates the waiting, and simply continues with the next request.
Node.js runs single-threaded, non-blocking, asynchronous programming, which
is very memory efficient.
What Can Node.js Do?
Node.js can generate dynamic page content
Node.js can create, open, read, write, delete, and close files on the server
Node.js can collect form data
Node.js can add, delete, modify data in your database
What is a Node.js File?
Node.js files contain tasks that will be executed on certain events
A typical event is someone trying to access a port on the server
Node.js files must be initiated on the server before having any effect
Node.js files have extension ".js"
Getting Started
Once you have downloaded and installed Node.js on your computer, let's try to
display "Hello World" in a web browser.
Create a Node.js file named "myfirst.js", and add the following code:
myfirst.js
var http = require('http');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.end('Hello World!');
}).listen(8080);
Command Line Interface
Node.js files must be initiated in the "Command Line Interface" program of your
computer.
How to open the command line interface on your computer depends on the
operating system. For Windows users, press the start button and look for
"Command Prompt", or simply write "cmd" in the search field.
Navigate to the folder that contains the file "myfirst.js", the command line
interface window should look something like this:
C:\Users\Your Name>_
Initiate the Node.js File
The file you have just created must be initiated by Node.js before any action
can take place.
Start your command line interface, write node myfirst.js and hit enter:
Initiate "myfirst.js":
C:\Users\Your Name>node myfirst.js
Now, your computer works as a server!
If anyone tries to access your computer on port 8080, they will get a "Hello
World!" message in return!
Start your internet browser, and type in the address: http://localhost:8080
Include Modules
To include a module, use the require() function with the name of the module:
var http = require('http');
Now your application has access to the HTTP module, and is able to create a
server:
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.end('Hello World!');
}).listen(8080);
Create Your Own Modules
You can create your own modules, and easily include them in your applications.
The following example creates a module that returns a date and time object:
ExampleGet your own Node.js Server
Create a module that returns the current date and time:
exports.myDateTime = function () {
return Date();
};
Use the exports keyword to make properties and methods available outside the
module file.
Save the code above in a file called "myfirstmodule.js"
Include Your Own Module
Now you can include and use the module in any of your Node.js files.
Example
Use the module "myfirstmodule" in a Node.js file:
var http = require('http');
var dt = require('./myfirstmodule');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.write("The date and time are currently: " + dt.myDateTime());
res.end();
}).listen(8080);
The Built-in HTTP Module
Node.js has a built-in module called HTTP, which allows Node.js to transfer data
over the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
To include the HTTP module, use the require() method:
var http = require('http');
Node.js as a Web Server
The HTTP module can create an HTTP server that listens to server ports and
gives a response back to the client.
Use the createServer() method to create an HTTP server:
ExampleGet your own Node.js Server
var http = require('http');
//create a server object:
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.write('Hello World!'); //write a response to the client
res.end(); //end the response
}).listen(8080); //the server object listens on port 8080
Add an HTTP Header
If the response from the HTTP server is supposed to be displayed as HTML, you
should include an HTTP header with the correct content type:
Example
var http = require('http');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.write('Hello World!');
res.end();
}).listen(8080);
Read the Query String
The function passed into the http.createServer() has a req argument that
represents the request from the client, as an object (http.IncomingMessage
object).
This object has a property called "url" which holds the part of the url that comes
after the domain name:
demo_http_url.js
var http = require('http');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.write(req.url);
res.end();
}).listen(8080);
Split the Query String
There are built-in modules to easily split the query string into readable parts,
such as the URL module.
Example
Split the query string into readable parts:
var http = require('http');
var url = require('url');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
var q = url.parse(req.url, true).query;
var txt = q.year + " " + q.month;
res.end(txt);
}).listen(8080);
Node.js as a File Server
The Node.js file system module allows you to work with the file system on your
computer.
To include the File System module, use the require() method:
var fs = require('fs');
Common use for the File System module:
Read files
Create files
Update files
Delete files
Rename files
Read Files
The fs.readFile() method is used to read files on your computer.
Assume we have the following HTML file (located in the same folder as Node.js):
demofile1.html
<html>
<body>
<h1>My Header</h1>
<p>My paragraph.</p>
</body>
</html>
var http = require('http');
var fs = require('fs');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
fs.readFile('demofile1.html', function(err, data) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.write(data);
return res.end();
});
}).listen(8080);
Create Files
The File System module has methods for creating new files:
fs.appendFile()
fs.open()
fs.writeFile()
The fs.appendFile() method appends specified content to a file. If the file does
not exist, the file will be created:
Example
Create a new file using the appendFile() method:
var fs = require('fs');
fs.appendFile('mynewfile1.txt', 'Hello content!', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('Saved!');
});
The fs.open() method takes a "flag" as the second argument, if the flag is "w"
for "writing", the specified file is opened for writing. If the file does not exist, an
empty file is created:
Example
Create a new, empty file using the open() method:
var fs = require('fs');
fs.open('mynewfile2.txt', 'w', function (err, file) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('Saved!');
});
The fs.writeFile() method replaces the specified file and content if it exists. If
the file does not exist, a new file, containing the specified content, will be
created:
Example
Create a new file using the writeFile() method:
var fs = require('fs');
fs.writeFile('mynewfile3.txt', 'Hello content!', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('Saved!');
});
Update Files
The File System module has methods for updating files:
fs.appendFile()
fs.writeFile()
The fs.appendFile() method appends the specified content at the end of the
specified file:
Example
Append "This is my text." to the end of the file "mynewfile1.txt":
var fs = require('fs');
fs.appendFile('mynewfile1.txt', ' This is my text.', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('Updated!');
});
The fs.writeFile() method replaces the specified file and content:
Example
Replace the content of the file "mynewfile3.txt":
var fs = require('fs');
fs.writeFile('mynewfile3.txt', 'This is my text', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('Replaced!');
});
Run example »
Delete Files
To delete a file with the File System module, use the fs.unlink() method.
The fs.unlink() method deletes the specified file:
Example
Delete "mynewfile2.txt":
var fs = require('fs');
fs.unlink('mynewfile2.txt', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('File deleted!');
});
Rename Files
To rename a file with the File System module, use the fs.rename() method.
The fs.rename() method renames the specified file:
Example
Rename "mynewfile1.txt" to "myrenamedfile.txt":
var fs = require('fs');
fs.rename('mynewfile1.txt', 'myrenamedfile.txt', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('File Renamed!');
});
The Built-in URL Module
The URL module splits up a web address into readable parts.
To include the URL module, use the require() method:
var url = require('url');
Parse an address with the url.parse() method, and it will return a URL object
with each part of the address as properties:
ExampleGet your own Node.js Server
Split a web address into readable parts:
var url = require('url');
var adr = 'http://localhost:8080/default.htm?year=2017&month=february';
var q = url.parse(adr, true);
console.log(q.host); //returns 'localhost:8080'
console.log(q.pathname); //returns '/default.htm'
console.log(q.search); //returns '?year=2017&month=february'
var qdata = q.query; //returns an object: { year: 2017, month: 'february'
}
console.log(qdata.month); //returns 'february'
Run example »
Node.js File Server
Now we know how to parse the query string, and in the previous chapter we
learned how to make Node.js behave as a file server. Let us combine the two,
and serve the file requested by the client.
Create two html files and save them in the same folder as your node.js files.
summer.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>Summer</h1>
<p>I love the sun!</p>
</body>
</html>
winter.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>Winter</h1>
<p>I love the snow!</p>
</body>
</html>
Create a Node.js file that opens the requested file and returns the content to
the client. If anything goes wrong, throw a 404 error:
demo_fileserver.js:
var http = require('http');
var url = require('url');
var fs = require('fs');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
var q = url.parse(req.url, true);
var filename = "." + q.pathname;
fs.readFile(filename, function(err, data) {
if (err) {
res.writeHead(404, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
return res.end("404 Not Found");
}
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.write(data);
return res.end();
});
}).listen(8080);
What is NPM?
NPM is a package manager for Node.js packages, or modules if you like.
www.npmjs.com hosts thousands of free packages to download and use.
The NPM program is installed on your computer when you install Node.js
NPM is already ready to run on your computer!
What is a Package?
A package in Node.js contains all the files you need for a module.
Modules are JavaScript libraries you can include in your project.
Download a Package
Downloading a package is very easy.
Open the command line interface and tell NPM to download the package you
want.
I want to download a package called "upper-case":
Download "upper-case":
C:\Users\Your Name>npm install upper-case
Now you have downloaded and installed your first package!
NPM creates a folder named "node_modules", where the package will be placed.
All packages you install in the future will be placed in this folder.
My project now has a folder structure like this:
C:\Users\My Name\node_modules\upper-case
Using a Package
Once the package is installed, it is ready to use.
Include the "upper-case" package the same way you include any other module:
var uc = require('upper-case');
Create a Node.js file that will convert the output "Hello World!" into upper-case
letters:
ExampleGet your own Node.js Server
var http = require('http');
var uc = require('upper-case');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/html'});
res.write(uc.upperCase("Hello World!"));
res.end();
}).listen(8080);
Run example »
Save the code above in a file called "demo_uppercase.js", and initiate the file:
Initiate demo_uppercase:
C:\Users\Your Name>node demo_uppercase.js
