Getting Started with Node.js: Building Your First Server

Hi, I'm Subham Maity, a software engineer. I also enjoy teaching others how to code through my tutorials. I'm always eager to learn new things and share my knowledge with the community.

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❗ For a more in-depth look at this topic, including a detailed table of contents, check out the complete tutorial on my GitHub Repo

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Let's make a basic server..

Create a file named server.js in the root directory of your project.
Add the following code to the file.

const http = require('http');

This will handle the server's request and response.

Create a server using createServer() method.

http.createServer().listen(4500);

This method can take a function as a parameter. We use this createServer() method to create a server. The listen() method is used to listen to the port number means the server will start on the port number 4500.

You can check this on official documentation of http.

Now, You have to pass two functions req and res as a parameter to the createServer() method.

http.createServer((req, res) => {

}).listen(4500);

This is arrow function and the syntax of the arrow function is abc((req, res) => {}). First bracket is for the parameter and the second bracket is for the function. You can check this on official documentation of arrow function.

The req parameter is used to get the request from the client and the res parameter is used to send the response to the client.

I assume that no one actually sends a request to the server. So, we will send a response to the client.


http.createServer((req, res) => {
    res.write('Hello World');
    res.end();
}).listen(4500);

We need to use write() method to send the response to the client. The write() method can take a string or a buffer as a parameter. We can also use end() method to end the response. You can check this on official documentation of http.

Now, run the server using the following command.

node server.js

Now, open the browser and type localhost:4500 in the address bar. You will see the following output.

Hello World

You can also send a html tag to the client.

http.createServer((req, res) => {
    res.write('<h1>Hello World</h1>');
    res.end();
}).listen(4500);

But remember you have to run the server again.

Let's break down the code .

FOR EXAMPLE: We will create a function named data() and we will pass the req and res as a parameter to the function.

const data = (req, res) => {
    res.write('Hello World');
    res.end();
}

function data(req, res) {
    res.write('Hello World');
    res.end();
}

Now, we will pass the data function as a parameter to the createServer() method.

http.createServer(data).listen(4500);

Now run the server using the following command.

node server.js

You will get the same output as the previous one.

Let's Understand.

Basically, arrow function is a short form of the function just use const function_name = (parameter) => {function body} instead of function function_name(parameter) {function body}. You can check this on official documentation of arrow function.

We just copy the data() function and paste it in the createServer() method.

old

http.createServer(
// function body
).listen(4500);

new

http.createServer(

// function body
(req, res) => {
    res.write('Hello World');
    res.end();
}

).listen(4500);

📌 Simplified Code

function multiply(a, b) {
    return a * b;
}
console.log(multiply(2, 3));

const multiply = (a, b) => a * b;
console.log(multiply(2, 3));

here return is not required because it is a single line function.

Additionally you can check the js tutorial which is available on my website. You can check this on official documentation of arrow function.

Getting Started with Node.js: Building Your First Server

Table of contents

📌 Simplified Code