Building RESTful APIs with Node.js: Routing and Response Implementation

This article introduces the core process of building a RESTful API using Node.js and Express. Node.js is well-suited for high-concurrency services due to its non-blocking I/O and single-threaded model, and when paired with the lightweight and efficient Express framework, it is ideal for beginners. For preparation, install Node.js (recommended LTS version) and initialize the project. Install the Express framework via `npm install express`. The core involves creating a service with Express: importing the framework, instantiating it, and defining routes. Use methods like `app.get()` to handle different HTTP requests (GET/POST/PUT/DELETE), with the `express.json()` middleware to parse JSON request bodies. Each method corresponds to different operations: GET retrieves resources, POST creates, PUT updates, and DELETE removes. Data is passed using route parameters and request bodies, with status codes such as 200, 201, and 404 returned in results. Advanced content includes route modularization (splitting route files) and 404 handling. Finally, test the API using Postman or curl. After mastering this, you can connect to a database to extend functionality and complete the construction of a basic API.