The Express framework comes with the basics of what you need to get started, and doesn't impose any strict rules on how you use those tools to create your application. In our own words, Express (and the other web frameworks in the Node.js ecosystem) makes developing and maintaining a web server much friendlier than doing it using built-in Node.js utilities.Įxpress uses those built-in utilities under the hood, but provides you with a set of common handlers, settings, utilities, and other tools which greatly improve the experience and speed of creating a web server. But when are things that simple?Īccording to the Express website itself, Express is a 'Fast, unopinionated, minimalist web framework for Node.js'. This code creates a basic HTTP server that listens to requests on port 8000 and returns 'Hello World'.įor something that simple, you don't need Express. You can do that using the built in http module: const http = require('http') Ĭonst server = http.createServer((req, res) => ) Ĭonsole.log(`Server listening on port 8000`) Express can be used to create JSON APIs, Server-side rendered web applications, or Microservices.īut why? You don't need Express to create a basic HTTP server with Node.js. The most common use for Node.js is writing Web applications, and a large percentage of these web applications today are using Express.js as their server framework.

Watch: What Is the Express Node.js Framework? Express.js overview Understand core concepts of the Express server Node.js framework, including how it helps create web applications.

What is express js