Project Summary

In this project, we will create a node server that will act as a bookshelf. This server will keep track of books by being able to add books to a collection, read from the collection, update the collection, and delete from the collection. We'll use insomnia to test our endpoints.

Setup

• Fork this repository.
• Clone your fork.

Step 1

Summary

In this step, we will create a package.json to keep track of our server's dependencies.

Instructions

• Run

npm init -y

Step 2

Summary

In this step, we will install express, which is a very common package node developers use when making a node server.

Instructions

• Run npm install --save express

Step 3

In this step, we will create a .gitignore file to ignore the node_modules folder npm install created.

Instructions

• Create a .gitignore file in the root of the project.
• Add node_modules on the first line and save the file.

Solution

.gitignore

node_modules

Step 4

In this step, we will create our server and have it listen on port 3001.

Instructions

• In the root of the directory create a folder called server.
• Create an index.js file in server/.
• Open server/index.js.
• Require express in a variable called express.
• Create a variable called app that equals the invocation of the express package.
• Call the use method on app and pass in the express.json method invoked.
• Call the listen method on app. The app should listen on port 3001:
  • The first parameter of listen is the port number.
  • The second parameter of listen is a callback function that is called when the app starts listening.

Solution

server/index.js

const express = require('express');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 5

Summary

In this step, we will create a controller that keeps track of the book collection and import that controller into server/index.js. You can think of a controller as an interface to the underlying data we are interested in accessing.

Instructions

• Create a folder in server/ called controllers.
• In server/controllers/ create a file called booksController.js.
• Open server/controllers/booksController.js.
• Create a variable called books that equals an empty array.
  • The books variable will keep track of all our books. A book will be an object that has an id, title, and author property.
• Create a variable called id that equals 0.
  • After a creation of a book, we will increment this by 1 to insure no books have the same id.
• Use module.exports to export an object.
• Open server/index.js.
• Require the books controller at the top of server/index.js in a variable called bc.

Solution

server/controller/booksController.js

let books = [];
let id = 0;

module.exports = {};

server/index.js

const express = require('express');
const bc = require('./controllers/booksController.js');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 6

Summary

In this step, we will create the endpoint to get all the books. We will also create the method in the booksController to be used as the endpoint's handler function.

When creating a get route, you can use the get method on the app object. The first argument is the URL of the request and the second argument is the function to execute when that URL is hit. We will be getting that function from the booksController.

Instructions

• Open server/index.js.
• Below the top level middleware and above the listen method invocation, add a get endpoint.
  • The URL path should be /api/books.
  • The handler function will come from the booksController, we will add it once we create it.
• Open server/controllers/booksController.js.
• Create a method called read in the module.exports object.
  • This method should return all the books.
• Return to the get endpoint in server/index.js that we just wrote and add the read method as the second argument after the URL path.

Solution

server/controller/booksController.js

let books = [];
let id = 0;

module.exports = {
  read: (req, res) => {
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
};

server/index.js

const express = require('express');
const bc = require('./controllers/booksController.js');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/api/books', bc.read);

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 7

Summary

In this step, we will create the endpoint to post a new book. We will also create the method in the booksController to be used as the endpoint's handler function.

Instructions

• Open server/index.js.
• Below the get endpoint, add a post endpoint.
  • The URL path should be /api/books.
  • The handler function will come from the booksController, we will add it once we create it.
• Open server/controllers/booksController.js.
• Create a method called create in the module.exports object.
  • This method should add a new book from the request body to the books array.
  • When finished, it should return all the books.
  • Keep in mind, the information you'll be getting from the request body are title and author. You'll have to add your own id property with the value coming from the id variable. Don't forget to increment the id variable when you're done.
• Return to the post endpoint in server/index.js that we just wrote and add the create method as the second argument after the URL path.

Solution

server/controller/booksController.js

let books = [];
let id = 0;

module.exports = {
  read: (req, res) => {
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
  create: (req, res) => {
    const { title, author } = req.body;
    let book = {
      id,
      title,
      author,
    };
    books.push(book);
    id++;
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
};

server/index.js

const express = require('express');
const bc = require('./controllers/booksController.js');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/api/books', bc.read);
app.post('/api/books', bc.create);

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 8

Summary

In this step, we will create a put endpoint to update a specific book by it's id. We will also create the method in the booksController to be used as the endpoint's handler function.

Instructions

• Open server/index.js.
• Below the post endpoint, add a put endpoint.
  • You will be using the params object in this endpoint, specifically an id you'll get from the URL parameters. Make sure to indicate this at the end of the URL path /api/books.
  • The handler function will come from the booksController, we will add it once we create it.
• Open server/controllers/booksController.js.
• Create a method called update in the module.exports object.
  • This method should find a specific book based off of an id that you'll get off of the params object.
  • Once the book is found, update the book with the new information you'll get off of the request body.
  • Return all the books.
• Return to the put endpoint in server/index.js that we just wrote and add the update method as the second argument after the URL path.

Solution

server/controller/booksController.js

let books = [];
let id = 0;

module.exports = {
  read: (req, res) => {
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
  create: (req, res) => {
    const { title, author } = req.body;
    let book = {
      id,
      title,
      author,
    };
    books.push(book);
    id++;
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
  update: (req, res) => {
    const bookToUpdate = books.find(book => Number(req.params.id) === book.id);
    if (bookToUpdate) {
      const { title, author } = req.body;

      Object.assign(bookToUpdate, {
        ...(title && { title }), // conditionally applies if title is defined
        ...(author && { author }), // conditionally applies if author is defined
      });
      return res.status(200).send(books);
    }
    return res.status(404).send({ error: 'Could not find specified book.' });
  },
};

server/index.js

const express = require('express');
const bc = require('./controllers/booksController.js');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/api/books', bc.read);
app.post('/api/books', bc.create);
app.put('/api/books/:id', bc.update);

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 9

Summary

In this step, we will create a delete endpoint to delete a specific book by it's id. We will also create the method in the booksController to be used as the endpoint's handler function.

Instructions

• Open server/index.js.
• Below the put endpoint, add a delete endpoint.
  • You will be using the params object in this endpoint, specifically an id you'll get from the URL parameters. Make sure to indicate this at the end of the URL path /api/books.
  • The handler function will come from the booksController, we will add it once we create it.
• Open server/controllers/booksController.js.
• Create a method called delete in the module.exports object.
  • This method should find a specific book based off of an id that you'll get off of the params object.
  • Once the book is found, remove that book from the books array.
  • Return all the books.
• Return to the delete endpoint in server/index.js that we just wrote and add the delete method as the second argument after the URL path.

Solution

server/controller/booksController.js

let books = [];
let id = 0;

module.exports = {
  read: (req, res) => {
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
  create: (req, res) => {
    const { title, author } = req.body;
    let book = {
      id: id,
      title: title,
      author: author,
    };
    books.push(book);
    id++;
    res.status(200).send(books);
  },
  update: (req, res) => {
    const bookToUpdate = books.find(book => Number(req.params.id) === book.id);
    if (bookToUpdate) {
      const { title, author } = req.body;

      Object.assign(bookToUpdate, {
        ...(title && { title }), // conditionally applies if title is defined
        ...(author && { author }), // conditionally applies if author is defined
      });
      return res.status(200).send(books);
    }
    return res.status(404).send({ error: 'Could not find specified book.' });
  },
  delete: (req, res) => {
    const bookIndex = books.findIndex(
      book => Number(req.params.id) === book.id
    );
    if (bookId > -1) {
      books.splice(bookIndex, 1);
      return res.status(200).send(books);
    }

    return res.status(404).send({ error: 'Could not find specified book.' });
  },
};

server/index.js

const express = require('express');
const bc = require('./controllers/booksController.js');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/api/books', bc.read);
app.post('/api/books', bc.create);
app.put('/api/books/:id', bc.update);
app.delete('/api/books/:id', bc.delete);

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 10

Summary

In this step, we will use express.static to serve the index.html file for the web application that utilizes our API. express.static takes an argument that is the location of the folder with the files you want to serve when the server URL is hit in a browser. Our front-end was made using create-react-app and instead of running it's own server, we have made a production ready build so that our server can serve up our frontend. We'll want to serve the entire build folder.

Instructions

• Call the use method on app and pass in express.static( __dirname + '/../build').
• Add some books to your collection using Postman.
• Open up http://localhost:3001 in your browser.
• You should see the react application being served from our express server

Solution

server/index.js

const express = require('express');
const bc = require('./controllers/booksController.js');

const app = express();

app.use(express.json());
app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/../build'));

app.get('/api/books', bc.read);
app.post('/api/books', bc.create);
app.put('/api/books/:id', bc.update);
app.delete('/api/books/:id', bc.delete);

const port = 3001;
app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
});

Step 11

Summary

We'll add some data to our API server using insomnia.

Instructions

1. Add some books utilizing the React application. If it's not working look back at your server implementation.
2. Use insomnia to update one of the books, rember to use an id.
3. Use insomnia to delete one of the books.

Congratulations you just created a full CRUD API from scratch.