A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Basic HTTP Server in Node.js

"Creating a basic HTTP server in Node.js is a straightforward process. Node.js has a built-in module called http that makes this easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through:

Step 1: Install Node.js

Before starting, make sure Node.js is installed on your machine. You can download it from Node.js official website. After installing Node.js, you can verify the installation by running:

node -v

Step 2: Create a Project Directory

Create a folder for your project and navigate into it using your terminal:

mkdir my-http-server
cd my-http-server

Step 3: Initialize a Node.js Project

Initialize a new Node.js project inside the directory:

npm init -y

This will create a package.json file which keeps track of your project's metadata and its dependencies.

Step 4: Create the HTTP Server

1. Create an entry point file (e.g., server.js) in your project directory:

   touch server.js
   

2. Write the server code in server.js:

   // Import the http module
   const http = require('http');
   
   // Define the hostname and port
   const hostname = '127.0.0.1';
   const port = 3000;
   
   // Create a server and define the request/response logic
   const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
     res.statusCode = 200;
     res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
     res.end('Hello, World!\n');
   });
   
   // Make the server listen on the specified port and hostname
   server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
     console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
   });
   

Step 5: Run the Server

Run your server with Node:

node server.js

Step 6: Test Your Server

Open your web browser or a tool like curl or Postman and navigate to http://127.0.0.1:3000/. You should see the message "Hello, World!".

Additional Tips

• Handle Different Routes: You can extend your server to handle different routes based on the req.url property.

  const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
    if (req.url === '/') {
      res.statusCode = 200;
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
      res.end('Home Page\n');
    } else if (req.url === '/about') {
      res.statusCode = 200;
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
      res.end('About Page\n');
    } else {
      res.statusCode = 404;
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
      res.end('Page Not Found\n');
    }
  });
  

• Use Environment Variables: For production, you may want to use environment variables for configuration like port and hostname.

  const port = process.env.PORT || 3000;
  const hostname = process.env.HOSTNAME || '127.0.0.1';
  

• Graceful Shutdown: Add logic to handle shutdown gracefully.

  process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
    server.close(() => {
      console.log('Process terminated')
    })
  });
  

Congratulations! You now have a basic HTTP server running in Node.js. From here, you can expand your server by adding more routes, connecting to a database, or integrating with a front-end."