Building a Professional Rest API with Node js (no express js)

 

Introduction:

In this comprehensive tutorial, we'll guide you through the process of creating a robust REST API using Node.js, without relying on the popular Express framework. By leveraging the power of vanilla Node.js, we'll build a scalable and efficient API from scratch. 

Code Repository:

To help you follow along, we have provided a code repository on GitHub that contains the complete source code for the REST API. You can access it here: [GitHub Repository](https://github.com/bradtraversy/vanilla-node-rest-api).

Tutorial Breakdown (Timestamps):

0:00 - Introduction:

We'll begin by introducing the objectives of this tutorial and why we are building a REST API with vanilla Node.js. Understanding the advantages and challenges of this approach will provide a solid foundation for the rest of the tutorial.

2:03 - Getting Started:

We'll kick off the tutorial by setting up our development environment. We'll guide you through the necessary installations and configurations to ensure a seamless development experience.

3:06 - HTTP Create Server:

Learn how to create an HTTP server using Node.js core modules. We'll explore the fundamental concepts and essential functionalities needed to handle incoming requests and send appropriate responses.

5:27 - Sending a Simple Response:

Building upon the previous step, we'll demonstrate how to send a basic response to client requests. This will help you understand the flow of information between the server and client.

10:43 - Simple Routing:

Discover how to implement simple routing in our API. We'll define routes and handle different HTTP methods to ensure our API responds correctly based on the requested resource.

13:17 - Creating the Model & Controller:

We'll dive into the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture and guide you through creating the model and controller for our API. This separation of concerns will enhance the maintainability and scalability of our codebase.

14:45 - Getting All Products:

Learn how to retrieve all products from our API by implementing the necessary logic in our controller. We'll demonstrate how to fetch data from a data source and send it back as a response to the client.

19:35 - Getting Product By ID:

Extend the functionality of our API by enabling the retrieval of a specific product based on its unique identifier. We'll explore how to handle URL parameters and query the database accordingly.

27:15 - Creating Products:

Discover how to add the ability to create new products through our API. We'll guide you through the process of extracting relevant data from the request body and saving it to our data source.

39:17 - Getting Body Data:

In this section, we'll explore different techniques for extracting and parsing data from the request body. Understanding this process is crucial when updating existing resources or creating new ones.

48:38 - Updating Products:

Learn how to implement the update functionality in our API. We'll cover the necessary steps to modify an existing product and ensure the changes are reflected in our data source.

56:36 - Deleting Products:

Finally, we'll guide you through the process of deleting products from our API. We'll demonstrate how to handle DELETE requests and remove the corresponding resource from our data source.

Conclusion:

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a solid understanding of how to build a professional-grade REST API using Node.js without relying on the Express framework. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be able to create powerful and scalable APIs tailored to your specific requirements.