8 Steps to develop RESTful API using Express and MongoDB

In this MEAN Stack Tutorial, we are going to develop a RESTful API using Express.js and MongoDB. We will follow a step by step approach to make it easier for readers in developing their first RESTful API on MEAN stack.

Following are the steps to build the API:

• Step 1: Initialize the Project
• Step 2: Install Express
• Step 3: Install Express Generator
• Step 4: Create the Project
• Step 5: Install Dependencies
• Step 6: Install HBS, MONGO
• Step 7: Run Mongo
• Step 8: Create Mongo Service and Connect to Database

Step 1: Initialize the Project

• Create a folder with the project name such as todoapp.
• Open command prompt window on the project folder.
• Run the following command:
  
  npm init

  1

  npm init

  This command will create a package.json file with following details:

  

Step 2: Install Express

• Install express with following command:
  npm install express --save

  1	npm install express --save

Step 3: Install Express Generator

• Install express-generator using following command
  npm install express-generator --save

  1	npm install express-generator --save

Step 4: Create the Project

• Use the following command to create the express project
  express todoapp

  1	express todoapp

  This will give the following output

  create : todoapp create : todoapp/package.json create : todoapp/app.js create : todoapp/public create : todoapp/routes create : todoapp/routes/index.js create : todoapp/routes/users.js create : todoapp/views create : todoapp/views/index.jade create : todoapp/views/layout.jade create : todoapp/views/error.jade create : todoapp/public/stylesheets create : todoapp/public/stylesheets/style.css create : todoapp/public/javascripts create : todoapp/public/images create : todoapp/bin create : todoapp/bin/www install dependencies: $ cd todoapp && npm install run the app: $ DEBUG=todoapp ./bin/www

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  create : todoapp    create : todoapp/package.json    create : todoapp/app.js    create : todoapp/public    create : todoapp/routes    create : todoapp/routes/index.js    create : todoapp/routes/users.js    create : todoapp/views    create : todoapp/views/index.jade    create : todoapp/views/layout.jade    create : todoapp/views/error.jade    create : todoapp/public/stylesheets    create : todoapp/public/stylesheets/style.css    create : todoapp/public/javascripts    create : todoapp/public/images    create : todoapp/bin    create : todoapp/bin/www    install dependencies:      $ cd todoapp && npm install    run the app:      $ DEBUG=todoapp ./bin/www

Step 5: Install Dependencies

• The package.json file will look like as following:
  { "name": "todoapp", "version": "0.0.0", "private": true, "scripts": { "start": "node ./bin/www" }, "dependencies": { "body-parser": "~1.16.0", "cookie-parser": "~1.4.3", "debug": "~2.6.0", "express": "~4.14.1", "jade": "~1.11.0", "morgan": "~1.7.0", "serve-favicon": "~2.3.2" } }

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  {   "name": "todoapp",   "version": "0.0.0",   "private": true,   "scripts": {     "start": "node ./bin/www"   },   "dependencies": {     "body-parser": "~1.16.0",     "cookie-parser": "~1.4.3",     "debug": "~2.6.0",     "express": "~4.14.1",     "jade": "~1.11.0",     "morgan": "~1.7.0",     "serve-favicon": "~2.3.2"   } }

• Install all the dependencies using following command:
  npm install

  1	npm install

Note: You can find more helpful details on MEAN Stack especially AngularJS 1.x & AngularJS 2 here.

Step 6: Install HBS, MONGO

• Install mongo using following commands:
  
  npm install --save mongo npm install --save mongodb npm install --save monk

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  npm install --save mongo   npm install --save mongodb   npm install --save monk

Step 7: Run Mongo

• Run mongod.exe it will start the MongoDB.
• Connect to todoapp databse using following command:

Step 8: Create Mongo Service and Connect to Database

• On app.js file add mongo database as following:
  
  var mongo = require('mongodb'); var monk = require('monk'); var db = monk('localhost:27017/todoapp');

  1 2 3

  var mongo = require('mongodb'); var monk = require('monk'); var db = monk('localhost:27017/todoapp');

• Create a middleware to connect to database
  
  app.use(function(req,res,next){ req.db = db; next(); });

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  app.use(function(req,res,next){     req.db = db;     next(); });

• Create a new router for todo in ‘routes/todo.js’ file
  
  var express = require('express'); var router = express.Router(); /* GET todos listing. */ router.get('/', function(req, res) { res.send('Show todo list with delete and update feature (RUD)'); }); /* render NEW To-do form page. todos/new is a route path*/ router.get('/new', function(req, res) { res.render('new_todo',{title:'Add new To-Do'}); }); module.exports = router;

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  var express = require('express'); var router = express.Router();   /* GET todos listing. */ router.get('/', function(req, res) {       res.send('Show todo list with delete and update feature (RUD)');   });   /* render NEW To-do form page. todos/new is a route path*/   router.get('/new', function(req, res) {     res.render('new_todo',{title:'Add new To-Do'}); });   module.exports = router;

• In app.js add the router for initialization
  
  var todos = require('./routes/todos'); app.use('/todos', todos);

  1 2	var todos = require('./routes/todos'); app.use('/todos', todos);

• Create a new form template inside views folder with the name ‘new_todo.jed’
  
  extends layout block content h1= title form(name="new_todo", method="post", action="/todos/add_todo") div.input span.label Title input(type="text", name="title") div.input span.label Due Date input(type="text", name="dueDate") div.input span.label Description textarea(name="description", cols="40", rows="5") div.actions input(type="submit", value="add")

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  extends layout   block content     h1= title     form(name="new_todo", method="post", action="/todos/add_todo")         div.input             span.label Title             input(type="text", name="title")     div.input         span.label Due Date         input(type="text", name="dueDate")         div.input             span.label Description             textarea(name="description", cols="40", rows="5")         div.actions             input(type="submit", value="add")

• Run the app using the following command
  
  npm start

  1

  npm start

• From browser if we run http://localhost:3000/todos/new, we can view the New todo page as following:
• Next step is the write the method that will be executed once the add-todo form is submitted in routes/todos.js file add the following router method.
  
  /* Add To-do to database*/ router.post('/add-todo', function(req, res) { // Get the only one db instance in our app var db = req.db; // Get POST values, It's easy var title = req.body.title; var dueDate = req.body.dueDate; console.log('POST VALUES: ' + title + ' ' + dueDate); // Fetch from 'users' collection var todoCollection = db.get("todos"); todoCollection.insert({ 'title' : title, 'dueDate' : dueDate }, function(err, doc) { if(err) res.send('Problem occured when inserting in todo collection'); else { console.log("Inserted"); res.location('todos'); res.redirect('/todos'); } }); });

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  /* Add To-do to database*/ router.post('/add-todo', function(req, res) {     // Get the only one db instance in our app     var db = req.db;     // Get POST values, It's easy     var title = req.body.title;     var dueDate = req.body.dueDate;     console.log('POST VALUES: ' + title + ' ' + dueDate);      // Fetch from 'users' collection     var todoCollection = db.get("todos");     todoCollection.insert({         'title' : title,         'dueDate' : dueDate     }, function(err, doc) {         if(err) res.send('Problem occured when inserting in todo collection');         else {             console.log("Inserted");             res.location('todos');             res.redirect('/todos');         }     }); });

• Now submitting the form will redirect to /todos/add-todo route and make a POST request. The todo will be saved in the database.

Hopefully, this MEAN Stack tutorial will serve as your first RESTful API using ExpressJS with MongoDB. We will come with more detailed technical tutorial on related technologies soon. Keep in touch 🙂

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