What is the definition of an Express route?

🔍 What is it?

  • An Express route is a mechanism in the Express.js framework for handling incoming HTTP requests and defining how the server should respond to those requests.

❓ How is it used?

  • Express routes are defined using HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.) and URL patterns. Each route consists of a combination of an HTTP method, a URL pattern, and a callback function that gets executed when the route is matched.
  • Routes are created using the app.METHOD() functions provided by Express, where METHOD is the HTTP method (e.g., app.get(), app.post(), app.put(), app.delete()).
  • Inside the callback function, developers can define the logic for handling the request, accessing request parameters, processing data, and sending a response back to the client.

Why is it needed?

  • Express routes provide a structured way to define the behavior of a web server and handle different types of requests.
  • They help organize the codebase by separating different functionalities into individual route handlers, making the codebase easier to understand, maintain, and scale.
  • Express routes allow developers to create RESTful APIs by mapping HTTP methods to CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on resources.
  • With Express routes, developers can implement complex routing logic, including route parameters, query parameters, middleware functions, and route chaining, to create flexible and powerful web applications.