https://github.com/theekshana-nirmal/simple-node-server
This project is a basic HTTP server created using Node.js's built-in http module. It is designed as a learning exercise to understand the fundamentals of server-side programming before moving on to frameworks like Express.js. The goal is to build a strong foundation in Node.js by starting with the basics.
https://github.com/theekshana-nirmal/simple-node-server
backend-development http-module http-server javascript learning-project-nodejs node nodejs nodemon simple-server web-server
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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This project is a basic HTTP server created using Node.js's built-in http module. It is designed as a learning exercise to understand the fundamentals of server-side programming before moving on to frameworks like Express.js. The goal is to build a strong foundation in Node.js by starting with the basics.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/theekshana-nirmal/simple-node-server
- Owner: theekshana-nirmal
- License: mit
- Created: 2025-04-16T07:21:55.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-04-17T09:48:29.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-17T18:04:24.829Z (about 1 year ago)
- Topics: backend-development, http-module, http-server, javascript, learning-project-nodejs, node, nodejs, nodemon, simple-server, web-server
- Language: HTML
- Homepage:
- Size: 411 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Simple Node Server with Routing
[](https://nodejs.org/)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
A simple HTTP server built using Node.js's built-in `http` module. This project demonstrates basic routing and serves static HTML files. It is designed as a learning exercise to understand the fundamentals of server-side programming and routing before transitioning to more advanced frameworks like Express.js.
> *This screenshot illustrates the output when making a GET request to the `/about` path of the Node.js HTTP server using the Postman extension within VS Code. The server correctly responds with a basic HTML page, demonstrating the routing functionality for the `/about` endpoint.*
## ✨ Features
- Basic HTTP server implementation.
- Serves static HTML files for different routes (`/` and `/about`).
- Handles errors for unsupported routes and methods.
- Uses Node.js's built-in `http` module and `fs/promises` for file handling.
- Configures the server port using environment variables (`.env` file).
- Lightweight and beginner-friendly.
## 🎯 Purpose
This project was created to:
- Understand how to create a basic server using Node.js's `http` module.
- Learn how to implement basic routing for different URL paths.
- Explore serving static HTML files instead of plain text responses.
- Practice using environment variables for configuration (e.g., port numbers).
- Build a foundation for developing more complex web applications and APIs.
## 🚀 How to Run
1. **Clone this repository:**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/theekshana-nirmal/simple-node-server.git
```
```bash
cd simple-node-server
```
2. **Install dependencies:**
```bash
npm install
```
3. **Create a `.env` file:**
Create a file named `.env` in the root directory of the project and add the following line:
```env
PORT=3000
```
*(You can change `3000` to any port you prefer)*
4. **Create the `public` directory:**
Inside the project root, create a folder named `public` and add the following files:
- `index.html`: The homepage content.
- `about.html`: The content for the `/about` route.
5. **Start the server:**
```bash
npm run dev
```
6. **Access the server:**
Open your web browser and navigate to:
- `http://localhost:PORT/` for the homepage.
- `http://localhost:PORT/about` for the about page.
*(Replace `PORT` with the value you set in your `.env` file, e.g., `http://localhost:3000/`)*
## 📚 Learning Objectives
- Understand how to create a basic server using Node.js's `http` module.
- Learn how to implement routing to handle different URL paths.
- Explore serving static HTML files using `fs/promises`.
- Grasp the concept of ports and listening for incoming connections.
- Learn how to manage configuration like port numbers using environment variables (`.env` files).
- Build a foundational understanding for developing more complex web applications and APIs.
## 🌱 Future Plans
- Add support for more routes and dynamic content.
- Implement error pages for 404 and 500 errors.
- Handle different HTTP methods (e.g., POST, PUT, DELETE).
- Transition to using the Express.js framework for more robust features and easier development.
- Add middleware for logging and request parsing.
- Explore serving static assets like CSS and JavaScript files.