express.md

Express.js

Projected Time

4 hours, including lab exercise

Prerequisites

• How the Internet Works
• Node.js

Motivation

• Express.js is one part of the MERN web development stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js), we cover at Techtonica. Express.js allows you to quickly build a website served by Node.js.
• Express enables robust routing and improve performance.
• It is flexible as there are numerous modules available on npm which can be directly plugged into Express.

Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Explain the MVC framework
• Create a basic web app using Node.js for the server and Express.js as the MVC framework

Specific Things To Teach

• What Express.js is
• What middleware is
• How to code a very simple web app using Express.js
• MVC framework
  • Model
  • View
  • Controller

Materials

• Express.js slides

Lesson

• Read through lesson slides Express.js
• Video walkthrough of lesson slides Express.js

Common Mistakes / Misconceptions

• Express.js is a web framework; Node.js is a server (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-web-server-and-a-web-framework)
• Express.js code goes inside your app.js file
• You must use an object-relational mapper (ORM) for Express.js to be a true MVC framework

Independent Practice

Express.js lab exercise

Challenge

Apprentices can expand their skills in Express.js by finding tutorials online showing how to implement additional features not shown in class, such as login/logout, shopping cart, blog posts or photo galleries.

Check for Understanding

Apprentices can create a list, in their own words, of the steps they went through during the lab exercise to create a basic Express.js web app. They will refer to this list in future Techtonica and personal projects.

Supplemental Materials

• Intro video series on Express.js
• Express.js Tutorial (Level 1)
• Express.js Tutorial: Build RESTful APIs with Node.js & Express.js