Building APIs with ExpressJS

ExpressJS was the framework that made Node.js click for backend development. Its minimal, unopinionated design gave me control while providing enough structure to build clean APIs.

What I Learned

• Routing — organizing endpoints with route handlers and parameterized URLs
• Middleware — request logging, auth checks, error handling as middleware chains
• Request/Response — parsing body data, query params, and sending JSON responses
• Project Structure — separating routes, controllers, and models for maintainability

Building Real Projects

I used Express to build the complete API for Your Place. Setting up CRUD routes for users, places, and experiences, adding authentication middleware with JWT, and structuring the project for scalability taught me how to build production-ready backends.

Where I Am Now

Express is my default choice for building REST APIs. I understand middleware deeply enough to write custom solutions and debug complex request flows.