express_api_framework

API framework based on expressjs

Setup Step

  npm install

API Framework is a generic server framework build on top of ExpressJS. It supports bodyparser and multiparty express middleware.

API server is based on the config file from where it picks the port number and other required values to get started.

The config is based on the NODE_ENV variable.

To set the NODE_ENV input the following in terminal

  export NODE_ENV=localdev

To start/restart/reload/stop the API server, execute the following command

  npm run start 
  npm run restart 
  npm run reload // for gracefull restart
  npm run stop

Folder Structure of Modules

  |- api-server
    |- services
      |- {{service_name}}
          |- index.js // required, Initialization of config and translations
          |- routes.js // required
          |- config.js // optional
          |- constant.json // optional
          |- package.json
          |- controllers // Contains routes controllers
          |- models // Contains mongoose models
          |- resources // Contains error translation and codes
          |- test // Contains tests suite
      |- {{another_service_name}}
          |- ...

Note:

Sample boilerplate for module is availabe in folder '/api-server/services/service1'.

Global Properties

API framework contain global variables and methods which can be accessed in the code.

  1. app // Express app instance

  2. app.config.get(key) // Used to fetch the config value based on keys e.g., app.config.get("port")

  3. app.mergeConfig // Combines the new module config with the API framework config e.g., app.mergeConfig("config-name", config-json)

  4. app.logger // Winston instance

  5. utils // Contain helper functions

API Routes

API framework has been redefined to simplify adding new routes and nested routes

 routes.js

 module.exports = {
  "/user": {
    GET: function(req, res){
      // body
    },
    POST: function(req, res){
      // body
    },
    "/:id": {
      GET: function(req, res){
        // body
      },
      PUT: function(req, res){
        // body
      }
    }  
  }

Attaching Before hook

module.exports = {
  "/user": {
    "/:id": {
      // add before block here
      before: function(req, res){
        // validate user access
      },
      GET: function(req, res){
        // body
      },
      PUT: function(req, res){
        // body
      }
    }  
  }

Pre and Post hooks

Pre and post hook is used to attach the hook between two services for the same routes.

// Service1 routes.js
module.exports = {
  "/user": {
    GET: {
      _pre: function(){
        
      },
      _post: function(){

      },
      _send_: function(){
        // to send the response to client
      }
    }
  }
}

// Service2 routes.js
module.exports = {
  "/user": {
    GET: {
      _pre: function(){

      },
      _post: function(){

      }
    }
  }
}