Express.js

Express is a popular Node.js web application framework that simplifies the development of server-side applications. It provides a robust set of features for building web servers and APIs.

tip

Get started in no time with the Express.js template.

Deployment

Learn how to deploy an existing Express.js app using Genezio, a serverless deployment platform that simplifies app management and reduces costs.

Prerequisites

1. Install genezio

Use your preferred package manager to install Genezio:

npm

npm install genezio -g

pnpm

pnpm add -g genezio

yarn

yarn add global genezio

2. Ensure you have an Express.js App

If you don't have an Express.js app, you can create one using the following steps:

Create a Hello World Express.js App

1. Initialize a New Node.js Project

Run the following command to initialize a new Node.js project in an empty directory:

npm init -y

2. Install Express.js

Next, install the Express.js package:

npm install express

3. Create an Express.js App

esm

Create a new file named app.mjs and add the following code:

app.mjs

  import express from 'express';

  const app = express();

  app.get("/", (req, res) => {
    res.send("Hello World from Express!");
  });

  app.get("/users", (req, res) => {
    res.json([
      { id: 1, name: "Alice" },
      { id: 2, name: "Bob" },
    ]);
  });

  app.listen(8080, () => {
    console.log("Server is running on http://0.0.0.0:8080");
  });

cjs

Create a new file named app.js and add the following code:

app.js

  const express = require("express");

  const app = express();

  app.get("/", (req, res) => {
    res.send("Hello World from Express!");
  });

  app.listen(8080, () => {
    console.log("Server is running on http://0.0.0.0:8080");
  });

4. Test the Express.js App

Run the following command to start the Express.js app:

esm

node app.mjs

cjs

node app.js

Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8080 to see the app running.

Deployment Guide

1. Create the Genezio Configuration File

First, you need to create the configuration file in the root directory of your Express.js app, run the following command:

genezio analyze

This command will analyze your project and create the genezio.yaml file in the root directory of your Express.js app, with the following content:

genezio.yaml

# The name of the project.
name: express-app
# The region where the project is deployed. Available regions: us-east-1, eu-central-1, eu-west-1
region: us-east-1
# The version of the Genezio YAML configuration to parse.
yamlVersion: 2
backend:
  # The root directory of the backend.
  path: ./
  # Information about the backend's programming language.
  language:
    # The name of the programming language.
    name: js
    # The package manager used by the backend.
    packageManager: npm
  scripts:
    deploy:
      - npm install
  # Information about the backend's functions.
  functions:
    # The name (label) of the function.
    - name: express
      # The path to the function's code.
      path: ./
      # The entry point for the function.
      entry: app.mjs
      # The compatibility of the function handler.
      type: httpServer

2. Test your app locally

Before deploying your app, you can test it locally to ensure it's working correctly.

Run the following command in your terminal:

genezio local

3. Deploy your project

Finally, deploy your project. A browser window will open, and you will be prompted to log in to your Genezio account and authorize the CLI to make the deployment. Run the following command in your terminal:

genezio deploy

If your application use environment variables, you can deploy them using the following command:

genezio deploy --env <path-to-your-env-file>

info

You need to deploy your environment variables only once. After that, you can deploy your project without the --env flag.

For more information about environment variables, you can check the official documentation.

See your app in Genezio Dashboard

After deploying your application, you can test it to ensure it's running correctly. To verify that your Express.js app is working, open a web browser and navigate to the URL provided for your deployed function.

This URL can be found in the deployment output under the Functions Deployed section.

Additionally, you can monitor and manage your app through the Genezio App Dashboard. The dashboard URL, also provided after deployment, allows you to access comprehensive views of your project's status and logs.

You can find this URL in the deployment output under the App Dashboard URL section.

Support

We invite you to join our community on Discord for further information and help.

Happy Learning!