Separating routes into files in Express - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Separating routes into files

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Express web server. To keep your code clean and organized, you want to separate your routes into different files instead of putting all routes in one file.

🎯 Goal: Create an Express app that uses a separate route file for handling requests to /users. The main app file should import and use this route file.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a route file named users.js that exports an Express router.

In users.js, define a GET route for / that sends the text 'User list'.

In the main app file app.js, import the users.js router.

Use the imported router in app.js for the path /users.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Separating routes into files helps keep your server code organized and easier to maintain as your app grows.

💼 Career

Many professional Express apps use routers in separate files to manage complexity and collaborate with teams.

1

Create the users route file

Create a file named users.js. Inside it, import express and create a router using express.Router(). Then define a GET route on '/' that sends the text 'User list'. Finally, export the router using module.exports = router.

Express

# Create an Express router in users.js
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use express.Router() to create a router. Define routes on it like on an app. Export the router at the end.

2

Set up the main app file

In app.js, import express and create an app using express(). Also import the users.js router using require('./users'). Set the app to listen on port 3000.

Express

# Set up Express app in app.js
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Import express and create the app. Import the users router from './users'. Use app.listen(3000) to start the server.

3

Use the users router in the app

In app.js, use app.use('/users', usersRouter) to connect the imported usersRouter to the path /users.

Express

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const usersRouter = require('./users');

// Use the users router for /users path
# Your code here

app.listen(3000);

Need a hint?

Use app.use to mount the router on the /users path.

4

Add a root route to the app

In app.js, add a GET route on '/' that sends the text 'Welcome to the main page'.

Express

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const usersRouter = require('./users');

app.use('/users', usersRouter);

// Add a GET route for '/' that sends 'Welcome to the main page'
# Your code here

app.listen(3000);

Need a hint?

Use app.get to define a route for the root path /.