Node.js, together with Express.js, is one of the most popular choices for building RESTful APIs. It’s lightweight, efficient, and built for real-time applications. In this guide, we’ll cover the essentials for building a simple, scalable REST API using these tools. RESTful APIs follow a resource-based approach. Each endpoint in a RESTful API corresponds to a resource, such as users, posts, or comments. The HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) map to the operations you can perform on those resources, providing a standardized way to interact with data. With Node.js, you can create non-blocking, event-driven applications. This is perfect for APIs, as it ensures the server can handle multiple requests at once without being bogged down by slow processes. Express.js adds a layer of abstraction, making it easier to manage routes, middleware, and responses. Authentication and security are critical when building APIs. You can integrate JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for stateless authentication and use middleware to protect routes that require user authorization. Additionally, consider using HTTPS, input validation, and rate-limiting to further secure your API.
