Exercise: Setting Up Your First Express Server

Objective

Create a basic Express server that handles two routes: / and /about. This exercise ranks 1 point worth of difficulty, with an expected work time of an hour.

Requirements

Setup an Express Server

• Initialize a new Node.js project with npm init.
• Install Express using npm install express.
• Create an index.js file where your server code will reside.

Create Routes

• Route /: Should send back a response with the text: "Welcome to my first Express server!".
• Route /about: Should send back a JSON response containing an object with a name and an age. Hint.

Run the Server

• A server.js file is provided. The expectation is to import the express app from index.js and have the express app listen from server.js
• Once you've got the listener set up, you should run node server.js to have a copy of your server running

End Cases

• Server runs without errors on port 3000.
• Navigating to http://localhost:3000/ displays "Welcome to my first Express server!".
• Navigating to http://localhost:3000/about displays a JSON response with a name and age.

Running the Tests

This exercise includes automated tests to verify the functionality of your Express server using Jest and Supertest.

Step 1: Install Dependencies

Ensure all project dependencies are installed:

npm install jest supertest

Step 2: Run the Tests

Execute the tests with the following command:

npm test

Understanding the Test Output

• Passing tests are marked with a green check (✓), indicating your server meets the requirements.
• Failing tests are marked with a red cross (✕), with details provided to help you identify and correct the issue.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

• Confirm all dependencies are installed with npm install.
• Make sure your server exports the Express app for testing.
• Review Jest's error messages for insights on needed corrections.