Express vs Hapi in Node.js

‘Express’ Module: In order to use the express module, we need to install the NPM (Node Package Manager) and the following modules (on cmd).

// Creates package.json file
>> npm init 

// Installs express module
>> npm install express --save  // OR
>> npm i express -s 

Import express module: Import express module and store returned instance into a variable.

Syntax:

var express = require("express");

Creating Server: The above syntax calls the “express()” function and creates a new express application which gets stored inside the app variable.

Syntax:

const app = express();    

// OR Importing and creating express application
var express = require("express")();  

Sending and listening to the response: It communicates the request and response with the client and the server. It requires PORT <number> and IP <number> to communicate.  

app.listen(PORT, IP, Callback);

Parameter: This method accepts three parameters as mentioned above and described below:

• PORT <Number>: Ports are the endpoints of communication which helps to communicate with the client and the server.
• IP <Number>: IPs represent IPv4 or IPv6 address of a host or a device.
• Callback <Function>: It accepts a function.

The below example illustrates the Express.js module in Node.js.

Example 1: Filename: index.js

javascript

// Node.js program to create server
// with help of Express module

// Importing express
const express = require('express');

// Creating new express app
const app = express();

// PORT configuration
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 2020;

// IP configuration
const IP = process.env.IP || 2021;

// Create a route for the app
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
 res.send('Hello Vikas_g from geeksforgeeks!');
});

// Create a route for the app
app.get('*', (req, res) => {
 res.send('OOPS!! The link is broken...');
});

// Server listening to requests
app.listen(PORT, IP, () => {
 console.log(`The Server is running
    at: http://localhost:${PORT}/`);
});

Run index.js file using the following command:

node index.js

Output:

The Server is running at: http://localhost:2020

Now type http://127.0.0.1:2020/ OR http://localhost:2020/ in a web browser to see the output.

‘Hapi’ Module: In order to use the hapiJS module, we need to install the NPM (Node Package Manager) and the following modules (on cmd).

// Creates package.json file
>> npm init 

//  Installs hapi module
>> npm install @hapi/hapi --save 

Import hapiJS module: Import hapiJS module and store returned instance into a variable.

Syntax:

var Hapi = require("@hapi/hapi");

Creating Server: The above syntax imports the “hapi” module and now it creates a server. It communicates the request and response with the client and the server. It requires PORT <number> and host <string> to communicate.

Syntax:

const server = Hapi.server({port: 2020, host: 'localhost'});

Parameter: This method accepts three parameters as mentioned above and described below:

PORT <Number>: Ports are the endpoints of communication which helps to communicate with the client and the server.

HOST <String>: It accepts the host names like ‘localhost/127.0.0.1‘, ‘geeksforgeeks.org’, etc. 

The below example illustrates the Hapijs module in Node.js.

Example 2: Filename: index.js

javascript

// Node.js program to create server
// using hapi module

// Importing hapi module
const Hapi = require('@hapi/hapi');

// Creating Server
const server = Hapi.server({
    port: 2020,
    host: 'localhost'
});

// Creating route
server.route({
     method: 'GET',
     path: '/',
     handler: (request, hnd) => {
         return 'Hello GeeksForGeeks!';
     }
});

const start = async () => {
 await server.start();
   console.log('Server running at', server.info.uri);
};

process.on('unhandledRejection', (err) => {
   console.log(err);
   process.exit(1);
});

start();

Run index.js file using the following command:

node index.js

Output:

Server running at: http://localhost:2020

Now type http://localhost:2020/ in a web browser to see the output.