Creating a Simple HTTP Server

In this chapter, we’ll look into server-side development by building web servers with Node.js. At the heart of modern web applications, web servers are responsible for processing client requests and delivering appropriate responses, such as HTML pages, data, or API outputs. Whether we’re building a simple website or a complex backend for a web application, understanding how servers work is essential.

Node.js’s non-blocking, event-driven architecture makes it an excellent choice for creating efficient and scalable web servers capable of handling multiple concurrent requests. In this lesson, we’ll start by setting up a basic HTTP server, learning how to respond to incoming requests. This foundational knowledge will serve as a stepping stone for implementing more advanced server functionalities, such as routing, handling client input, and serving dynamic content in subsequent lessons.

Overview of HTTP requests and responses

When a client (like a browser or app) interacts with a web server, it sends an HTTP request to the server, which processes the request and responds with an HTTP response. Think of the request as a message asking the server for information (like a web page, data, or resource) and the response as the server’s reply containing the requested content.

A simple HTTP request typically includes:

• URL: This is the path or address being requested on the server, such as / (the homepage) or /about (a specific page). The URL helps the server determine what content or functionality the client is asking for. For example, /products might return a list of items, while /contact could display a contact form. ...