REST API Development with Node.js, 2nd Edition

These days, everyone is finding a new way to interconnect systems; the Internet of Things (IoT), for instance, is the new kid on the block, but who knows what will come later. The point is that in order to interconnect systems, as an architect, you’re better off using standard methods that allow for a faster adoption of your technology. In particular, APIs allow for the creation of standards and can work under known and well-tested core technologies like HTTP. If you add to that a well-defined style guide like REST, you’ve got yourself the means to create a scalable, technology-agnostic, and uniform interface for your services to be consumed by your clients. Welcome to REST API Development with Node.js. This book will cover REST, API development, and, finally, how these two mix up with Node.js. Starting from a theoretical point of view, you’ll learn how REST came to be, who created it, and its characteristics. Later, you’ll move toward the practical side by going over API development and the lessons that years of experience from the community have taught us. Finally, you’ll move into a fully practical approach, and you’ll see how Node.js and its modules can help create a RESTful API. You’ll also get a taste of what a real-world development flow would be like and what it would take to both test and deploy your code into a production environment. The final chapters will be 100% practical, going over a real-world example of a RESTful API developed in Node.js. I will cover everything from the requirement- gathering process, to tools selection, through actual development, and, finally, you’ll land in troubleshooting-land, where I’ll discuss the different things that can go wrong and how to tackle them. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the reading.