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Express Web Application Development
Here's a comprehensive guide to making the most of Express's flexibility in building web applications. With lots of screenshots and examples, it's the perfect step-by-step manual for those with an intermediate knowledge of JavaScript. Overview In Detail Express is a minimal and flexible node.js web application framework, providing a robust set of features for building single and multi-page, and hybrid web applications. It provides a thin layer of features fundamental to any web application, without obscuring features that developers know and love in node.js. "Express Web Application Development" is a comprehensive guide for those looking to learn how to use the Express web framework for web application development. Starting with the initial setup of the Express web framework, "Express Web Application Development" helps you to understand the fundamentals of the framework. By the end of "Express Web Application Development", you will have acquired enough knowledge and skills to create production-ready Express apps. All of this is made possible by the incremental introduction of more advanced topics, starting from the very essentials. On the way to mastering Express for application development, we teach you the more advanced topics such as routes, views, middleware, forms, sessions, cookies and various other aspects of configuring an Express application. Jade; the recommended HTML template engine, and Stylus; the CSS pre-processor for Express, are covered in detail. Last, but definitely not least, Express Web Application Development also covers practices and setups that are required to make Express apps production-ready. What you will learn from this book Approach "Express Web Application Development" is a practical introduction to learning about Express. Each chapter introduces you to a different area of Express, using screenshots and examples to get you up and running as quickly as possible. Who this book is written for If you are looking to use Express to build your next web application, "Express Web Application Development" will help you get started and take you right through to Express' advanced features. You will need to have an intermediate knowledge of JavaScript to get the most out of this book.
- GenresProgramming
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 16, 2013
If you are looking for a good Express.js book, this is the one you should read. Certainly this book teaches me Express.js, from basic to advanced techniques. It has clear technical explanations. I like this book a lot because the author actually walks you through actual processes by teaching you what you should, should not do, how to organize all your projects, how to use configurations in your app. This is very important because after a certain level of complexity in your app, you will need to organize your routes.
The last three chapters are the best, it actually shows you how to make your app production-ready such as how to benchmark your app using siege command, how to make your app scale and performance well using cluster module, how to ensure maximum uptime for the app, and how to handle critical events.
I also recently found out that the author has a forum at http://expressjs-book.com/ so you can post your questions. I did posted some questions and was able to get answers quickly.
The last three chapters are the best, it actually shows you how to make your app production-ready such as how to benchmark your app using siege command, how to make your app scale and performance well using cluster module, how to ensure maximum uptime for the app, and how to handle critical events.
I also recently found out that the author has a forum at http://expressjs-book.com/ so you can post your questions. I did posted some questions and was able to get answers quickly.
September 9, 2013
Though I have done experiment with Express.js node modules for web development before publishing this book by packtpub, I have purchased this book when it is published. I have gone through some concepts of express.js like namespace routing, request logging, route identifiers and precedence, handling of jsonp requests in this book and I found it helpful for me.
I would recommend this book to node.js programmers.
I would recommend this book to node.js programmers.
September 11, 2013
Express Web Development by Hage Yaapa is a in-depth introduction to web development using Express JS web framework. This book is aimed at anyone who is familiar with JavaScript and wants to leverage node.js platform for web development. Usually primary motivation for using NodeJS platform is to leverage same language i.e. JS at the front-end as well as back-end and also the non-blocking/fast nature of node.js platform.
Sometime early last year I dabbled in node.js platform however it was still evolving and I found it hard to develop apps with as there was no straight forward way for managing routes and file-uploads. I did come across Express back then but the documentation was lacking. I kept hearing about ExpressJS in some other books but it was almost always a pretty introductory fare.In its current state ExpressJS documentation has improved a lot but a book that is neatly crafted, error free, easy to understand and follow is always most welcome. Express Web Development by Hage Yappa is exactly this kind of book.
I liked the fact that Hage starts the book by explaining the concepts used in Express framework. He quickly brought me up to the speed on NodeJS and got me into developing with Express at the same time making sure I understood all the fundamental concepts like node modules and middlewares.
Next couple of chapters Hage introduces important ExpressJS important topics like routing, sending various responses back to client, handling form inputs including file uploads, managing application data with sessions and cookies. Everything essential for web application development. Recurring theme is that ExpressJS minimalist approach is stressed and all various approaches are discussed for handling certain situations without bias to any specific approach.
In addition to that specific chapters are dedicated to introduce Jade templating language for rendering response and Stylus CSS Preprocessor for managing application style. I won’t debate the choice of these two as the point is not to show you the best available tool to do the job but to introduce you the basics of using each and quickly get your web application development with express off the ground.
Last but not the least, and this is what lot of framework books miss out on including, is a whole chapter dedicated to tips on managing your Express apps in production. I stress this because it is important. Getting your webapp off the ground is the easiest part but once you have to put it out there then you struggle on finding good resources on actually preparing it for production. Hage introduces you how to simulate production environment and benchmark your webapps, creating app cluster for fail-over and high-availability and finally how to handle few critical events & ensuring uptime of your application.
I’m not a big fan of a book starting with a simple sample code and keeps evolving that same sample into something bigger as the book progress. This makes it harder for me to connect all the dots and ties me down to follow the book front to back. I’m glad this book did not follow this approach. Each concept is explained with its own self-contained sample code without having to backtrack to previous chapters for understanding them. And additionally you can even skip ahead and read the topics that you are interested in.
The only mild gripe I have is that book doesn't explain any strategy or a module for implementing authorization (introduction to passport.js would have been useful) and using any node ORM to interface with databases. If you have any previous experience with web development and coupled with Express middleware know-how you learn in this book you should be able to figure these things out on your own though.
In conclusion, this book is extremely well written, easy to follow with enough latest and greatest in-depth information about ExpressJS framework at the moment. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I was approached by Packtpub to review this book and was provided with a free copy.
Sometime early last year I dabbled in node.js platform however it was still evolving and I found it hard to develop apps with as there was no straight forward way for managing routes and file-uploads. I did come across Express back then but the documentation was lacking. I kept hearing about ExpressJS in some other books but it was almost always a pretty introductory fare.In its current state ExpressJS documentation has improved a lot but a book that is neatly crafted, error free, easy to understand and follow is always most welcome. Express Web Development by Hage Yappa is exactly this kind of book.
I liked the fact that Hage starts the book by explaining the concepts used in Express framework. He quickly brought me up to the speed on NodeJS and got me into developing with Express at the same time making sure I understood all the fundamental concepts like node modules and middlewares.
Next couple of chapters Hage introduces important ExpressJS important topics like routing, sending various responses back to client, handling form inputs including file uploads, managing application data with sessions and cookies. Everything essential for web application development. Recurring theme is that ExpressJS minimalist approach is stressed and all various approaches are discussed for handling certain situations without bias to any specific approach.
In addition to that specific chapters are dedicated to introduce Jade templating language for rendering response and Stylus CSS Preprocessor for managing application style. I won’t debate the choice of these two as the point is not to show you the best available tool to do the job but to introduce you the basics of using each and quickly get your web application development with express off the ground.
Last but not the least, and this is what lot of framework books miss out on including, is a whole chapter dedicated to tips on managing your Express apps in production. I stress this because it is important. Getting your webapp off the ground is the easiest part but once you have to put it out there then you struggle on finding good resources on actually preparing it for production. Hage introduces you how to simulate production environment and benchmark your webapps, creating app cluster for fail-over and high-availability and finally how to handle few critical events & ensuring uptime of your application.
I’m not a big fan of a book starting with a simple sample code and keeps evolving that same sample into something bigger as the book progress. This makes it harder for me to connect all the dots and ties me down to follow the book front to back. I’m glad this book did not follow this approach. Each concept is explained with its own self-contained sample code without having to backtrack to previous chapters for understanding them. And additionally you can even skip ahead and read the topics that you are interested in.
The only mild gripe I have is that book doesn't explain any strategy or a module for implementing authorization (introduction to passport.js would have been useful) and using any node ORM to interface with databases. If you have any previous experience with web development and coupled with Express middleware know-how you learn in this book you should be able to figure these things out on your own though.
In conclusion, this book is extremely well written, easy to follow with enough latest and greatest in-depth information about ExpressJS framework at the moment. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I was approached by Packtpub to review this book and was provided with a free copy.
July 25, 2013
There are two kind of development books worth reading, first breed concentrates on quickly becoming proficient on the most needed tools without going into details, the second type is more aimed to developers who already learned the basics and need learning intermediate to advanced proficiency of the technology. Though Express web application development contains grains of the former it is fine example of the latter.
At the time of writing this review I've been using Express for more then a year and I'm duly impressed with the quality of the framework and the feel of production ready, everything you really need approach. The creator of Express TJ Holowaychuk has become my first option for high quality node.js libraries, express,jade,stylus,mocha,mongoose to name a few.
The author of this book fallows a fine tradition of presenting real life needs using code that just works and builds on top of it with explanations of the express functionality .
All the area covered routes, response, jade, stylus etc improved on my understanding of express and this book has become my reference material in my development.
My only nitpick is crave for more material, in order for this book to become "bible" of end to end web application development it needs to add two chapters that cover the database layer with mongoose and testing your application with mocha.
In conclusion I recommend this book for both those new with express and especially those who already wet their feet with express and need book that could teach real life usage and serve as a reference book for express.
At the time of writing this review I've been using Express for more then a year and I'm duly impressed with the quality of the framework and the feel of production ready, everything you really need approach. The creator of Express TJ Holowaychuk has become my first option for high quality node.js libraries, express,jade,stylus,mocha,mongoose to name a few.
The author of this book fallows a fine tradition of presenting real life needs using code that just works and builds on top of it with explanations of the express functionality .
All the area covered routes, response, jade, stylus etc improved on my understanding of express and this book has become my reference material in my development.
My only nitpick is crave for more material, in order for this book to become "bible" of end to end web application development it needs to add two chapters that cover the database layer with mongoose and testing your application with mocha.
In conclusion I recommend this book for both those new with express and especially those who already wet their feet with express and need book that could teach real life usage and serve as a reference book for express.
August 26, 2013
It is a great book to read for anyone willing to get to know hot to create an express app. It is perfectly suited to developers with no prior knowledge on Node.js because is very explanatory and is moving forward step-by-step, helping the reader to follow at all steps. It enlightens the reader for some basic aspects of how to use Node.js, and at the same time guides the less-experienced developers on adding commonly used functionality for web apps. What i liked most on this book was the last chapter which goes through some much-needed modules and techniques that are almost mandatory for every Node.js app.
August 19, 2013
This book is awesome if you want to get into web applications with Node.js. Even a beginner with Node.js will understand everything in the book, it covers pretty much everything you need to know about express, jade, styles and stuff. I like how the express middleware is explained. Before, i just used middleware without knowing what´s going on exactly. Now i even know how to write my own middleware :)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews