Build a Simple JSON API with Express.js on a Local Server

Creating a simple server looks like an exciting thing to do. If you're fetching data from other sites, why not create your own server for accessing API data?

It's Easy!!

Let's learn how to make a local server using express.js for your project by following these steps:

First, you need to install Node.js. I assume that you have already installed Node.js on your computer.

Install and setup the server:

First, create the backend server:

mkdir my-app-server

Go to the folder path:

cd my-app-server

npm init:

npm init -y

npm install express:

npm install express

Install cors:

npm install cors

Cors gives access to the server for your project (API call). Otherwise API call in your project will show 'failed to load'.

Then create a file 'index.js'. Now write code in 'index.js'.

const express = require('express'); const app = express(); const cors = require('cors'); const port = process.env.PORT || 5000;  const categories = require('./data/categories.json');  app.use(cors());  app.get('/', (req, res) => {     res.send("Server is running"); });  app.get('/categories', (req, res) => {     res.send(categories);  })  app.listen(port, () => {     console.log(`Server (categories) is running on port: ${port}`); })

Our data file is categories.json.

Data of `categories.json` file:

[     {         "id": 1,         "category": "World",         "total_news": 150     },     {         "id": 2,         "category": "Politics",         "total_news": 120     },     {         "id": 3,         "category": "Business",         "total_news": 100     },     {         "id": 4,         "category": "Technology",         "total_news": 80     },     {         "id": 5,         "category": "Sports",         "total_news": 90     } ]