Node.JS - How to pass a variable to my API function?

Question

I have created a very simple API based on two files as follows:

api.js

import express from 'express';
const app = express();
import { getWhereToApi} from './lib/handlers.js';
const port = 3000;

app.get('/api/vacations', getWhereToApi);

app.listen(port, function() {
    console.log(`Express started in ${app.get('env')} ` +
      `mode on http://127.0.0.1:${port}` +
      `; press Ctrl-C to terminate.`)});

handlers.js

var whereTo = {
    "GRU": {
        "destinations": ["MAD", "LAX", "MEX"],},
    "LAX": {
        "destinations": ["NYC", "GRU", "MEX"],},
    "NYC": {
        "destinations": ["LAX"],},
}

export async function getWhereToApi(req, res, iata){
    res.json(whereTo[iata]);
}

I want to be able to pass the IATA as var somehow (e.g. "GRU"), so I would get the following result:

{
  "destinations": [
    "MAD",
    "LAX",
    "MEX"
  ]
}

How can I do it? Thank you!

Where do you expect the iata value to come from? The way you have it configured now, you're expecting Express to provide it when it calls the route handler, but that isn't going to happen the way you show it. Where is it supposed to come from? Do you want it to be in the URL? If so, show how you want it in the URL? — jfriend00
– jfriend00, Commented Nov 13, 2021 at 9:42
Thanks for the comment. From a querystring for example? 127.0.0.1:3000/api/vacations?iata=GRU — Kaguei Nakueka
– Kaguei Nakueka, Commented Nov 13, 2021 at 9:44

jfriend00 · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-13 10:07:30Z

1

If you want to put the data in the query string as in:

http://127.0.0.1:3000/api/vacations?iata=GRU

Then the value will be in req.query.

export function getWhereToApi(req, res){
    const iata = req.query.iata;
    const data = whereTo[iata];
    if (data) { 
        res.json(data);
    } else {
        res.sendStatus(404);   // value not found
    }
}

edited Nov 13, 2021 at 10:07

answered Nov 13, 2021 at 10:01

jfriend00

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Comments

Omkar · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-13 09:51:10Z

1

@Bob, going by the use case, you can expect the iata from the params of the API. In handlers.js file in getWhereToApi() function you could extract it using const iata = req.params.iata; way, as following

export async function getWhereToApi(req, res){
    const iata = req.params.iata 
    res.json(whereTo[iata]);
}

I think of this as the simplest way.

answered Nov 13, 2021 at 9:51

Omkar

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