How to require a JSON file with a node HTTP server response (without express)

Question

I just set up my first node HTTP server, and I am trying to get the response data from a JSON file in my application. When I declare a JSON object in the server.js file, all works well.

 data = "{"sample json" : "this is a test"}";

But I want to replace data with a static JSON file at data/sample.json

Here's an example in my server.js file

const http = require("http");
const hostname = "localhost";
const port = 3000;

const server = http.createServer(function(req, res) {

    data = // this is where I want to get the JSON data from data/sample.json
    res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'application/json'});
    res.write(data);
    res.end();

});

maybe fs.readFile() and JSON.parse()?

derpirscher
– derpirscher

2022-01-22 17:47:44 +00:00
Commented Jan 22, 2022 at 17:47 — derpirscher
– derpirscher, Commented Jan 22, 2022 at 17:47

Mike · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-22 18:54:02Z

3

Solved with fs.readFile()

const http = require("http");
const hostname = "localhost";
const port = 3000;
const fs = require('fs');

const server = http.createServer(function(req, res) {
    filePath = './data/sample.json';
    
    if (req.path == '/data/sample.json') {
        fs.readFile(filePath, function(error, content) {
            if (error) {
                if (error.code == 'ENOENT') {
                    response.writeHead(404);
                    response.end(error.code);
                }
                else {
                    response.writeHead(500);
                    response.end(error.code);
                }
            }
            else {
                res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'application/json'});
                res.end(content);
            }
        });
    }
    else {
      response.writeHead(404);
      response.end('restricted path');
    }

});

edited Jan 22, 2022 at 18:54

answered Jan 22, 2022 at 18:00

Mike

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5 Comments

jfriend00 Over a year ago

What's missing here is looking for errors from fs.readFile() (when the error argument is non-null) where you should probably send a 404 or 500 response. Note also that you're sending the same file for all possible requests to your server when you presumably should only be sending this file for one particular req.path.

Mike Over a year ago

@jfriend00 Thanks, I updated my answer. The only problem I'm having now is the req.path check. The request still seems to be responding with the sample.json object regardless of the path.

Mike Over a year ago

@jfriend00 - resolved , I just needed to restart the server.

jfriend00 Over a year ago

And, then add an else to your path check and send a 404 so your server always sends some sort of response, regardless of path. If you don't send a response, then the request just hangs out for awhile, eventually timing out which is not a healthy thing to do.

jfriend00 Over a year ago

FYI, another way to do this is fs.createReadStream(filePath).pipe(res).

TeaCoder · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-07 00:20:36Z

0

In case someone else tumbles upon this question. The answer above has ton of typos and errors and incomplete. Here is a working solution.

const http = require("http");
const hostname = "localhost";
const fs = require('fs');
const port = 8080;

const server = http.createServer(function(req, res) {
    filePath = './data/sample.json';
    if (req.url == '/api/data') {
        fs.readFile(filePath, function(error, content) {
            if (error) {
                if (error.code == 'ENOENT') {
                    res.writeHead(404);
                    res.end(error.code);
                }
                else {
                    res.writeHead(500);
                    res.end(error.code);
                }
            }
            else {
                res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'application/json'});
                res.end(content);
            }
        });
    }
    else {
        res.writeHead(404);
        res.end('404 NOT FOUND');
    }
});

server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
    console.log('Server started on port ', port);
});

answered Apr 7, 2022 at 0:20

TeaCoder

1,96715 silver badges13 bronze badges

1 Comment

Mike Over a year ago

Please let us know where you made changes and why you made them instead of just posting your code.

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