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JavaScript Build a REST API With Express Building API Routes in Express Building the Question Routes

Sharina Jones
PLUS
Sharina Jones
Courses Plus Student 18,771 Points
Posted by Sharina Jones
Sharina Jones
Courses Plus Student 18,771 Points

JSON req.body not appearing in Postman

I'm getting the "You sent me a POST request" message, however, the body information doesn't appear in my POST route.

I've verified the info is still in the Postman body.

//app.js
'use strict';

var express = require('express');
var app = express();
const routes = require('./routes');

app.use("/questions", routes);

const jsonParser = require('body-parser').json;

app.use(function(req, res, next) {
    req.body;
    next();
});

//routes.js
'use strict';

const express = require('express');
const router = express.Router();

// GET /questions
  //returns all questions  
  //next isn't required
router.get("/", function (req, res) {
  res.json({response: "You sent me a GET request"});
});

// POST /questions
  //route for creating questions
router.post("/", function (req, res) {
  res.json({
    response: "You sent me a POST request",
    body: req.body
  });
});

// GET /question/:id
  //retrieves a specific question
router.get("/:id", function (req, res, next) {
  res.json({
    response: "You sent me a GET request for ID " + req.params.id
  });
});

module.exports = router;

1 Answer

Brian Anstett
Brian Anstett
5,831 Points
Brian Anstett
Brian Anstett
5,831 Points

Hey Sharina Jones, It looks like you forgot to attach ('use') your json body parser.

Recall you can use the .use() function in express to mount a specific middleware function. (https://expressjs.com/en/4x/api.html#app.use)

So you need to add something like this

var express = require('express')
var bodyParser = require('body-parser')

var app = express()
app.use(bodyParser.json())

Also note, in express.js v4, you don't even need to use the npm 'body-parser' module to parse incoming request bodies because express has a native function called .json() that can do it for you. https://expressjs.com/en/4x/api.html#express.json