This document introduces Express, a web development framework for Node.js, and Grunt, a JavaScript task runner. It describes Express as fast, lightweight, and minimalist, noting that it includes only necessary features. Grunt is presented as a tool for automating tasks like minification, compilation, unit testing and linting. The document provides instructions on setting up projects with Express and Grunt, demonstrating how to define tasks in a Gruntfile and develop custom tasks.

1. INTRODUCTION TO EXPRESS
AND GRUNTJS
Peter deHaan @pdehaan pdehaan@mozilla.com
Wednesday, November 6, 13

2. WHAT IS EXPRESS?
Fast, unopinionated, minimalist web development framework for
Node.js. Inspired by Ruby’s Sinatra. Insanely fast, flexible, and simple.
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3. WHY EXPRESS?
•
Express is fast, lightweight, and... does nothing.
•
You only include the features that you need, and Express doesn’t
force you to use specific databases or frameworks.
•
5th most depended upon Node.js module.
•
Over 1900 Node.js modules use express.
•
173k downloads last week.
•
More info at http://expressjs.com/
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4. GETTING STARTED
1. Install Node.js: http://nodejs.org/
2. Install express module via npm (you only need to do this once):
$ [sudo] npm install express -g
3. Create a new express application named “hello-world”:
$ express hello-world
4. Install all the Node.js dependencies:
$ cd hello-world && npm install
5. Run the application:
$ node app
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5. CONGRATS YOU’RE NOW A
WEB DEVELOPER!
•
By default express created 6
directories, 7 files.
•
After `npm install`
(which installs all
dependencies)... 234
directories, 979 files. npm
creates a /node_modules/
directory w/ 227
subdirectories and 972 files
for all the required modules.
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6. COOL STORY, BRO!
$ tree
.
├── app.js
├── package.json
├── public/
│
├── images/
│
├── javascripts/
│
└── stylesheets/
│
└── style.css
├── routes/
│
├── index.js
│
└── user.js
└── views/
├── index.jade
└── layout.jade
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7. SAMPLE PACKAGE.JSON
{
"name": "application-name",
"version": "0.0.1",
"private": true,
"scripts": {
"start": "node app.js"
},
"dependencies": {
"express": "3.4.4",
"jade": "*"
}
}
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8. WAIT. WHAT?
NO! OH
COME ON!
By default, express uses the Jade templating language
(which is a crime against /(read|us)ability/i). Although
there are lots of other templating languages that you
can use instead (ie: ejs, handlebars, hogan, etc):
doctype 5
html
head
title= title
link(rel='stylesheet', href='/
stylesheets/style.css')
body
block content
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9. OK, I’M BORED ALREADY, LETS
LOOK AT CODE
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10. GRUNT - THE JAVASCRIPT
TASK RUNNER
•
The greatest thing to happen
to Node.js since npm.
•
Like Ant, but better!
•
Built using Node.js/JavaScript,
so it’s “easy” to pick up and
extend and write your own
custom tasks.
•
More info at http://gruntjs.com/
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11. GRUNT: BY THE NUMBERS
•
4th most starred module on npm.
•
26th most depended upon Node.js module.
•
52k downloads from npm last week. 258k downloads in the last month. It’s kind of
a big deal.
•
At least 443 modules in npm are dependent on Grunt. https://npmjs.org/browse/
depended/grunt. Grunt maintains a better list at http://gruntjs.com/plugins. You can
also follow newly updated grunt- packages from npm via Twitter: @gruntweekly.
•
The Grunt core team maintains about 35 ‘official’ plugins, including ones for
CoffeeScript, Sass/Compass, compressing files/folders, concatenating files, copying
files/folders, linting/minifyng CSS/JavaScript, running test suites, blah blah blah...
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12. HOW DO I EVEN?
Grunt is made up of a few different pieces:
1. $ npm install grunt-cli -g: Installs the grunt CLI globally.
2. $ npm install grunt: Installs the grunt task runner into current
project.
3. $ npm install grunt-{packages}: Installs grunt plugins into
current project.
4. Create a Gruntfile.js which defines your tasks.
5. Run `grunt` from the same directory as your Gruntfile.js file and specify
optional build targets.
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13. AUTOMATE ALL THE THINGS!
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14. SAMPLE GRUNTFILE.JS
module.exports = function (grunt) {
// Project configuration.
grunt.initConfig({
// Task configuration.
// [snip-snap]
});
// These plugins provide necessary tasks.
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-nodeunit');
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-jshint');
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-watch');
// Default task.
grunt.registerTask('default', ['jshint', 'nodeunit']);
};
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15. ZZZZZZZ.....
Shut up and show me some code already!
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16. CREATING CUSTOM TASKS
// Impossible to read code snippet ahoy!
module.exports = function (grunt) {
grunt.initConfig({
copyright: {
files: [
"**/*.js",
"!**/node_modules/**"
],
options: {
pattern: "This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public"
}
}
});
grunt.registerMultiTask('copyright', 'Copyright all the things!', function () {
var pattern = this.options().pattern;
var files = this.filesSrc.map(function (file) {
return {
"name": file,
"txt": grunt.file.read(file, "utf8")
};
}).filter(function (file) {
return !file.txt.match(pattern);
});
if (files.length) {
grunt.log.subhead("The following files are missing copyright headers:");
files.forEach(function (file) {
grunt.log.warn(file.name);
});
return false;
}
});
grunt.registerTask('default', ['copyright']);
};
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17. CONCLUSION
express is a great way to quickly prototype dynamic Node.js based websites.
grunt is pretty awesome, use it.
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