expressApi

Helper node.js module for expressjs applications usable when building http APIs.

Contains:

• Backbone Models wired to MongoDB
• MongoDB session support using connect-mongo for express apps
• Actions(http request & response handlers)

Usage

add in package.json dependency to "expressApi". then create app.js file with the following:

var app = require("expressApi");

app.configure(function(){
  app.useExpressApiMiddleware("databaseName", "cookieSecret");
});

app.addActions(require("./actions/echoActions.js"));

app.listen(8000, function(){
  console.log("server started");
})

in ./actions/echoActions.js place actions routes and handlers as follows:

var Actions = require("expressApi/Actions");

var EchoActions = module.exports = Actions.extend({
  root: "/",

  "POST /echo": function(req, res, next) {},
  "GET /echo/:id": function(req, res, next) {},
  ...
});

to create a Model just place standard Backbone.Model implementation like follows:

var Backbone = require("expressApi/BackboneMongo");

var MyModel = module.exports = Backbone.Model.extend({
  collectionName: "myCollection",
  defaults: {},
  initialize: function(){}
},{
  staticMethod: function(){
    MyModel.store().find(...);
  }
});

to use Model follow Backbone:

var MyModel = require("MyModel");
var instance = new MyModel({ property1: "value1" });

// passing 'null' as first argument should notify Backbone to store all properties
instance.save(function(err, model){
  // if there isn't error model == instance, otherwise err is not null
});

Reference

expressApi

• useExpressApiMiddleware(databaseName, cookieSecret)
• addActions({} or ActionsClass)

BackboneMongo.Model

• save(attributes, options) or save(function(err, model){ ... }); or save(attributes, function(err, model){ ... })
• destroy(options) or destroy(function(err, model){ ... });
• fetch(options) or fetch(function(err, model){ ... });

BackboneMongo.Collection

Actions

var MyActions = Actions.extend({
  root: "/somePath",

  response: function(res) {
    // modify express' res object before calling any action
  },

  request: function(req) {
    // modify express' req object before calling any action
  },

  routes: {
    "GET /path": "myMethod",
    "POST /path": "myMethod",
    "DELETE /path": function(req, res, next) {
      // req & res objects are already modified here
    }
  },

  myMethod: function(req, res, next) {
    // req & res objects are already modified here
  },

  "PUT /pathMe": function(req, res, next) {
    // the full path to this action is /somePath/pathMe accordingly to root
  },

  "GET /pathMe/:helloParam": function(req, res, next) {},

  "GET /pathMe2/:helloParam": [
    function(req, res, next) {
      // as before req & res objects are already modified,
      // and this method will be invoked first accordingly the array
      next(); // call next to invoke the next method ;)
    },
    function(req, res, next) {
      // this will be invoked second accordingly to the array
      res.result(true);
    }
  ]
})