Welcome on board! In today's lesson, we will be exploring an interesting part of web development — Serving Static Files. Why are we keen on static files? Well, static files form the backbone of the web. Every website you visit uses static files like HTML templates, CSS stylesheets, images, and JavaScript files to create the user interfaces that we interact with.
Our key mission for this lesson is to understand the art of using Express.js, a popular web application framework for Node.js, to serve static files effectively. With this crucial knowledge, you'll be well on your way to creating your own dynamic websites!
Let's dive in and begin our exciting journey. Our lesson plan is quite straightforward. We'll:
- Understand what static files are.
- Learn how
Express.jscan be used to serve these files. - Finally, we'll create a basic
Express.jsserver that delivers static files.
Are you ready? Let's get started!
When we talk about static files, we mean files that are not dynamically generated and remain the same for all users. The most common types of static files are HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and image files.
For instance, think of an HTML file like a blueprint of a house. It defines the structure and layout of a webpage. This is a static file because it doesn't change, regardless of who views it or when it's viewed.
CSS files are another example of static files. They're like the interior designers of our house. They add style and beauty to our webpages, specifying layout, colors, fonts, and more.
JavaScript files are like the electricity in our house. They power up our webpages, adding interactivity and functionality. JavaScript files animate elements, handle user actions like clicks or key presses, fetch data from servers, and more.
Finally, images, such as JPEGs, PNGs, and GIFs, are also static files. They are like the pictures and paintings in our house, providing visuals to enhance the webpage's look and feel.
