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server.js

src/

Server Entrypoint

This file defines the back-end node.js server. Running 'npm start' from the command line opens this file in node.

1. Dependencies



Our back-end is built on top of express.js.
Express is built on top of the excellent connect.js server middleware package, from which
Express inherits its stack-based server infrastructure.


var http = require('http');
var path = require('path');
var express = require('express');
The QuickThumb module can resize images on the server before sending it to the client.


var quickThumb = require('./../lib/quickthumb.js');
The MarkerMagic module takes a color and string and generates custom .png markers for Google Maps.


var markerMagick = require('./../lib/MarkerMagick.js'); 
Our app's router provides the multiple server endpoints for our app


var routes = require('./routes/routes');
2. Configure the Express HTTP server.


var app = express();
Here we see the stack design of express.js servers in action. 
When a request comes into the server, it moves through a stack of handlers. 
Every handler has an opportunity to modify the request and response object, write data or finish the response, or punt and pass it to the next handler.
This means the order of these handlers are important!
This achieves strong modularity of server components.
We build up a stack of handlers using the app.use() method.



See connect.js API and express.js API, all the middleware of that is available.


app.configure(function() {

  app.set('port', process.env.PORT || 3000);
  app.set('articleDir', path.join(__dirname, '..', 'data'));
  app.use(express.favicon());
  app.use(express.logger('dev'));
  app.use(express.bodyParser());
  app.use(express.methodOverride());
This enables the default express.js router, which we initialize further down


  app.use(app.router);
  
We use LESS.css as a CSS preprocessor, this middleware automatically compiles LESS into CSS on demand


  app.use(require('less-middleware')({ src: __dirname + '/public' }));
The QuickThumb module provides resizing of images on demand, 
this helps with memory usage on mobile devices by allowing them to request custom-sized images


  app.use('/content', quickThumb.static(__dirname + '/public/content'))

  app.use("/marker", markerMagick.static(__dirname + '/public/marker-cache')); 
Serves up static files on disk.


  app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public')));


  app.use(express.directory(path.join(__dirname, 'public')));
The very last layer catches any errors and renders it to the web. 


  app.use(express.errorHandler());    

});
This .init() call gives our app the opportunity to build routes, as defined in src/routes/routes.js


routes.init(app);
Create the HTTP server we defined.


http.createServer(app).listen(app.get('port'), function(){
  console.log('Express server listening on port ' + app.get('port'));
});
See src/routes/routes.js Next


generated Mon Jul 15 2013 00:01:27 GMT-0700 (PDT)