express-mate

Helper library that makes your life a little easier when working with Express REST APIs

Setup

The express-mate library is designed to be 'plug-and-play'. It exposes a bunch of helper functions and classes that can be used in your project however you like.

Error Handler

The custom express-mate error handler catches ApiObjects thrown in next(err) and handles them appropriately by responding to the client.

import { errorHandler } from 'express-mate';
 
express.use(errorHandler());

Handlers

Handlers are express request handlers that handle the express-mate repsonse objects. createHandler creates a handler function that can be added to an express router.

import { createHandler } from 'express-mate';
 
export const helloWorld = createHandler((req, res) => {
  return new ApiSuccess(res, 'Hello World!');
  /**
   * Response:
   * {
   *   "status": "success",
   *   "data": "Hello World!"
   * }
   */
});
 
// Add the handler to the express router
router.get('/hello-world', helloWorld);

Hooks

Hooks are functions that 'hook' into a express router with a endpoints all starting at a specified endpoint.

import { createHook } from 'express-mate';
 
export const helloWorldGet = createHandler((req, res) => {
  return new ApiSuccess(res, 'Hello World!');
  /**
   * Response:
   * {
   *   "status": "success",
   *   "data": "Hello World!"
   * }
   */
});
 
export const helloWorld = createHook('/hello-world', router => {
  // Endpoint: /hello-world/hello
  router.get('/hello', helloWorldGet);
});
 
// Add the hook to the express router
router.use('/', helloWorld);

Helpers

checkReq

The checkReq function checks the express request handlers req object for variables that may have been added to it and want to be accessed safely.

import { createHandler, checkReq } from 'express-mate';
 
export const helloWorld = createHandler((req, res) => {
  const hello = checkReq('hello', req);
  // If hello exists: hello = req.hello
  // Else if hello not found: throw Error('Expected req.hello');
});

Response Objects

All response objects follow the JSend guidelines.

• ApiSuccess

import { ApiSuccess } from 'express-mate';
 
router.post('/hello-world', (req, res, next) => {
  try {
    return ApiSuccess.respond(res, 'Hello World!');
  } catch (err) {
    return next(err);
  }
});
 
/**
 * Response:
 *
 * HTTP 200
 * {
 *   "status": "success",
 *   "data": "Hello World!"
 * }
 */

• ApiError

import { ApiError } from 'express-mate';
 
router.post('/hello-world', (req, res, next) => {
  try {
    throw new ApiError(res, 'Hello World!');
  } catch (err) {
    return next(err);
  }
});
 
/**
 * Response:
 *
 * HTTP 500
 * {
 *   "status": "error",
 *   "message": "Hello World!"
 * }
 */

• ApiFail
• ApiForbidden
• ApiUnauthorized
• ApiNotFound