Building Scalable REST APIs with Node.js and Express

Introduction to Express.js and MVC Routing

Express.js remains the de facto framework for building Node.js web applications and REST APIs. Its micro-framework philosophy allows developers complete architectural freedom, making it an excellent choice for scaling codebases.

Designing Your Controllers

In a typical MVC (Model-View-Controller) structure, your controllers should contain the primary business logic. Keeping routes thin is critical for testing. Here is a simple layout for an Express handler:

module.exports = {
  getArticles: async (req, res) => {
    const articles = await Article.findAll();
    res.json(articles);
  }
};

Database Integrations

Choosing an Object-Relational Mapper (ORM) like Sequelize helps synchronize database tables cleanly. Always define model associations carefully to prevent unnecessary circular lookups in your queries.