The HTTP module is foundational to Node.js web servers. Here's a comprehensive guide.
Basic HTTP Server
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Request Handling
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Response Methods
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Routing
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Streaming
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HTTPS Server
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HTTP Client
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Keep-Alive and Connection Pooling
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Middleware Pattern
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Server-Sent Events
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Best Practices
Server Setup:
✓ Handle errors properly
✓ Set appropriate timeouts
✓ Use keep-alive for performance
✓ Configure headers securely
Request Handling:
✓ Validate input data
✓ Parse body asynchronously
✓ Handle errors in body parsing
✓ Use streaming for large data
Response:
✓ Set correct Content-Type
✓ Use appropriate status codes
✓ Stream large responses
✓ Handle back-pressure
Security:
✓ Use HTTPS in production
✓ Set security headers
✓ Validate request size
✓ Rate limit requests
Conclusion
The Node.js HTTP module provides low-level control over HTTP servers and clients. Use it for learning HTTP fundamentals or building custom solutions. For production apps, consider frameworks like Express or Fastify that build on these primitives.