express-rest-api

Q: How do I install express-rest-api?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-nodejs --skill express-rest-api in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/express-rest-api/ (personal) or .claude/skills/express-rest-api/ (project).

by pluginagentmarketplaceBackend & APIs

Build production-ready RESTful APIs with Express.js including routing, middleware, validation, and error handling for scalable backend services

Installs: 901
Last 24h: —
Trending rank: —
Security: Not audited

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-nodejs --skill express-rest-api

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads express-rest-api automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Express REST API Skill

Master building robust, scalable REST APIs with Express.js, the de-facto standard for Node.js web frameworks.

Quick Start

Build a basic Express API in 5 steps:

Setup Express - npm install express
Create Routes - Define GET, POST, PUT, DELETE endpoints
Add Middleware - JSON parsing, CORS, security headers
Handle Errors - Centralized error handling
Test & Deploy - Use Postman/Insomnia, deploy to cloud

Core Concepts

1. Express Application Structure

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// Middleware
app.use(express.json());
app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

// Routes
app.use('/api/users', userRoutes);
app.use('/api/products', productRoutes);

// Error handling
app.use(errorHandler);

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running'));

2. RESTful Route Design

// GET    /api/users       - Get all users
// GET    /api/users/:id   - Get user by ID
// POST   /api/users       - Create user
// PUT    /api/users/:id   - Update user
// DELETE /api/users/:id   - Delete user

const router = express.Router();

router.get('/', getAllUsers);
router.get('/:id', getUserById);
router.post('/', createUser);
router.put('/:id', updateUser);
router.delete('/:id', deleteUser);

module.exports = router;

3. Middleware Patterns

// Authentication middleware
const authenticate = (req, res, next) => {
  const token = req.headers.authorization;
  if (!token) return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Unauthorized' });
  // Verify token...
  next();
};

// Validation middleware
const validate = (schema) => (req, res, next) => {
  const { error } = schema.validate(req.body);
  if (error) return res.status(400).json({ error: error.message });
  next();
};

// Usage
router.post('/users', authenticate, validate(userSchema), createUser);

4. Error Handling

// Custom error class
class APIError extends Error {
  constructor(message, statusCode) {
    super(message);
    this.statusCode = statusCode;
  }
}

// Global error handler
app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
  const statusCode = err.statusCode || 500;
  res.status(statusCode).json({
    success: false,
    error: err.message,
    ...(process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && { stack: err.stack })
  });
});

Learning Path

Beginner (2-3 weeks)

✅ Setup Express and create basic routes
✅ Understand middleware concept
✅ Implement CRUD operations
✅ Test with Postman

Intermediate (4-6 weeks)

✅ Implement authentication (JWT)
✅ Add input validation
✅ Organize code (MVC pattern)
✅ Connect to database

Advanced (8-10 weeks)

✅ API versioning (/api/v1/, /api/v2/)
✅ Rate limiting and security
✅ Pagination and filtering
✅ API documentation (Swagger)
✅ Performance optimization

Essential Packages

{
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.18.0",
    "helmet": "^7.0.0",          // Security headers
    "cors": "^2.8.5",            // Cross-origin requests
    "morgan": "^1.10.0",         // HTTP logger
    "express-validator": "^7.0.0", // Input validation
    "express-rate-limit": "^6.0.0" // Rate limiting
  }
}

Common Patterns

Response Format

// Success
{ success: true, data: {...} }

// Error
{ success: false, error: "Message" }

// Pagination
{
  success: true,
  data: [...],
  pagination: { page: 1, limit: 10, total: 100 }
}

HTTP Status Codes

200 OK - Successful GET/PUT
201 Created - Successful POST
204 No Content - Successful DELETE
400 Bad Request - Validation error
401 Unauthorized - Auth required
403 Forbidden - No permission
404 Not Found - Resource not found
500 Internal Error - Server error

Project Structure

src/
├── controllers/    # Route handlers
├── routes/        # Route definitions
├── middlewares/   # Custom middleware
├── models/        # Data models
├── services/      # Business logic
├── utils/         # Helpers
└── app.js         # Express setup

Production Checklist

✅ Environment variables (.env)
✅ Security headers (Helmet)
✅ CORS configuration
✅ Rate limiting
✅ Input validation
✅ Error handling
✅ Logging (Morgan/Winston)
✅ Testing (Jest/Supertest)
✅ API documentation

Real-World Example

Complete user API:

const express = require('express');
const router = express.Router();
const { body } = require('express-validator');

// GET /api/users
router.get('/', async (req, res, next) => {
  try {
    const { page = 1, limit = 10 } = req.query;
    const users = await User.find()
      .limit(limit)
      .skip((page - 1) * limit);

    res.json({ success: true, data: users });
  } catch (error) {
    next(error);
  }
});

// POST /api/users
router.post('/',
  body('email').isEmail(),
  body('password').isLength({ min: 8 }),
  async (req, res, next) => {
    try {
      const user = await User.create(req.body);
      res.status(201).json({ success: true, data: user });
    } catch (error) {
      next(error);
    }
  }
);

module.exports = router;

When to Use

Use Express REST API when:

Building backend for web/mobile apps
Creating microservices
Developing API-first applications
Need flexible, lightweight framework
Want large ecosystem and community

Related Skills

Async Programming (handle async operations)
Database Integration (connect to MongoDB/PostgreSQL)
JWT Authentication (secure your APIs)
Jest Testing (test your endpoints)
Docker Deployment (containerize your API)

Resources

FAQ

What does the express-rest-api skill do?

Build production-ready RESTful APIs with Express.js including routing, middleware, validation, and error handling for scalable backend services

How do I install express-rest-api?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-nodejs --skill express-rest-api in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/express-rest-api/ (personal) or .claude/skills/express-rest-api/ (project).

Which AI agents can use express-rest-api?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is express-rest-api safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains express-rest-api?

It is published by pluginagentmarketplace in pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-nodejs. It has 901 recorded installs.

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express-rest-api

Install

Install

Describe the task

Review the result

SKILL.md

Express REST API Skill

Quick Start

Core Concepts

1. Express Application Structure

2. RESTful Route Design

3. Middleware Patterns

4. Error Handling

Learning Path

Beginner (2-3 weeks)

Intermediate (4-6 weeks)

Advanced (8-10 weeks)

Essential Packages

Common Patterns

Response Format

HTTP Status Codes

Project Structure

Production Checklist

Real-World Example

When to Use

Related Skills

Resources

FAQ

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