server.js API

The server.js file is the backend entry point for a Node.js project. It must define a global handleRequest function.

The request Object

The function receives a request object with these properties:

The Return Value

The function must return either:

• A response object — To send a response to the client
• null — To signal "not handled" (results in 404)

Response Object Format

Complete Example

function handleRequest(request) {
    // CORS headers on all responses
    var cors = { 'Access-Control-Allow-Origin': '*' };

    // Simple GET endpoint
    if (request.path === '/api/status' && request.method === 'GET') {
        return {
            status: 200,
            headers: Object.assign(cors, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }),
            body: JSON.stringify({
                online: true,
                uptime: process.uptime(),
                timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
            })
        };
    }

    // POST endpoint with JSON body
    if (request.path === '/api/message' && request.method === 'POST') {
        var data = JSON.parse(request.body || '{}');
        return {
            status: 200,
            headers: Object.assign(cors, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }),
            body: JSON.stringify({
                reply: 'Hello, ' + (data.name || 'anonymous') + '!'
            })
        };
    }

    // Return null for unhandled paths
    return null;
}

Tips

• Parse JSON safely: Always provide a default empty object: JSON.parse(request.body || '{}')
• URL parameters: Parse request.query manually or use a query string parsing library from npm.
• Error handling: Wrap your logic in try/catch and return appropriate status codes.
• Headers: Set Content-Type appropriately for your response format.