How to handle POST requests in Node.js
Łukasz Holeczek
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Handling POST requests is fundamental for creating APIs, processing form submissions, and accepting data from client applications in Node.js backend services. As the creator of CoreUI, a widely used open-source UI library, I’ve implemented POST request handling in numerous Node.js APIs for user authentication, data creation, and form processing in enterprise applications. From my expertise, the most practical approach is to use Express.js with proper middleware for body parsing. This method provides clean request handling, automatic JSON parsing, and robust error handling for production-ready applications.
Use Express.js with body parsing middleware to handle POST requests efficiently.
const express = require('express')
const app = express()
app.use(express.json())
app.post('/api/users', (req, res) => {
const userData = req.body
res.json({ success: true, data: userData })
})
Express.js simplifies POST request handling by providing the app.post() method and automatic body parsing with express.json() middleware. The middleware parses incoming JSON payloads and makes them available in req.body. You can access form data, validate input, perform database operations, and send appropriate responses. For URL-encoded form data, use express.urlencoded({ extended: true }) middleware. Always validate and sanitize incoming data to prevent security vulnerabilities.
Best Practice Note:
This is the same approach we use in CoreUI backend APIs for handling user data and form submissions securely.
Add request validation with libraries like joi or express-validator, implement rate limiting with express-rate-limit, and use CORS middleware for cross-origin requests in production applications.
