Project Express API

README.md

@@ -1,13 +1,76 @@
 # Project Express API
 
-Replace this readme with your own information about your project.
+This project marks the beginning of my backend journey with Express.js, featuring RESTful endpoints that return data from a hard-coded JSON file. 
 
-Start by briefly describing the assignment in a sentence or two. Keep it short and to the point.
+Array methods like .find(), .filter(), and .slice() are used to manipulate the data. While pre-made datasets are available, I chose to create my own for a personalized touch. 
 
-## The problem
+My crew of elves, the Backend Dashers, can be found at /elves/title/backend%20dasher or at /elves/top-twelves 
 
-Describe how you approached to problem, and what tools and techniques you used to solve it. How did you plan? What technologies did you use? If you had more time, what would be next?
+## Requirements:  
+  1. The API should have at least 3 routes.  
+    This API has the following routes:  
+    - /: Returns documentation of the API using express-list-endpoints.[Express List Endpoints](https://www.npmjs.com/package/express-list-endpoints).   
+    - /elves/all - Get all elves  
+    - /elves/top-twelves - Get top TwElves using .slice()  
+    - /elves/:id: - Get a specific elf by ID using .find()    
+    - /elves/titles/:title: - Get elves by title using .filter()
+    - /test - Test endpoint  
+  2. A minimum of one endpoint to return a **collection** of results (array of elements).  
+    - elves/all: Returns a collection of elves. 
+    - /elves/top-twelves - Get top TwElves.  
+    - /elves/titles/:title: Returns elves by their title.  
+  3. A minimum of one endpoint to return a **single** result (single element).  
+    - /elves/:id: Returns a single elf by ID.  
+  4. Your API should be RESTful.  
+    - Routes (elves) are defined with endpoints such as /elves/:id, and /elves/titles/:title.  
+    - HTTP methods are used (GET).  
+    - Responses are structured in JSON format.  
+  5. You should follow the guidelines on how to write clean code.  
+    - Variable names are clear and descriptive (e.g. request, response, title).  
+    - Each functionality is separated into its own endpoint. 
+    - express.json() and cors() to handle JSON parsing and CORS issues  
+
+## Dependency Installation & Startup Development Server
+This project uses npm (Node Package Manager) and Express.js to manage dependencies and run the development server. Follow these steps to get started:  
+  1. Install Project Dependencies  
+  Run the following commands to install necessary packages and set up the development environment:  
+    ```bash
+    npm install
+    npm run dev
+    npm run build
+    ```  
+  2. If Express.js is not already installed, initialize your project and install it:  
+    ```bash
+    npm init -y
+    npm install express
+    ```  
+  3. Start your server  
+  Launch the server:
+    ```bash
+    node server.js
+    ```  
+  4. The package used to generate a list of all available API endpoints automatically (shown on the endpoint /). Install it with:  
+  ```bash
+  npm install express-list-endpoints
+  ```  
+
+## The problem  
+This was my first backend project, and I found it a bit confusing to figure out what to install and why. I’m also not used to working without a UI, which made it tricky to test everything properly without clickable links or visual "feedback". 
+
+## If I had more time - Stretch goals
+
+### Intermediate Stretch Goals
+- On routes which return a single item, handle when the item doesn't exist and return some useful data in the response.
+
+- Accept filters via query parameters to filter the data you return from endpoints which return an array of data.
+
+- Create some empty/dummy endpoints which could contain more complex operations in the future.  Find good names for them (think RESTful).
+
+### Advanced Stretch Goals
+- Build a frontend which uses your API in some way to show the data in a nice way (use Vite to get up and running fast).
+
+- If your dataset is large, try implementing 'pages' using `.slice()` to return only a selection of results from the array. You could then use a query parameter to allow the client to ask for the next 'page'.
 
 ## View it live
 
-Every project should be deployed somewhere. Be sure to include the link to the deployed project so that the viewer can click around and see what it's all about.
+[Check out the Elf's API here!](https://project-express-api-gyq9.onrender.com/)