Creating and Running a Hapi.js Project

What is Hapi.js?

Hapi.js is a powerful and flexible Node.js framework for building applications and services. Created by Walmart Labs, it is renowned for its plugin system and rich features. Hapi.js provides a straightforward way to handle HTTP requests and responses, enabling developers to build high-performance web applications and APIs more efficiently.

Main Features and Advantages of Hapi.js

• Plugin System: Hapi.js has a robust plugin system that allows for easy extension and code reuse.
• Routing System: Offers a flexible and powerful way to define and handle routes.
• Input Validation: Built-in strong input validation to ensure data integrity and security.
• Rich Ecosystem: A wide range of plugins and community support covering common functionality needs.
• Security: Various security features, such as protection against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks.

Using Hapi.js helps developers quickly build high-performance and secure web applications and APIs.

Creating and Running a Hapi.js Project using ServBay

In this article, we will use the Node.js environment provided by ServBay to create and run a Hapi.js project. We'll set up the web server using ServBay's 'Host' feature and use a reverse proxy to access the project.

Creating a Hapi.js Project

1. Initialize the Project

   First, ensure you have installed the Node.js environment provided by ServBay. Then, in the suggested website root directory /Applications/ServBay/www, create a new Hapi.js project:

   cd /Applications/ServBay/www
   mkdir servbay-hapi-app
   cd servbay-hapi-app
   npm init -y
   npm install @hapi/hapi

2. Create Application File

   In the project root directory, create a server.js file and add the following code:

   const Hapi = require('@hapi/hapi');
   
   const init = async () => {
     const server = Hapi.server({
       port: process.env.PORT || 3000,
       host: 'localhost'
     });
   
     server.route({
       method: 'GET',
       path: '/',
       handler: (request, h) => {
         return 'Hello ServBay!';
       }
     });
   
     await server.start();
     console.log('Server running on %s', server.info.uri);
   };
   
   process.on('unhandledRejection', (err) => {
     console.log(err);
     process.exit(1);
   });
   
   init();

Entering Development Mode

1. Run the Development Server

   Start the development server and specify the port (e.g., 8585):

   PORT=8585 node server.js

   This will start a development server locally and expose port 8585.

2. Configure ServBay Host Reverse Proxy

   Use ServBay's 'Host' feature to access the development server via a reverse proxy. In the ServBay 'Host' settings, add a new reverse proxy:

   • Name: My first Hapi.js dev site
   • Domain: servbay-hapi-test.dev
   • Host Type: Reverse Proxy
   • IP: 127.0.0.1
   • Port: 8585

   For detailed setup steps, refer to adding a Nodejs development website.

3. Access Development Mode

   Open your browser and visit https://servbay-hapi-test.dev to view the project in real time. Due to ServBay’s support for custom domains and free SSL certificates, you will enjoy enhanced security.

Deploying the Production Version

1. Prepare the Production Environment

   Ensure your project can run smoothly in the production environment. Generally, Hapi.js projects do not require specific build steps, but you may need to set some environment variables or perform other configurations.

2. Run the Production Server

   Start the production server and specify the port (e.g., 8586):

   PORT=8586 NODE_ENV=production node server.js

3. Configure ServBay Host Reverse Proxy

   Use ServBay's 'Host' feature to access the production server via reverse proxy. In the ServBay 'Host' settings, add a new reverse proxy:

   • Name: My first Hapi.js production site
   • Domain: servbay-hapi-test.prod
   • Host Type: Reverse Proxy
   • IP: 127.0.0.1
   • Port: 8586

4. Access Production Mode

   Open your browser and visit https://servbay-hapi-test.prod to view the production version. With ServBay’s custom domains and free SSL certificates, your website will have higher security and credibility.

Database Connection

ServBay provides support for Redis, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB databases. Here are examples of how to connect to these databases.

1. Connecting to MongoDB

   Install mongoose:

   npm install mongoose

   Then, include and connect in your project:

   const mongoose = require('mongoose');
   
   mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost/servbay-hapi-app', { useNewUrlParser: true, useUnifiedTopology: true })
     .then(() => console.log('MongoDB connected'))
     .catch(err => console.log(err));

2. Connecting to Redis

   Install redis:

   npm install redis

   Then, include and connect in your project:

   const redis = require('redis');
   const client = redis.createClient();
   
   client.on('error', function (err) {
     console.log('Error ' + err);
   });
   
   client.on('connect', function () {
     console.log('Redis client connected');
   });

3. Connecting to MariaDB

   Install mariadb:

   npm install mariadb

   Then, include and connect in your project:

   const mariadb = require('mariadb');
   const pool = mariadb.createPool({
     host: 'localhost',
     user: 'root',
     password: 'password',
     database: 'servbay_hapi_app'
   });
   
   pool.getConnection()
     .then(conn => {
       console.log("Connected to MariaDB");
       conn.release(); //release to pool
     })
     .catch(err => {
       console.log("Not connected due to error: " + err);
     });

4. Connecting to PostgreSQL

   Install pg:

   npm install pg

   Then, include and connect in your project:

   const { Pool } = require('pg');
   const pool = new Pool({
     user: 'user',
     host: 'localhost',
     database: 'servbay_hapi_app',
     password: 'password',
     port: 5432,
   });
   
   pool.connect((err, client, done) => {
     if (err) throw err;
     console.log('Connected to PostgreSQL');
     done();
   });

By following the above steps, you have successfully created and run a Hapi.js project using the features provided by ServBay, and connected to various databases.