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javascriptnode.jsexpressnode.js-connect

How can I easily get access to form data in Express js?

I have a POST request with very simple and small amount of form data. How can I most easily access it?

Many tutorials/posts etc talk about bodyParser, but this is no longer bundled with Express. Other places (blogs etc) recommend using urlencoded directly, but now this is not available either.

Trying to find accurate information on these frameworks or technologies is doing my head in.

Can someone please tell me the recommended (up to date) way to get POSTed form data in Express?

Solution

  • You should install body-parser through npm-install. Now it comes as a separate middleware.

    After that add following line in your app.js

    var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
app.use(bodyParser.json());
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded());
// in latest body-parser use like below.
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

    It parses the post request as an object. You will get your variables in req.body.

    In your post request handler.

    app.post('/post',function(request,response){
   console.log(request.body) //you will get your data in this as object.
})

    Edit 1

    The answer above was for the question specifically asked, the OP was looking for the bodyParser(deprecated) which was not part of express anymore.

    Since the title of the question is very generic and the answer doesn't include all aspects of form-data, I will put @StLia's answer as an edit.

    Body-Parser Readme

    This does not handle multipart bodies, due to their complex and typically large nature. For multipart bodies, you may be interested in the following modules: