What is Body-parser?

What is Body-Parser? Body-parser is a middleware in Node.js that helps handle incoming request bodies in Express applications. It parses incoming JSON, URL-encoded, and raw data from the client, making it accessible via req.body. Why Do We Need Body-Parser? By default, Express does not parse request bodies. If a client sends data in a POST or PUT request, it arrives as a stream, which is hard to handle manually. Body-parser makes it easy to extract and use this data. How to Use Body-Parser in Express? 1. Install Body-Parser Run the following command: npm install body-parser 2. Import and Use Body-Parser in Express const express = require('express'); const bodyParser = require('body-parser'); const app = express(); // Middleware to parse JSON data app.use(bodyParser.json()); // Middleware to parse URL-encoded data (for form submissions) app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true })); app.post('/data', (req, res) => { console.log(req.body); // Access parsed data res.send('Data received!'); }); app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on port 3000')); Types of Body-Parser Middleware bodyParser.json() → Parses incoming JSON data. bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }) → Parses form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). bodyParser.raw() → Parses raw body buffer (e.g., application/octet-stream). bodyParser.text() → Parses incoming text (text/plain). Is Body-Parser Still Needed? Since Express 4.16.0, express.json() and express.urlencoded() are built-in, so you don’t need to install body-parser separately. Instead, just use: app.use(express.json()); app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true })); Conclusion Body-parser is an essential middleware for handling incoming request data in Express. While it's still widely used, modern Express versions include its functionality by default.

Mar 28, 2025 - 08:34

What is Body-Parser?

Body-parser is a middleware in Node.js that helps handle incoming request bodies in Express applications. It parses incoming JSON, URL-encoded, and raw data from the client, making it accessible via req.body.

Why Do We Need Body-Parser?

By default, Express does not parse request bodies. If a client sends data in a POST or PUT request, it arrives as a stream, which is hard to handle manually. Body-parser makes it easy to extract and use this data.

How to Use Body-Parser in Express?

1. Install Body-Parser

Run the following command:

npm install body-parser

2. Import and Use Body-Parser in Express

const express = require('express');
const bodyParser = require('body-parser');

const app = express();

// Middleware to parse JSON data
app.use(bodyParser.json());

// Middleware to parse URL-encoded data (for form submissions)
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

app.post('/data', (req, res) => {
    console.log(req.body); // Access parsed data
    res.send('Data received!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on port 3000'));

Types of Body-Parser Middleware

bodyParser.json() → Parses incoming JSON data.
bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }) → Parses form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded).
bodyParser.raw() → Parses raw body buffer (e.g., application/octet-stream).
bodyParser.text() → Parses incoming text (text/plain).

Is Body-Parser Still Needed?

Since Express 4.16.0, express.json() and express.urlencoded() are built-in, so you don’t need to install body-parser separately. Instead, just use:

app.use(express.json());
app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

Conclusion

Body-parser is an essential middleware for handling incoming request data in Express. While it's still widely used, modern Express versions include its functionality by default.