URL Parameters vs Query Strings in Express.js

mistakes or have suggestions for improvement, feel free to reach out.

To summarize the key points:

1. URL Parameters:

   • Used to identify specific resources.
   • Part of the path (e.g., /users/:userId).
   • Required and unique per resource.
   • Accessed via req.params.

2. Query Strings:

   • Used for optional data or filters.
   • Appear after a question mark in the URL (e.g., ?key=value).
   • Optional and can be added to any path.
   • Accessed via req.query.

3. Express.js Handling:

   • Express routes match based on the path, ignoring query strings.
   • Query strings are flexible and don't affect route matching.

4. Best Practices:

   • Use parameters for resource identifiers that make a URL incomplete without them.
   • Use query strings for optional or descriptive data like filters, pagination, etc.

By understanding these distinctions, you can design more intuitive and predictable REST APIs in your applications using Express.js.

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