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NodeJS : how to use arguments like req, res, result in functions?

I'm fairly new to JS especially Node and Express. I am following some tutorials on how to build an API and at the same time learning about JS special features such as let/const/var, arrow functions etc.
In many tutorials I have seen things likes this :
somecode.then((result) => {someothercode})
With: "somecode" being for example a get request
Is "result" the name of the returned value or is it a convention that JS developper use?
By that I mean, does this for example work?
somecode.then((foo) => {someothercode})
Also for req, res variables what does this mean?
app.get("/users/:userId", [
usersController.getById
]);
Here is the getById function (using once again the "result"):
exports.getById = (req, res) => {
userModel.findById(req.params.userId).then((result) => {
res.status(200).send(result);
});
};
the getById method defined in the controller needs (req, res), does that mean, when i call it like the code above, the req and res arguments are implicitly used?
Also it needs a parameter :
req.params.userId
which is in the url of the route, how does it pass to another file?
I have a route.js file that uses a controller.js file that uses a model.js. How does the param go from route to controller?
And it won't work if I change the param name right? for example:
req.params.id
Sorry for long post, I'm trying to understand JS logic to get some good habits and write clean code.
Thanks!

Is "result" the name of the returned value or is it a convention that JS developper use? By that I mean, does this for example work?
From my experience, yes - result is often used. Often times you'll see thing like value, response, but ultimately it can be whatever you define. I would recommend sticking to convention, and also check out the MDN Promise tutorial if you are starting out with understanding NodeJS asynchronous operations.
Also for req, res variables what does this mean?
app.get("/users/:userId", [
usersController.getById
]);
That is a middleware chain. Check out the Express docs for more information.
the getById method defined in the controller needs (req, res), does that mean, when i call it like the code above, the req and res arguments are implicitly used? Also it needs a parameter :
req.params.userId
which is in the url It won't work if I change the param name right? for example:
req.params.id
Yes, that is using a named parameter. Without the full router code, it is hard to know how the getById method is linked to the defined route. The Express routing documentation will likely be a good start on that.

Is "result" the name of the returned value or is it a convention that JS developper use?
result is the name of a new variable you are creating to represent the value passed in from the Promise resolution. Yes, your foo example will work.
(req, res) => {} is the same (mostly) as a function that looks like this:
function getById(req, res) {...}
req, and res are just representational of the values that will be passed to this function. They could just as easily have been called (foo, bar).

It looks like you're struggling with understanding callback functions. Consider the following code then please crack open the source code for the packages that you are using. and it looks like you are using express.js
function something(callback) {
var x = 5;
var y = 'anything';
callback(x, y);
}
something(function(req, res) {
console.log(req);
console.log(res);
});
the something function is created and inside of that function scope, var x and y are created with any type. then when we invoke or use something function we are passing a function as a variable that gets passed in as variable callback then it can be used since it is a function so we call callback with x and y which can literally be any value and for effect, I am passing back a number and a string as req and res.

It's just a convention. Note that the code:
somecode.then((result) => {someothercode});
Is actually:
somecode.then(myFunction);
Since somecode is a Promise, your function may be called with zero or one argument. It is up to you to name this argument:
function myFunction (foo) {
// use foo here
}
somecode.then(myFunction);
Of course, unlike some other languages, javascript does not force you to name your function. You can just use a nameless (anonymous) function:
somecode.then(function(mango) { /* use mango here */ })
Arrow functions is a new syntax allowing you to write anonymous functions in a shorter style (it also behaves slightly differently with regards to scope and the value of this)
Express.js and http.Server
In node's http.Server library and Express.js framework, each server request will call a function you define and pass it two arguments: the request object and the response object. The variables req and res are just conventions people use when writing their own request handler functions. You can name them anything you like. For example you may prefer to use request and response instead or rx and tx:
app.get('/say/hello', (rx, tx) => tx.send('Hello'));
How many arguments do I write a callback function with??
The best way to know is to read the documentation of the module you are using. It is not the only way to know - you can of course read the source code instead. But it is often easier to read the documentation. Because of this, javascript modules tend to have really good documentation (otherwise they would be unusable and ignored by the community).
Express.js will actually pass three arguments to your callback (not two!!) - request, response and next where next is a function you can call if you want Express to continue processing instead of replying to the request. One interesting feature of javascript is that you are allowed to call functions with fewer or more arguments and it is not considered a syntax error:
function example (x) {}
example(); // not an error
example(1); // not an error
example(1,2,3,4); // also not an error
Express uses this feature by always calling your callback with three arguments while allowing you to declare said callback with only two arguments if you don't need the third, next argument.

What happens when using "require()" in Node.js?

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm new to JavaScript/Node.js. This code below eludes me and I've done a fair bit of research... My questions below are more specifically related to instantiation.
I don't understand this:
var myApp = require('express');
var myCode = myApp();
How I see that it should be for instantiation:
var myApp = new Express();
var myCode = myApp.insideExpress();
How anonymous function expressions are:
var myApp = function();
var myCode = myApp();
If the word "require" acts as a sort of anonymous function expression, then how are things instantiated in the background? This is very important for making proper patterns, no?
My questions are:
What's happening in the background for the first example, is JavaScript/Node.js instantiating/constructing or not at all?
Are people who do this just creating bad patterns? Why should I use this pattern?
If no instantiation, then why not?
Thanks in advance

const myVar = require("someModule") loads a module from the file system, runs the module initialization code and assigns the module exports to your variable. The module loading sub-system maintains a cache so if it was previously loaded, it is not loaded or run again, the module's exports are just retrieved from the cache and assigned to your variable.
So, when you do this:
var myApp = require('express'); // load express module, assigns exports to myApp
var myCode = myApp(); // calls myApp() function and assigns result to myCode
The first line loads the express module and assigns the exports from that module to your myApp variable. In this particular case (it varies from module to module), the exports from the Express module is a function. So, after that first line of code, myApp contains a function which happens to be a factory function for creating new Express app objects.
The second line of code calls that factory function which returns a new Express app object.
A module can export anything it wants. In the case above, it exported a function, but it's also common to export an object that has a whole bunch of properties which you can then access. You can also export a constructor in which case the caller would then use new with the constructor to create a new object from it.
In the Express module, it did not export a constructor (which is why you don't use new with it). Instead, it decided to export a factory function that, when called, creates and returns a new object. This is just a design decision that can go either way depending upon the needs of the module and the whims of the code writer.
I can't really tell what you're asking here with this code:
var myApp = new Express(); // the express module does not export a constructor
var myCode = myApp.insideExpress();
This would work only if Express was a constructor function. The express module itself does not choose to export a constructor function so this is not how you use the express module. It could have been designed this way, but it was not. They simply made a different design decision when designing it.
For this other case you show:
var myApp = function();
var myCode = myApp();
That first line of code doesn't make any sense. Perhaps you meant for it to have a body to the function:
var myApp = function() { some code here };
var myCode = myApp();
In that case, myApp is being assigned a function expression (which is just one of several ways to declare a function). It's similar, though not exactly the same as:
function myApp() { some code here }
If the word "require" acts as a sort of anonymous function expression, then how are things instantiated in the background? This is very important for making proper patterns, no?
require('someModule) loads a module and returns the exports from the module which can be any Javascript data type. It doesn't act as an anonymous function in any way. require() is an actual function and you are just calling it and getting back its return value. Remember that in Javascript, you can return any data type from a function, include return another function (which is what the express module does).
What's happening in the background for the first example, is JavaScript/Node.js instantiating/constructing or not at all?
No instantiating or constructing. It's just loading a module, running its initialization code and return its exports. Some objects are created by the module loading system that are used for its own housekeeping, but the module itself is just initializing itself and then deciding what it wants to export.
Are people who do this just creating bad patterns? Why should I use this pattern?
Modules are highly useful in node.js development and it is considered good design to use proper module design. There are many, many advantages to good module design such as easier code maintenance, easier code testing, easier code reuse, easier code sharing, no need to create globals in order to share code, etc...
If no instantiation, then why not?
A module decides what it wants to export. It can, in its initialization code, create an instance of an object and export it. It can export a factory function that creates an instance of an object when called. It can export a constructor directly that lets the caller use new with it to create an instance of an object. It can export a utility function that just carries out some function and doesn't create any objects. It can export just data. It can export a plain object with multiple properties on it that have all sorts of possible uses. The possibilities are endless and it entirely depends upon what the purpose is of the module and what it wishes to share with the other module that loaded it.

It's just loading a library or a module into your script. It is not instantiating a new object. It's just making the loaded module's functions etc available to your current script. Here is a good writeup that I found,
http://fredkschott.com/post/2014/06/require-and-the-module-system/
I hope that helps answer your question.

Difference between require('module')() and const mod = require('module') mod() in node/express

I have two files: server.js and db.js
server.js looks as such:
...
const app = express();
app.use('/db', db());
app.listen(3000, () => {
console.log('Server started on port 3000')
});
...
and db.js as such:
...
function init() {
const db = require('express-pouchdb')(PouchDB, {
mode: 'minimumForPouchDB'
});
return db;
}
...
This works just fine, and I am able to reach the pouchdb http-api from my frontend. But before, I had const PouchDBExpress = require('pouchdb-express'); in the top of db.js, and the first line in init() looked like this; const db = PouchDBExpress(PouchDB, {. This gave an error in one of the internal files in pouchdb saying cannot set property query on req which only has getters (paraphrasing).
So this made me copy the exaples from pouchdb-servers GitHub examples which requires and invokes pouched-express directly, and everthing worked fine. Is there an explanation for this? I'm glad it works now, but I'm sort of confused as to what could cause this.

The only difference between:
require('module')()
and
const mod = require('module');
mod();
is that in the second case, you retain a reference to the module exports object (perhaps for other uses) whereas in the first one you do not.
Both cases load the module and then call the exported object as a function. But, if the module export has other properties or other methods that you need access to then, obviously, you need to retain a reference to it as in the second option.
For us to comment in more detail about the code scenario that you said did not work, you will have to show us that exact code scenario. Describing what is different in words rather than showing the actual code makes it too hard to follow and impossible to spot anything else you may have inadvertently done wrong to cause your problem.

In require('module')(), you don't retain a reference of the module imported.
While in const mod = require('module'); mod(), you retain a reference and can use the same reference later in your code.
This problem might be due to some other reason like -
Are you using a some another global instance of the db, and your code works in the given case as you are making a local instance
Some other code dependent scenario.
Please provide more details for the same

Is there a difference between initialising express app via "app = new Express()" and "app = express()' [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
What is the 'new' keyword in JavaScript?
(17 answers)
Closed 7 years ago.
I've always seen express apps being initialised like:
var express = require('express')
var app = express()
But today I stumbled upon a example with new operator:
var Express = require('express')
var app = new Express()
Is there any difference?
Source: https://github.com/erikras/react-redux-universal-hot-example/blob/0d7c49318a8ed78bdef4022b9f0adc4bfb04bdba/src/server.js#L25

I think there is a subtle difference, but one which doesn't make much (any?) difference in this case.
With Node.js's require statement what you end up with is the object that the module assigns to module.exports. This could be anything, even just a simple value, but it could also be a function.
Thus, suppose you have the following module in myModule.js:
function complexOperation() {
// blah blah
}
module.exports = complexOperation;
When you do:
var myModule = require("myModule.js");
You end up with myModule set to complexOperation, and you would call it just like any regular function. Straightforward. But note that it wouldn't necessarily make sense to do something like new complexOperation() here - all depends on what complexOperation is.
In the case of Express.js the object returned is itself a function, namely, createApplication (defined in this file: https://github.com/strongloop/express/blob/master/lib/express.js). So require('express') returns a function, which is assigned to express, and which is then run on the next line. So app ends up with the result of the execution of the function createApplication.
The second variation (ignoring the fact that, as one comment-er pointed out, you misquoted that source file) uses the new keyword. When you do:
var a = new Something();
Something should be a function - a constructor function. And what this statement does is:
create a new object
invokes Something() with this set to the new object
returns the result of Something()
(There is more going on, with the object's prototypes being setup. Full explanation: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/new).
So in the above case, the statement var app = new Express() creates a new object, invokes Express() with this set up to refer to the newly created object, and then returns the result.
In the case of Express.js, because the thing exported is itself a function, much the same result is achieved. A new object is created, createApplication is run with this setup accordingly, and then app gets the result of createApplication.

'variable' : function(req, res){} means?

I am currently starting with node.js, so I am for the first time using Js beyond dom manipulation.
I came across a code piece like below. I cant understand it. What is happening? is it a key value object? Is an anonymous function being passed to 'new'?
module.exports = {
'new': function(req, res) {
res.view();
},
/**
* Overrides for the settings in `config/controllers.js`
* (specific to UserController)
*/
_config: {}
};

As others have said, this is ultimately just creating an object called module.exports then assigning two properties to it. One is another object called _config and the other is a function called new that expects two arguments.
That's the plain JavaScript explanation.
In node.js, you're also seeing a few conventions in play, which I'll describe below.
One convention is module.exports.
This is the object that will be made available when some other code loads this file using require(). It would work something like this:
var m = require('yourmodule.js');
m.new(req, res);
Another convention is the pair of arguments: req, res.
These are usually parameters that represent a request (like an http.IncomingMessage) and a response (like a http.ServerResponse).
Putting it all together, this module is probably defining a Controller that will receive http requests, and render them as responses. It currently does this for new, and there are probably routes configured elsewhere that call this method when a user requests something like 'http://server.come/user/new'.

Looks like basic JavaScript.
An object named module has a property named exports that is an object.
This object has a property named new whose value is an anonymous function.
In theory you could invoke the method like this:
module.exports.new(someRequest, someResponse);