# Restify — Purpose-Built Node.js Framework for REST APIs

> Restify is a Node.js framework specifically designed for building semantically correct, production-grade RESTful web services with built-in support for DTrace and versioned routes.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Restify — Purpose-Built Node.js Framework for REST APIs

## Quick Use
```bash
npm install restify
```

```js
const restify = require('restify');
const server = restify.createServer();

server.get('/hello/:name', (req, res, next) => {
  res.send({ message: `Hello, ${req.params.name}` });
  return next();
});

server.listen(8080, () => console.log('Listening on 8080'));
```

## Introduction
Restify is a Node.js framework that focuses exclusively on building correct REST APIs. Unlike general-purpose frameworks, it enforces HTTP semantics like proper status codes and content negotiation out of the box. It has been used in production at companies running large-scale API services.

## What Restify Does
- Provides a purpose-built server for creating RESTful APIs with strict HTTP semantics
- Supports route versioning so multiple API versions can coexist on one server
- Includes a built-in HTTP client for service-to-service communication
- Offers DTrace probes for real-time performance analysis on supported platforms
- Ships with pre-built plugins for parsing, throttling, and CORS

## Architecture Overview
Restify uses a handler chain model where each route can have multiple handlers executed in sequence via `next()`. The server parses incoming requests, matches them against a route table that supports versioned endpoints, and runs the handler chain. Plugins are implemented as middleware functions that hook into the request lifecycle at well-defined points.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via npm: `npm install restify` (requires Node.js 14+)
- Create a server with `restify.createServer({ name, version })` to set API metadata
- Add pre-route plugins like `restify.plugins.bodyParser()` for JSON/form parsing
- Configure throttling with `restify.plugins.throttle()` to protect endpoints
- Use `server.pre(restify.plugins.pre.sanitizePath())` to normalize request paths

## Key Features
- Built-in API versioning via Accept-Version header or query parameter
- DTrace integration for live production profiling without restarts
- Content negotiation with automatic serialization to JSON or custom formats
- Pluggable audit logging for request/response tracking
- Semantic error handling with built-in HTTP error constructors

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Express** — general-purpose web framework, more middleware available, less strict on REST semantics
- **Fastify** — schema-based validation and faster JSON serialization, broader plugin ecosystem
- **Hapi** — configuration-driven with strong input validation, heavier setup
- **Koa** — minimalist with async/await middleware, no built-in routing or versioning

## FAQ
**Q: How does Restify differ from Express?**
A: Restify is API-only by design. It does not include template rendering, static file serving, or other features aimed at web applications. It enforces correct HTTP behavior by default.

**Q: Is Restify still actively maintained?**
A: Yes. The project continues to receive updates and bug fixes, though the release cadence is slower than larger frameworks.

**Q: Can I use Express middleware with Restify?**
A: Not directly. The middleware signatures differ. Some community adapters exist, but native Restify plugins are recommended.

**Q: Does Restify support HTTP/2?**
A: Restify supports HTTP/2 via Node.js built-in http2 module when configured with TLS certificates.

## Sources
- https://github.com/restify/node-restify
- http://restify.com

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-b91710bb
Author: Script Depot