Node.js (with express & bodyParser): unable to obtain form-data from post request

Question

I can't seem to recover the form-data of a post request sent to my Node.js server. I've put below the server code and the post request (sent using postman in chrome):

Post request

POST /api/login HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:8080
Cache-Control: no-cache

----WebKitFormBoundaryE19zNvXGzXaLvS5C
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="userName"

jem
----WebKitFormBoundaryE19zNvXGzXaLvS5C

NodeJS server code

var express    = require('express');        // call express
var app        = express();                 // define our app using express
var bodyParser = require('body-parser');

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

app.all('/*', function(req, res, next) {
    res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', '*');
    res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Headers', 'Content-Type,accept,access_token,X-Requested-With');
    next();
});

var port = process.env.PORT || 8080;        // set our port

var router = express.Router();              // get an instance of the express Router

router.get('/', function(req, res) {

    res.json({ message: 'I am groot!' });   
});

// Login
router.route('/login')

    .post(function(req, res){

        console.log('Auth request recieved');

        // Get the user name
        var user = req.body.userName;

        var aToken = getToken(user);

        res.json({

            'token':'a_token'
        });
    });

app.use('/api', router);

app.listen(port);

The login method tries to obtain the req.body.userName , however, req.body is always empty. I've seen other cases on SO describing such behavior but none of the related answers did apply here.

Thanks for helping out.

Answer 1

In general, an express app needs to specify the appropriate body-parser middleware in order for req.body to contain the body.

[EDITED]

1. If you required parsing of url-encoded (non-multipart) form data, as well as JSON, try adding:

    // Put this statement near the top of your module var bodyParser = require('body-parser'); // Put these statements before you define any routes. app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded()); app.use(bodyParser.json());

   First, you'll need to add body-parser to the dependencies property of your package.json , and then perform a npm update .

2. To handle multi-part form data, the bodyParser.urlencoded() body parser will not work. See the suggested modules here for parsing multipart bodies.

Answer 2

To handle multipart/form-data request that support file upload, you need to use multer module. npm link for multer middleware

Answer 3

I followed this https://www.tutorialspoint.com/expressjs/expressjs_form_data.htm

var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
var multer = require('multer');
var forms = multer();

// apply them

app.use(bodyParser.json());
app.use(forms.array()); 
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

// how to use

router.post('/', function(req, res) {
    console.log(req.body);
    console.log('received the widget request');
});

Answer 4

Make sure to put in this order: bodyParser.json() first. app.use(bodyParser.json()); app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

Answer 5

Make sure you are not sing enctype as multipart/form-data, body parser does not support it. use below line before you define any route.

app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded()); app.use(bodyParser.json());

Answer 6

• For Json: Use body-parser .

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

(you should Also send Content-Type : application/json in request header)

• For Normal Form, Or multipart form (form with files), Use body-parser + multer .

app.use(bodyParser.json())
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended: true}))
app.use(multer().array())

(You should NOT send Content-Type: application/json in this case. you should send nothing, or Content-Type: multipart/form-data if you have files in form.

• in postman you should not send Content-Type: multipart/form-data manually. otherwise you'll get an error ( Boundary not found ). (it will add this automatically.).)