CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptnode.jsstream
user2814533
user2814533

Reputation: 11

Node.js HTTP Module: Response + Request

I just started watching some node tutorials and I wanted help understanding the response and request streams that I get from http.createServer(). Response & Request are streams, so does that mean than Node.js sends and recieves data in chunks?

For example, if I called

res.write("test1");

res.write("test2");

res.end();

would it only write both those things when I call end() or would it flush to the stream and send to the client making the request as and when I call write()?

Another example to elaborate on my question is if I had a txt file with a lot of plaintext data, then I setup a read stream that pipes data from that file to the res object would it pipe that data in chunks or do it once everything is in the buffer.

I guess my question also applies to the request object. For instance, is the body of the request built up packet by packet and streamed to the server or is it all sent at once, and node just chooses to make us use a stream to access it.

Thanks alot!

Upvotes: 1

Views: 147

Answers (1)

Jonas Wilms
Jonas Wilms

Reputation: 138235

The first time response.write() is called, it will send the buffered header information and the first chunk of the body to the client. The second time response.write() is called, Node.js assumes data will be streamed, and sends the new data separately. That is, the response is buffered up to the first chunk of the body.

full foc

So basically, if you .write() a small piece of data, it may be buffered until theres a complete chunk or .end() is called. If .write() already has the size of a chunk, it will be transmitted immeadiately.

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions