# From Express to Total.js 5

> What you write in Express and what you write in Total.js 5 for the same job: routes, parameters, bodies, responses, middleware, static files, cookies, validation, views and more.

Framework: total5
Product: Total.js 5 (total5@0.0.19)
Language: en
Content-SHA256: 047ebe18afed21ea0bb8f52dadd4ca12918d374970fe2f9d2224b556c36c6b10
Snapshot: c0700e321579725c5cf4f5ace1ad7d2866d1b4f93c24a63c0b41b6b7998e976c
Sources: total5-installed@total5@0.0.19
Review: not-recorded

Total.js is not Express with another name. The biggest differences: a handler receives **one object, `$`**, instead of `(req, res)`; the body is parsed for you by its content type; you do not install packages for cookies, uploads, validation, sessions, CORS, cron or email, because they are part of the framework; and the files of your project are **loaded from folders** instead of being imported (see the project structure page).

The table pairs common Express patterns with their Total.js 5 equivalents.

| Job | Express | Total.js 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Start the server | `app.listen(3000)` | `Total.run({ port: 3000 })` |
| A route | `app.get('/users', fn)` | `ROUTE('GET /users/', fn)` (write the end slash) |
| Path parameter | `app.get('/users/:id', fn)` and `req.params.id` | `ROUTE('GET /users/{id}/', fn)` and `$.params.id` |
| Query string | `req.query.page` | `$.query.page` |
| JSON body | `app.use(express.json())` and `req.body` | `$.body`, parsed by its content type |
| Request headers | `req.headers['x-token']` | `$.headers['x-token']` |
| Send JSON | `res.json(object)` | `$.json(object)` |
| Send text or HTML | `res.send('text')` | `$.plain('text')` or `$.html('<p>..</p>')` |
| Status code | `res.status(404).json(...)` | `$.invalid(404)` for an error, or `$.response.status = 201` before answering |
| Response header | `res.set('x-a', 'b')` | `$.response.headers['x-a'] = 'b'` |
| Redirect | `res.redirect('/x')` | `$.redirect('/x')` |
| Cookies | `cookie-parser`, `res.cookie(...)` | `$.cookie('name')` to read, `$.cookie('name', value, '1 day')` to write |
| Middleware on a route | `app.get('/a', mw, fn)` | `MIDDLEWARE('mw', ($, next) => ...)` and `ROUTE('GET /a/ #mw', fn)` |
| Static files | `app.use(express.static('public'))` | Put the files in `public/`: no code |
| Download a file | `res.download(path, name)` | `$.file(path, name)` |
| Template | `res.render('page', model)` | `$.view('page', model)` |
| Validate input | `express-validator` or `zod` | `input: '*email:Email, age:Number'` on an action |
| Error page | an error-handling middleware | `ROUTE('#404', fn)` and `ROUTE('#401', fn)` |
| Authentication | `passport` or `express-session` | `AUTH(fn)` and `ROUTE('+GET /private/', fn)` |
| Uploads | `multer` | the flag `@upload` and `$.files` |
| CORS | `cors` | `CORS('https://example.com')` |
| Call another API | `axios` or `fetch` | `REQUEST()` and `RESTBuilder` |
| Scheduled jobs | `node-cron` | `CRON('0 9 * * 1-5', fn)` |
| Send email | `nodemailer` | `MAIL()` and `HTMLMAIL()` with `mail_smtp` in `config` |
| WebSocket | `ws` or `socket.io` | `ROUTE('SOCKET /chat/', fn)` |

Each part has a recipe with more detail; this is the whole mapping in one place. The example below is the Total.js side of the rows that need code.

```js definitions/compare.js
MIDDLEWARE('mw', function($, next) {
	$.response.headers['x-a'] = 'b';
	next();
});

NEWACTION('Users/create', {
	name: 'Create a user',
	input: '*email:Email, age:Number',
	action: function($, model) {
		$.callback({ email: model.email, age: model.age });
	}
});
```

```js controllers/compare.js
exports.install = function() {
	ROUTE('GET /users/{id}/', user);
	ROUTE('POST /users/ --> *Users/create');
	ROUTE('GET /mw/ #mw', ok);
	ROUTE('GET /created/', created);
	ROUTE('GET /moved/', moved);
	ROUTE('GET /cookie/', cookie);
	ROUTE('GET /html/', html);
};

function user($) {
	$.json({ id: $.params.id, page: $.query.page, token: $.headers['x-token'] });
}

function ok($) {
	$.json({ ok: true });
}

function created($) {
	$.response.status = 201;
	$.json({ created: true });
}

function moved($) {
	$.redirect('/users/1/');
}

function cookie($) {
	$.cookie('visited', 'yes', '1 day');
	$.json({ before: $.cookie('visited') || null });
}

function html($) {
	$.html('<p>Hello</p>');
}
```