build-a-basic-http-server

description: Use a managed Runtime created from a Layer to handle requests in a Node.js HTTP server. globs: "**/*.ts" alwaysApply: true

Build a Basic HTTP Server

Rule: Use a managed Runtime created from a Layer to handle requests in a Node.js HTTP server.

Example

This example creates a simple server with a Greeter service. The server starts, creates a runtime containing the Greeter, and then uses that runtime to handle requests.

import { HttpServer, HttpServerResponse } from "@effect/platform";
import { NodeHttpServer } from "@effect/platform-node";
import { Duration, Effect, Fiber, Layer } from "effect";
import { createServer } from "node:http";

// Create a server layer using Node's built-in HTTP server
const ServerLive = NodeHttpServer.layer(() => createServer(), { port: 3001 });

// Define your HTTP app (here responding "Hello World" to every request)
const app = Effect.gen(function* () {
  yield* Effect.logInfo("Received HTTP request");
  return yield* HttpServerResponse.text("Hello World");
});

const serverLayer = HttpServer.serve(app).pipe(Layer.provide(ServerLive));

const program = Effect.gen(function* () {
  yield* Effect.logInfo("Server starting on http://localhost:3001");
  const fiber = yield* Layer.launch(serverLayer).pipe(Effect.fork);
  yield* Effect.sleep(Duration.seconds(2));
  yield* Fiber.interrupt(fiber);
  yield* Effect.logInfo("Server shutdown complete");
});

Effect.runPromise(program as unknown as Effect.Effect<void, unknown, never>);

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Explanation:
This pattern demonstrates the complete lifecycle of a long-running Effect application.

1. Setup Phase: You define all your application's dependencies (database connections, clients, config) in Layers and compose them into a single AppLayer.
2. Runtime Creation: You use Layer.toRuntime(AppLayer) to create a highly-optimized Runtime object. This is done once when the server starts.
3. Request Handling: For each incoming request, you create an Effect that describes the work to be done (e.g., parse request, call services, create response).
4. Execution: You use the Runtime you created in the setup phase to execute the request-handling Effect using Runtime.runPromise.