Node.js: url route with the CNAME record

Question

I want to map example.org and cname.example.org to two different node.js app. But use no http web server such as nginx.

And the web framework is express.

So is there are any middleware in express or node.js to do this?

Answer 1

Express uses connect so you can do this:

var express = require('express'),
    app = express();

app.use(express.vhost('example.org', require('./exampleApp/')));
app.use(express.vhost('cname.example.org', require('./cnameExampleApp/')));

app.listen(80);

There is also an example on github: https://github.com/visionmedia/express/tree/master/examples/vhost

And here the reference for connect.vhost: http://www.senchalabs.org/connect/vhost.html

Edit: In recent express versions, most middlewares like vhost are not included, so you will have to install them manually.

First, run:

$ npm install --save vhost

Updated code snippet:

const express = require("express");
const vhost = require("vhost");

const app = express();

app.use(vhost("example.org", require("./exampleApp/")));
app.use(vhost("cname.example.org", require("./cnameExampleApp/")));

app.listen(80);

Answer 2

You need a proxy like nginx in anyway if your 2 node apps are hosted on the same host.

var request = require('request');    

var proxy = require('http').createServer(function (req, res) {    

    // distribute by request header 'host'
    var targetHost = req.headers.host;
    if (targetHost === 'example.org') {
      req.pipe(request('http://your-node-app1' + req.url)).pipe(res);
    } else if (targetHost === 'cname.example.org') {
      req.pipe(request('http://your-node-app2' + req.url)).pipe(res);
    } else { // not found or host is invalid
      res.statusCode = 404;
      res.end('host is not found!');
    }
});

proxy.listen(80); // assume it listens to port 80