ExpressJS

FoalTS applications are created with the createApp function in the src/index.ts file. This function takes the root controller class (known as AppController) as parameter.

import { createApp } from '@foal/core';

const app = createApp(AppController);

The returned value is an ExpressJS application that can be used as is to create an HTTP server. FoalTS is not designed to integrate Express middlewares in its controllers or hooks. However, if for any reason you need to apply globally a middleware to the application, you have two ways to do it.

Custom Express Instance

You can provide your own express instance to createApp.

import { createApp } from '@foal/core';
import * as express from 'express';

const expressApp = express();
expressApp.use(/* an Express middleware */)

const app = createApp(AppController, expressApp);
// OR
const app = createApp(AppController, {
  expressInstance: expressApp
});

Pre and Post Express Middlewares

You can also pass global Express middlewares as options to the createApp function.

import { createApp } from '@foal/core';
import * as rateLimit from 'express-rate-limit';

const app = createApp(AppController, {
  preMiddlewares: [
    /* Express middlewares */
  ],
  postMiddlewares: [
    /* Express middlewares */
  ]
});

Pre-middlewares are executed before Foal's controllers and hooks. Post-middlewares are executed only if there was no controller to handle the request, but before the 500 or 404 handlers get called.

Migrating from Express to FoalTS

In case your are migrating your ExpressJS application to FoalTS, you can access FoalTS service manager using app.foal.services.

import { createApp } from '@foal/core';

const app = createApp(AppController);
app.foal.services.get(MyServiceClass).doSomething();