Nodejs- Req.body undefined in post with express 4.x

Question

I am using a middleware body-parser to encoded the form values to get in req.body object. But as I debug my code, found out req.body is undefined. Here is my code

var express = require('express');
var app = express();
var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: false }));

Listen Post request

app.post('/newCategory', function (req,res) {

            //express attached the form encoded values into body
            var categoryName = req.body.categoryName;
        });

Html Form

<form action="/newCategory" role="form" method="post" class="form-inline">
    <input type="text" name="categoryName" placeholder="Category name" class="form-control" />
    <input type="submit" value="New Category" class="btn btn-primary" />
</form>

possible duplicate of [Express.js req.body undefined](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9177049/express-js-req-body-undefined) — dmigo, Jul 25 '15 at 12:26

score 12 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 10 '14 at 05:04

12

Just ran into the same issue. It looks like I resolved my problem by moving my code to map routes after the urlencoded line. I am now seeing req.body in the post.

app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));


// Map routes
var controllers = require("./controllers");
controllers.init(app);

answered Aug 10 '14 at 05:04

user3926346

121
2

Here is somewhat similar answer in a somewhat similar discussion http://stackoverflow.com/a/13779626/788833 – dmigo Jul 25 '15 at 12:25

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 31 '15 at 09:55

7

This solved the problem for me

var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
var app=express();
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded());
app.use(bodyParser.json());

Hope this help

answered Mar 31 '15 at 09:55

ackuser

5,681
5
40
48

If only I had stumbled upon your solution 2 hours earlier, I could have had a good night sleep. Thanks a lot. – Prabhu Moorthy Jan 04 '17 at 23:08

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 23 '14 at 16:54

I noticed that the order is very important. Usually the router should be declared in the end before starting the server . Eg: 1.i import the required files

var express            = require("express");
var bodyParser         = require("body-parser");
var morgan             = require("morgan");
var db              = require("./db.js");

var app                = express();

2.i declare the other stuffs

app.set("port", process.env.PORT || 3000);

//app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public'));
app.use(morgan('dev') ); // Log every request to console
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({
    extended: true
}));

app.use(bodyParser.json());

3. AFTER I INCLUDE ROUTES - most important step

var routes = require('./routes/routes');
routes(app);   //routes shall use Express

start the server

app.listen(app.get("port"), function () { console.log("Express server listening on port " + app.get("port")); });

And then will work .. i'm not sure why but after it happen few time i learn the lesson .

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 15 '14 at 10:30

2

If you're using urlencoded with { extended:false }, req.body will return the unparsed raw string from the form categoryName=test. Meaning req.body.categoryName will be undefined.

Try passing true so it can parse the form data using the qs module.

app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({
    extended: true
}));

answered Jul 15 '14 at 10:30

Ben Fortune

31,623
10
79
80

2

I tried both but I am getting req.body undefined. Any idea? – Ammar Khan Jul 15 '14 at 10:31

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered May 01 '15 at 12:06

As body-parser module is used to parse the body and urls, it should be called before any call to "req.body..."

var bodyParser = require("body-parser");
///////req.body is undefined here
//extended: false means you are parsing strings only (not parsing images/videos..etc)
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended: false});
///////you req.body is working here (module below is using req.body)
app.use("/", module);
app.post('/newCategory', function (req,res) {
     var categoryName = req.body.categoryName;
});

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 04 '20 at 00:47

0

I am use this:

const app = express(); app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true })); app.use(express.json()); but verify if your POSTMAN, for he can be the problem

answered Apr 04 '20 at 00:47

Wanderson Elias

11
1

Nodejs- Req.body undefined in post with express 4.x

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