Serve static files and app.get conflict using Express.js - node.js

Question

I have this piece of code here:
var express = require('express')
, http = require('http')
var app = express();
var server = app.listen(1344);
var io = require('socket.io').listen(server);
app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public'));
app.use(express.bodyParser());
app.use(express.cookieParser());
app.use(express.session({secret: 'secret'}));
app.get('/', function(req, res){
if(req.session){
console.log(req.session);
}
console.log('ok');
});
The code inside the app.get() callback is not being called. If I comment out the app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public')) line, then the callaback works. I've tried changing the order, but its like a lottery! I would prefer to know whats going wrong here.
I'm sure this have to do with lack of knowledge from my part on how the middleware is called. Can someone help me understand this problem?
Basically I just want to perform some logic before the files are served and the index.html is load on the browser. By the way placing the app.get() before the app.use(express.static()) line, does not did the trick!

Answer 1

Your static file middleware should go first.
app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public'));
app.use(express.bodyParser());
app.use(express.cookieParser());
app.use(express.session({secret: 'secret'}));
And you should be adding a use for app.router as well.
app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public'));
app.use(express.bodyParser());
app.use(express.cookieParser());
app.use(express.session({secret: 'secret'}));
app.use(app.router);
Middleware is processed in order for each request. So if you have an index.html in your static files then requests for yourdomain.com/ will never make it to the app.router because they will get served by the static file handler. Delete index.html and then that request will flow through to your app.router.

Answer 2

Rename your index.html file to something else. It is that simple
app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public'));
app.get('/', function(req, res){
if(req.session){
console.log(req.session);
}
console.log('ok');
res.sendfile(new_index_file);
});

Answer 3

I believe, you have 3 options here:
1) Mount your app.get('/') route (possibly, using app.router) before static middleware, so that they take precedence. Middleware that is mounted first, processes a matching request first.
2) Use a path prefix for your static paths like app.use('/static', express.static('public'));, so that statics is served from example.com/static/...
3) Want to act smart and shoot yourself in the leg? :) Sometimes people use Accept headers and content negotiation to serve 2 different content types from the same url in different circumstances. You can make your static middleware check for a specific content type in Accept header and process request, only if requests's Accept header wants a proper type. Otherwise, it will pass the processing down the stream to you / view. You can customise your static middleware content negotiation in req.accepts.