Importing json file from stackexchange and print using node js (express)

Question

I'm trying to request the json file from stackexchange api and when the server loads save it on the client side so I can manipulate/change it locally.

I tried using this code but page just keep loading and nothing happens.

const express = require('express');
const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
const request = require('request');

const app = express();

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

const surl = 'https://api.stackexchange.com/2.2/users/11097431?order=desc&sort=reputation&site=stackoverflow';

app.use('/', (req, res, next) => {
    request(surl, (error, response, body) => {
        // res.setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8");
        res.json(body)
        console.log('body:', body);
        console.log('body:', req.body);
    });
});

app.listen(3000, () => { console.log('On port 3000...') });

And if I comment out these two lines in my code below

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

It gives this kind of output.

"\u001f�\b��\u0000��8z00\u0000^{4���=�c��\u0000��#c�\u0002\u0000\u0000"

If anyone could give me a start that would be great! Thanks.

Answer 1

The output is gibberish because body is gzip compressed. It's not JSON, not even text:

To return it to browser, the easiest way is using pipe:

const request = require('request');
const surl = 'https://api.stackexchange.com/2.2/users/11097431?order=desc&sort=reputation&site=stackoverflow';

app.use('/', (req, res) => {
  request(surl).pipe(res);
});

Or, if you want to manipulate/change the body, gzip: true option can be used:

const request = require('request');
const surl = 'https://api.stackexchange.com/2.2/users/11097431?order=desc&sort=reputation&site=stackoverflow';

app.use('/', (req, res) => {
  request({
    url: surl,
    gzip: true
  }, function(error, response, body) {
    let bodyObj = JSON.parse(body);
    // change bodyObj...
    res.json(bodyObj);
  });
});