Node.js urlObject.port API Property

20 Feb 2025 | 3 min read

In this article, we will discuss the Node.js urlObject.port property with its syntax, parameters, examples, and benefits.

What is the Node.js urlObject.port API Property?

In Node.js, the urlObject.port property is a component of the URL module. It stands for the URL's port number. When a URL string is parsed using the url.parse() or new URL() methods, the resultant object has several properties. One of these properties is port, which stores the port number if it is supplied in the URL string.

Syntax:

It has the following syntax:

Usage:

Parsing URLs: After using url.parse() or new URL() functions to parse a URL string, we can use urlObject.port to retrieve the port number from the resultant object.
Building URLs: When building URLs programmatically, the port number can be specified in the port attribute of the URL object.

Example 1:

Let us take an example to illustrate the Node.js urlObject.port() API Property.

Output:

 
8080
8080

Example 2:

Let us take another example to illustrate the Node.js urlObject.port() API Property.

Output:

Behavior of ulfObject.port property:

The urlObject.port will return the port number as a string if it is present in the URL string.
The urlObject.port API property will provide the protocol's default port number as a string if the URL string is empty but the protocol requires one (for example, http usually uses port 80).
The urlObject.port API property will return null if the protocol's default port is not declared and the URL string does not have a port number.

Important Points:

It is not immediately resolved by urlObject.port, which port is used for HTTP requests. It only reflects the contents of the URL string.
In Node.js latest versions, the new URL() constructor has a setter/getter field called urlObject.port that lets us to set or obtain the port number straight from the URL object.

Benefits of Node.js urlObject.port API

The Node.js urlObject.port API has the following advantages:

Parsing URLs with Ease: It offers a simple method for obtaining the port number from a URL string that has been parsed by the URL constructor or the url.parse() method.
URL Construction: When creating URLs programmatically, we can explicitly specify the port number in the port attribute of the URL object, which makes the code easier to read and manage.
Consistency and Standardization: Node.js facilitates consistency in URL processing across various apps and libraries by offering a consistent API for obtaining the port number within a URL object.
Protocol-Aware: It ensures that the port number is appropriately represented in accordance with the protocol supplied in the URL by automatically handling default port numbers for well-known protocols like HTTP (port 80) and HTTPS (port 443).
Flexibility: When working with dynamic or user-defined port numbers, the port properties provide flexibility to update or set the port number in the URL object.
Avoids Manual Interpretation: Developers can use the port property of the URL object to extract the port number without manually parsing the URL text. This simplifies the code and lowers the possibility of errors.
Code That Can Be Read: The urlObject.port improves code readability by making it obvious that the port number inside the URL object is to be accessed.
Compatibility: It guarantees conformance to best practices for processing URLs in Node.js applications and is compatible with the URL standard.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Node.js's urlObject.port API makes URL manipulation more dependable and efficient by making activities like parsing, building, and modifying URLs easier for Node.js apps to accomplish.

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