---
title: "Example server (Express)"
description: "A reference Express server implementing the full FlowDrop REST API — the recommended backend to develop a client against."
source: https://flowdrop.io/docs/editor/integration/example-server-express
site: FlowDrop documentation
---
# Example server (Express)
The **example Express server** is the fastest way to get a working backend, and
the recommended one while you're building a FlowDrop client. It's a reference
implementation of the full FlowDrop REST API — node types, categories, port
config, and full workflow CRUD — with CORS enabled and seed data built in, so the
editor has real nodes to place the moment you connect.

<Note>
  **In-memory only — not for production.**

  The example server keeps everything **in memory**, so workflows you create are
  lost when it restarts. It's built for local development.
</Note>

## Run it

The server lives in the FlowDrop repo at `apps/example-server-express`:

```bash
cd apps/example-server-express
npm install
npm run dev
```

It starts on **`http://localhost:7104`**, serving the API under
`http://localhost:7104/api/flowdrop`. Open the root URL in a browser for a
browsable index of every endpoint. Set a different port with the `PORT`
environment variable:

```bash
PORT=8080 npm run dev
```

## Connect your editor

Point your client at the API base — no authentication required:

```javascript
import { createEndpointConfig } from '@flowdrop/flowdrop/core';

const endpointConfig = createEndpointConfig('http://localhost:7104/api/flowdrop');
```

That's all the wiring the editor needs — see the [Quick start](/start/quickstart)
for mounting it in your framework.

## Endpoints

The server implements the full FlowDrop contract. All paths are relative to the
`/api/flowdrop` base.

| Method   | Path              | Description                                            |
| -------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| `GET`    | `/health`         | Server health and uptime                               |
| `GET`    | `/system/config`  | Client bootstrap config                                |
| `GET`    | `/nodes`          | List node types (`?category`, `?search`, `?limit`, `?offset`) |
| `GET`    | `/nodes/:id`      | Get a single node type                                 |
| `GET`    | `/categories`     | List node categories                                   |
| `GET`    | `/port-config`    | Port data types and compatibility rules                |
| `GET`    | `/workflows`      | List workflows (`?search`, `?tags`, `?sort`, `?order`) |
| `POST`   | `/workflows`      | Create a workflow                                      |
| `GET`    | `/workflows/:id`  | Get a workflow                                         |
| `PUT`    | `/workflows/:id`  | Update a workflow                                      |
| `DELETE` | `/workflows/:id`  | Delete a workflow                                      |

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick start" icon="rocket" href="/start/quickstart">
    Install FlowDrop and mount the editor against this server.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Build your own backend" icon="screwdriver-wrench" href="/editor/integration/backend-implementation">
    Implement the same REST contract on your own stack for production.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>