A simple way to read and write Redis databases in Node.js applications

Before starting this article, make sure you have Redis and Node.js installed, as well as the Redis extension for ES4en.js, node_redis

First, create a new folder and a new text file app.js.

var redis = require("redis")
  , client = redis.createClient();
 
client.on("error", function (err) {
  console.log("Error " + err);
});
 
client.on("connect", runSample);
 
function runSample() {
  // Set a value
  client.set("string key", "Hello World", function (err, reply) {
    console.log(reply.toString());
  });
  // Get a value
  client.get("string key", function (err, reply) {
    console.log(reply.toString());
  });
}

When connected to Redis, the runSample function is called and set a value, which is then read out as follows:

OK
Hello World

We can also use the EXPIRE command to set the expiration time of the object. The code is as follows:

var redis = require('redis')
  , client = redis.createClient();
 
client.on('error', function (err) {
  console.log('Error ' + err);
});
 
client.on('connect', runSample);
 
function runSample() {
  // Set a value with an expiration
  client.set('string key', 'Hello World', redis.print);
  // Expire in 3 seconds
  client.expire('string key', 3);
 
  // This timer is only to demo the TTL
  // Runs every second until the timeout
  // occurs on the value
  var myTimer = setInterval(function() {
    client.get('string key', function (err, reply) {
      if(reply) {
        console.log('I live: ' + reply.toString());
      } else {
        clearTimeout(myTimer);
        console.log('I expired');
        client.quit();
      }
    });
  }, 1000);
}

Note: The timer used above is only used to demonstrate the EXPIRE command, you must use the timer carefully in the ES32en.js project.

The output of running the above program is:

Reply: OK
I live: Hello World
I live: Hello World
I live: Hello World
I expired

Next, we check how long a value has remained before it fails:

var redis = require('redis')
  , client = redis.createClient();
 
client.on('error', function (err) {
  console.log('Error ' + err);
});
 
client.on('connect', runSample);
 
function runSample() {
  // Set a value
  client.set('string key', 'Hello World', redis.print);
  // Expire in 3 seconds
  client.expire('string key', 3);
 
  // This timer is only to demo the TTL
  // Runs every second until the timeout
  // occurs on the value
  var myTimer = setInterval(function() {
    client.get('string key', function (err, reply) {
      if(reply) {
        console.log('I live: ' + reply.toString());
        client.ttl('string key', writeTTL);
      } else {
        clearTimeout(myTimer);
        console.log('I expired');
        client.quit();
      }
    });
  }, 1000);
}
 
function writeTTL(err, data) {
  console.log('I live for this long yet: ' + data);
}

Operation results:

Reply: OK
I live: Hello World
I live for this long yet: 2
I live: Hello World
I live for this long yet: 1
I live: Hello World
I live for this long yet: 0
I expired