kevinrodbe · January 27, 2017 03:39 · Apr 13, 2016 · Apr 13, 2016 · Apr 13, 2016 · Apr 13, 2016
diff --git a/zero-to-microservice-with-now.md b/zero-to-microservice-with-now.md
@@ -158,4 +158,6 @@ To deploy it, I simply type `now` again and I'll get a new URL.
 
 And voila! I can now send parameters. Both my URLs still work. `now` never overwrites or throws away your work.
 
-![](https://cloudup.com/cFatYEe9AqS+)
+![](https://cloudup.com/cFatYEe9AqS+)
+
+If you have any questions about this tutorial, please comment below!
diff --git a/zero-to-microservice-with-now.md b/zero-to-microservice-with-now.md
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 ## From zero to microservice with 𝚫 now
 
 The following guide will show you how to deploy a simple microservice written in JavaScript using [𝚫 now](https://zeit.co/now).
-It uses tools that are widely available, tested and understood:
+
+It uses Open Source tools that are widely available, tested and understood:
 
 - Node.JS
 - NPM

diff --git a/zero-to-microservice-with-now.md b/zero-to-microservice-with-now.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## From zero to microservice with 𝚫 now
 
-The following guide will show you how to deploy a simple microservice written in JavaScript.
+The following guide will show you how to deploy a simple microservice written in JavaScript using [𝚫 now](https://zeit.co/now).
 It uses tools that are widely available, tested and understood:
 
 - Node.JS

diff --git a/zero-to-microservice.md → zero-to-microservice-with-now.md b/zero-to-microservice.md → zero-to-microservice-with-now.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-## From zero to microservice
+## From zero to microservice with 𝚫 now
 
 The following guide will show you how to deploy a simple microservice written in JavaScript.
 It uses tools that are widely available, tested and understood:

diff --git a/zero-to-microservice.md b/zero-to-microservice.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ To make sure Node.JS (which comes with `npm`) is properly installed, try running
 npm --version
 ```
 
-It should look like this:
+It should look similar to this:
 
 ![](https://cloudup.com/cebs58aBhVA+)
 

diff --git a/zero-to-microservice.md b/zero-to-microservice.md
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ npm install -g now
 To verify it's installed and it works run:
 
 ```
-now --help
+now --version
 ```
 
-It should look like this:
+It should look similar to this:
 
 ![](https://cloudup.com/c4ZUmYsu8eg+)
 

diff --git a/zero-to-microservice.md b/zero-to-microservice.md
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+## From zero to microservice
+
+The following guide will show you how to deploy a simple microservice written in JavaScript.
+It uses tools that are widely available, tested and understood:
+
+- Node.JS
+- NPM
+- Express
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+Make sure Node.JS is installed in your machine. If not, head to https://nodejs.org/en/ and download it and install it.
+
+To execute the commands described in this guide, launch your preferred Terminal. On Mac OS X, you can locate "Terminal.app" under "Applications" > "Utilities".
+
+To make sure Node.JS (which comes with `npm`) is properly installed, try running the command:
+
+```
+npm --version
+```
+
+It should look like this:
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/cebs58aBhVA+)
+
+#### Installing now
+
+`now` is a tool that will immediately deploy any Node.JS HTTP service with all its files and dependencies to the cloud.
+
+Install it with NPM as follows:
+
+```
+npm install -g now
+```
+
+To verify it's installed and it works run:
+
+```
+now --help
+```
+
+It should look like this:
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/c4ZUmYsu8eg+)
+
+### Creating your service
+
+Create a fresh directory for it and go to it:
+
+```bash
+mkdir ~/my-service
+cd ~/my-service
+```
+
+Every Node.JS project needs a `package.json` file. Create it with some basic information by copying and pasting this entire command:
+
+```
+cat <<EOF > package.json
+{
+  "name": "my-service",
+  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "dependencies": {}
+}
+EOF
+```
+
+To introduce a dependency, let's install express and save it to `package.json`:
+
+```
+npm install [email protected] --save
+npm install [email protected] --save
+```
+
+If you then look at the contents of `package.json`, it will look as follows:
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/c6bN2x_Jg5U+)
+
+### Writing your service
+
+We'll first write a basic HTTP endpoint that accepts POST requests.
+
+```bash
+cat <<EOF > index.js
+var app = require('express')();
+var srv = require('http').createServer(app);
+var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
+
+app.post('/', function (req, res, next) {
+  res.send('You POSTed to the micro-service!');
+});
+
+srv.listen(3000, function () {
+  console.log('Listening on 3000');
+});
+EOF
+```
+
+If you run
+
+```bash
+node index
+```
+
+you should see that it's listening on port `3000`:
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/cwpL9YhyyxX+)
+
+In another instance of the terminal, try POSTing some data with the `curl` utility (you can also [learn more](https://gist.github.com/caspyin/2288960) about curl).
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/ca0oi9Mo864+)
+
+This service is ready to be deployed! Let's say that instead of `localhost`, which only works on your computer, you wanted to share your micro-service with co-workers or the world.
+
+Simply run `now`! The first time you run it, it'll prompt you to log in or register. Just enter your email and watch your inbox.
+
+After you click the link it emails you, notice that it will try to deploy:
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/cCT5RT5yC8j+)
+
+`now` has only one simple requirement: a `start` script must be defined in `package.json`. We can add it as follows:
+
+```bash
+cat <<EOF > package.json
+{
+  "name": "my-service",
+  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "body-parser": "^1.15.0",
+    "express": "^4.13.4"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "start": "node index"
+  }
+}
+EOF
+```
+
+In this case, the `start` script will run the command we manually ran earlier, to make the HTTP service start.
+
+Notice that `now` doesn't need to know about ports. Any port will work (including ephemeral ones!) as long as your service allows HTTP traffic.
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/cD69_TiT_5z+)
+
+When you enter `now`, it will give you a unique URL for that deployment. Normally, you get this URL even before the deployment is complete.
+
+If you open it in a browser, you can see the progress of the _build_: the upload, the installation of dependencies and `npm start`.
+
+In this case, the deployment happens in under a second!
+
+### Making changes
+
+Let's say you want to make some changes to the code you just wrote. In this example, I made it so a `name` field is expected as JSON input.
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/caKMo02igl0+)
+
+To deploy it, I simply type `now` again and I'll get a new URL.
+
+And voila! I can now send parameters. Both my URLs still work. `now` never overwrites or throws away your work.
+
+![](https://cloudup.com/cFatYEe9AqS+)