Edit Page

res.send()

Send a string response in a format other than JSON (XML, CSV, plain text, etc.).

This method is used in the underlying implementation of most of the other terminal response methods.

Usage

return res.send([string]);

Details

This method can be used to send a string of XML.

If no argument is provided, no response body is sent back—just the status code.

Examples

To allow users to export their own data, while complying with Europe's GDPR regulations, you might send back some dynamic CSV-formatted data, like this:

// Send back some dynamic CSV-formatted data.
return res.set('text/csv').send(`
some,csv,like,this
or,,like,this
`);

Or, to respond with XML (e.g. for a sitemap):

// Send down some dynamic XML-formatted data.
return res.set('application/xml').send(`<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <url>
    <loc>http://sailsjs.com</loc>
    <lastmod>2018-03-28T17:02:23.688Z</lastmod>
    <changefreq>monthly</changefreq>
  </url>
</urlset>
`);

You can also send arbitrary plain text and use any status code you like:

// You can use any status code you like.
// (Defaults to 200 unless you specify something else.)
return res.status(420).send('Hello world!');

Notes

  • This method is terminal, meaning that it's generally the last line of code your app should run for a given request (hence the advisory usage of return throughout these docs).
  • If you want to send a dictionary or JSON, use res.json().
  • If you want to send a stream, use actions2(preferably) or .pipe(res) (if you absolutely must).
  • If you want to send a custom status code, call req.status() first.

Is something missing?

If you notice something we've missed or could be improved on, please follow this link and submit a pull request to the sails repo. Once we merge it, the changes will be reflected on the website the next time it is deployed.

Sails logo
  • Home
  • Get started
  • Support
  • Documentation
  • Documentation

For a better experience on sailsjs.com, update your browser.

Check out the full Sailsconf 2022 playlist on Youtube

Tweet Follow @sailsjs

Documentation

Reference Concepts App structure | Upgrading Contribution guide | Tutorials More

Reference

  • Application
    • Advanced usage
      • Lifecycle
      • sails.LOOKS_LIKE_ASSET_RX
      • sails.getActions()
      • sails.getRouteFor()
      • sails.lift()
      • sails.load()
      • sails.lower()
      • sails.registerAction()
      • sails.registerActionMiddleware()
      • sails.reloadActions()
      • sails.renderView()
      • sails.request()
      • sails.getBaseUrl()
    • sails.config.custom
    • sails.getDatastore()
    • sails.getUrlFor()
    • sails.log()
  • Blueprint API
    • add to
    • create
    • destroy
    • find one
    • find where
    • populate where
    • remove from
    • replace
    • update
  • Command-line interface
    • sails --version
    • sails console
    • sails debug
    • sails generate
    • sails inspect
    • sails lift
    • sails new
  • Configuration
    • sails.config.*
    • sails.config.blueprints
    • sails.config.bootstrap()
    • sails.config.custom
    • sails.config.datastores
    • sails.config.globals
    • sails.config.http
    • sails.config.i18n
    • sails.config.log
    • sails.config.models
    • sails.config.policies
    • sails.config.routes
    • sails.config.security
    • sails.config.session
    • sails.config.sockets
    • sails.config.views
  • Request (`req`)
    • req._startTime
    • req.body
    • req.cookies
    • req.fresh
    • req.headers
    • req.hostname
    • req.ip
    • req.ips
    • req.isSocket
    • req.method
    • req.options
    • req.originalUrl
    • req.params
    • req.path
    • req.protocol
    • req.query
    • req.secure
    • req.signedCookies
    • req.socket
    • req.subdomains
    • req.url
    • req.wantsJSON
    • req.xhr
    • req.accepts()
    • req.acceptsCharsets()
    • req.acceptsLanguages()
    • req.allParams()
    • req.file()
    • req.get()
    • req.is()
    • req.param()
    • req.setLocale()
    • req.setTimeout()
    • req.host
  • Response (`res`)
    • res.attachment()
    • res.badRequest()
    • res.clearCookie()
    • res.cookie()
    • res.forbidden()
    • res.get()
    • res.json()
    • res.jsonp()
    • res.location()
    • res.notFound()
    • res.ok()
    • res.redirect()
    • res.send()
    • res.serverError()
    • res.set()
    • res.status()
    • res.type()
    • res.view()
    • res.negotiate()
  • Waterline (ORM)
    • Datastores
      • .driver
      • .manager
      • .leaseConnection()
      • .sendNativeQuery()
      • .transaction()
    • Models
      • .addToCollection()
      • .archive()
      • .archiveOne()
      • .avg()
      • .count()
      • .create()
      • .createEach()
      • .destroy()
      • .destroyOne()
      • .find()
      • .findOne()
      • .findOrCreate()
      • .getDatastore()
      • .removeFromCollection()
      • .replaceCollection()
      • .stream()
      • .sum()
      • .update()
      • .updateOne()
      • .validate()
      • .native()
      • .query()
    • Queries
      • .catch()
      • .decrypt()
      • .exec()
      • .fetch()
      • .intercept()
      • .limit()
      • .meta()
      • .populate()
      • .skip()
      • .sort()
      • .then()
      • .tolerate()
      • .toPromise()
      • .usingConnection()
      • .where()
    • Records
      • .toJSON()
  • WebSockets
    • Resourceful PubSub
      • .getRoomName()
      • .publish()
      • .subscribe()
      • .unsubscribe()
    • sails.sockets
      • .addRoomMembersToRooms()
      • .blast()
      • .broadcast()
      • .getId()
      • .join()
      • .leave()
      • .leaveAll()
      • .removeRoomMembersFromRooms()
      • sails.sockets.id()
    • Socket client
      • io.sails
      • io.socket
      • SailsSocket
        • Methods
        • Properties
      • io.socket.delete()
      • io.socket.get()
      • io.socket.off()
      • io.socket.on()
      • io.socket.patch()
      • io.socket.post()
      • io.socket.put()
      • io.socket.request()

Built with Love

The Sails framework is built by a web & mobile shop in Austin, TX, with the help of our contributors. We created Sails in 2012 to assist us on Node.js projects. Naturally we open-sourced it. We hope it makes your life a little bit easier!

Sails:
  • What is Sails?
  • Community
  • News
  • For business
About:
  • Our company
  • Security
  • Legal
  • Logos/artwork
Help:
  • Get started
  • Documentation
  • Docs
  • Contribute
  • Take a class

© 2012-2022 The Sails Company. 
The Sails framework is free and open-source under the MIT License. 
Illustrations by Edamame.