basic set up - express for node.js

app.js

var express = require('express');
  app = module.exports = express.createServer(),
  viewEngine = 'jade',
  stylus = require('stylus'),
  nib = require('nib');

app.configure('development', function(){
  var stylusMiddleware = stylus.middleware({
    src: __dirname + '/stylus/', // .styl files are located in `/stylus`, must match /public folder structure
    dest: __dirname + '/public/', // .styl resources are compiled `/stylesheets/*.css`
    debug: true,
    compile: function(str, path) { // optional, but recommended
      return stylus(str)
        .set('filename', path)
        .set('warn', true)
        .set('compress', true)
        .use(nib());
      }
  });
  app.use(stylusMiddleware);  
  app.use(express.errorHandler({ dumpExceptions: true, showStack: true })); 
});

app.configure('production', function(){
  app.use(express.errorHandler()); 
});

app.configure(function(){
  app.set('views', __dirname + '/views/' + viewEngine);
  app.set('view engine', viewEngine);
  app.use(express.logger(':method :url :status'));
  app.use(express.bodyParser());
  app.use(express.methodOverride());
  app.use(app.router);
  app.use(express['static'](__dirname + '/public'));
  app.dynamicHelpers({
    isDevMode: function (req, res) {
      return (process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development') === 'development';
    }
  });
});