node.js - Express.js Routing error: Can't set headers after they are sent

Question

I'm not really sure why I'm getting this error. It's a simple API built on express.js to be able to add and remove posts. The error occurs when I trigger the delete router. I've read that the error typically happens when there are two callbacks, however, I don't seem to be able find any double callbacks.

    _http_outgoing.js:344
    throw new Error('Can't set headers after they are sent.');
    Error: Can't set headers after they are sent.
    at ServerResponse.OutgoingMessage.setHeader (_http_outgoing.js:344:11)
    at ServerResponse.header (/Users/bounty/Projects/_learning/react-express/node_modules/express/lib/response.js:718:10)
at ServerResponse.send (/Users/bounty/Projects/_learning/react-express/node_modules/express/lib/response.js:163:12)
    at ServerResponse.json (/Users/bounty/Projects/_learning/react-express/node_modules/express/lib/response.js:249:15)
    at /Users/bounty/Projects/_learning/react-express/server/routes/posts.js:86:9
    at nextTickCallbackWith0Args (node.js:452:9)
    at process._tickCallback (node.js:381:13)

Here is my posts.js router:

module.exports = function(router) {

    var Post = require('../models/post.js');

    // middleware for the api requests
    router.use(function(req, res, next) {
        // do logging
        console.log('something is happening.');
        next(); // make sure we go to our next route and don't stop here
    });

    // test route to make sure everything is working (accessed at GET http://localhost:8080/api)

    router.get('/', function(req, res) {
        res.json({ message: 'hooray! welcome to our api!' });   
    });

    // all routes here

    // routes that end in /posts
    router.route('/posts')

        // create a Post (accessed at POST http://localhost:7777/api/posts)
        .post(function(req, res) {
            var post = new Post();
            post.postTitle = req.body.postTitle; // set the post name (comes from request) 

            // save post and check for errors
            post.save(function(err) {
                if (err)
                    res.send();

                res.json({ message: 'post created!' });
            });
        })

        // get all Posts (accessed at GET http://localhost:7777/api/posts)
        .get(function(req, res) {
            Post.find(function(err, posts) {
                if (err)
                    res.send();

                res.json(posts);
            });
        });

    // routes that end in /posts for specific id
    router.route('/posts/:post_id')

        // get the post with that id
        .get(function(req, res) {
            Post.findById(req.params.post_id, function(err, post) {
                if (err)
                    res.send(err);

                res.json(post);
            });
        })

        // update the post with that id
        .put(function(req, res) {
            Post.findById(req.params.post_id, function(err, post) {
                if (err)
                    res.send(err);

                post.postTitle = req.body.postTitle;

                // save the post
                post.save(function(err) {
                    if (err)
                        res.send(err);

                    res.json({ message: 'post updated!' });
                });
            });
        })

        // deletes the post with that id
        .delete(function(req, res) {
            Post.remove({
                _id: req.params.post_id
            }, function(err, post) {
                if (err) {
                    res.send(err);
                }
                res.json({ message: 'post deleted!' });
            });
        });
}

Answer 1

You need to add the 'return' so that you don't reply twice.

// save post and check for errors
post.save(function(err) {
    if (err) {
        return res.send();
    }
    res.json({ message: 'post created!' });
});