What does "res.render" do, and what does the html file look like?

What does `res.render` do, and what does the html file look like? My end goal is to load arbitrary comma-separated-values from a text file into an html file (for example). I was only able to deduce that a view was the html file, and callback gives that html file back. Here is the documentation: http://expressjs.com/api.html#res.render. Now, given context from some example code I found, there is something about using `ejs` (embedded javascript) with `<%` and `%>`. But if I may add, am I just incompetent or is the documentation really truly vague and assumes the reader knows everything? How could I have gone about figuring this out on my own? Is there any official documentation so I can gain a full understanding of usage, advantages and pitfalls? Edit 1 I just want to add that I'm having a heck of a time learning `node.js`. Is it me or is the general documentation really vague? Aside from lousy explanations like above, there are no type specifications for parameters or return values. Edit 2 Let me ask you some more specific questions above the code. The actual `orders.ejs` file is in `views/orders.ejs`. How does this code refer to it? HTML excerpt: ``` <tbody> <% for(var i=0; i<orders.length; i++) {%> <tr> <td><%= orders[i].id %></td> <td><%= orders[i].amount %></td> <td><%= orders[i].time %></td> </tr> <% } %> ``` And the js. Please see /orders: ``` // Define routes for simple SSJS web app. // Writes Coinbase orders to database. var async = require('async') , express = require('express') , fs = require('fs') , http = require('http') , https = require('https') , db = require('./models'); var app = express(); app.set('views', __dirname + '/views'); app.set('view engine', 'ejs'); app.set('port', process.env.PORT || 8080); // Render homepage (note trailing slash): example.com/ app.get('/', function(request, response) { var data = fs.readFileSync('index.html').toString(); response.send(data); }); // Render example.com/orders app.get('/orders', function(request, response) { global.db.Order.findAll().success(function(orders) { var orders_json = []; orders.forEach(function(order) { orders_json.push({id: order.coinbase_id, amount: order.amount, time: order.time}); }); // Uses views/orders.ejs response.render("orders", {orders: orders_json}); }).error(function(err) { console.log(err); response.send("error retrieving orders"); }); }); // Hit this URL while on example.com/orders to refresh app.get('/refresh_orders', function(request, response) { https.get("https://coinbase.com/api/v1/orders?api_key=" + process.env.COINBASE_API_KEY, function(res) { var body = ''; res.on('data', function(chunk) {body += chunk;}); res.on('end', function() { try { var orders_json = JSON.parse(body); if (orders_json.error) { response.send(orders_json.error); return; } // add each order asynchronously async.forEach(orders_json.orders, addOrder, function(err) { if (err) { console.log(err); response.send("error adding orders"); } else { // orders added successfully response.redirect("/orders"); } }); } catch (error) { console.log(error); response.send("error parsing json"); } }); res.on('error', function(e) { console.log(e); response.send("error syncing orders"); }); }); }); // sync the database and start the server db.sequelize.sync().complete(function(err) { if (err) { throw err; } else { http.createServer(app).listen(app.get('port'), function() { console.log("Listening on " + app.get('port')); }); } }); // add order to the database if it doesn't already exist var addOrder = function(order_obj, callback) { var order = order_obj.order; // order json from coinbase if (order.status != "completed") { // only add completed orders callback(); } else { var Order = global.db.Order; // find if order has already been added to our database Order.find({where: {coinbase_id: order.id}}).success(function(order_instance) { if (order_instance) { // order already exists, do nothing callback(); } else { // build instance and save var new_order_instance = Order.build({ coinbase_id: order.id, amount: order.total_btc.cents / 100000000, // convert satoshis to BTC time: order.created_at }); new_order_instance.save().success(function() { callback(); }).error(function(err) { callback(err); }); } }); } }; ```