Backend Starter Repo

This README walks through the structure and setup of your backend repo. Index.js has some sample code, but I highly encourage you to read through plan.md for step by step instructions for setting up your backend from imports to your server.

Quick Start/Testing

Clone the repo (DO NOT FORK), install dependencies, and start the server:

git clone <repo-url>
cd backend-starter-repo
npm install
npm run dev

Project Structure Options

Files required for either Structure

• package.json
• .gitignore
• .env
• ReadME (.md file)

Creating package.json

You can create a package.json file with:

npm init -y

and then add the following scripts to your package.json file:

"scripts": {
  "start": "node index.js",
  "dev": "nodemon index.js"
}

Dependencies

After initializing your project and creating the package.json file, install the required packages:

npm install express pg dotenv cors
npm install --save-dev nodemon

(If you are unable to install pg, follow the instructions in psql-setup.md before reaching out for assistance)

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory with the following content:

DB_USER=your_username DB_HOST=localhost DB_NAME=your_database DB_PASSWORD=your_password DB_PORT=5432

Make sure not to commit/push this file to GitHub!

Important: Add .env and node_modules to .gitignore

To avoid accidentally exposing sensitive data, create a .gitignore file and add the .env file to your .gitignore. This ensures the environment file won’t be tracked by Git or pushed to a public repository. Adding node_modules to the gitignore will keep the repo small and prevent errors when trying to npm install

Option 1: Simple (Single File-ish)

 backend-starter-repo/
 ├── .env
 ├── .gitignore
 ├── package.json
 ├── package-lock.json
 ├── index.js
 ├── README.md

• index.js: Contains everything (server, routes, database connection).
• Great for small projects and quick prototypes.

Option 2: Modular (Multiple Files)

 backend-starter-repo/
 ├── .env
 ├── .gitignore
 ├── package.json
 ├── package-lock.json
 ├── index.js
 ├── db/
 │   └── client.js            # Database connection
 ├── routes/
 │   └── userRoutes.js        # User-related routes
 ├── controllers/
 │   └── userController.js    # User logic
 └── README.md

• Better for larger projects with complex logic.
• Easier to maintain and scale.

Pick the structure that you are most comfortable with and fits your project best!

Helpful Resources

• Express.js Documentation
• PostgreSQL Documentation
• Node.js Documentation
• dotenv Package
• MDN Web Docs - HTTP Status Codes
• REST API Design Guide