This full-stack app template is meant to be used as the starting point of any projects (including meal-sharing and final projects).
It consists of two packages:
apiwhich is a NodeJS project using Express for the API, with options to connect to SQLite, MySQL and PostgreSQL databases.appwhich has templates for Vanilla JS, Vite/React or NextJS/React for the web app
Both packages are as small as possible, but feel free to add more tools and templates as you see fit.
Before you start, make sure no other projects are running, in order to have the required ports free.
This project template defaults to using an SQLite database, which is stored in a generated file in the api directory. It doesn't need a separate service to run.
If you wish to use MySQL instead, here's a quick way to get one set up and running using Docker:
docker run --name mysql -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=mysql-root-password -e MYSQL_DATABASE=my-database -d -p 3306:3306 mysql:latest
Whichever database you set up, connect to it using any database management tool of your choice, such as MySQL Workbench or DBeaver, to create your tables and add data.
In a terminal, run the following commands:
cd api
cp .env-template .env
Open your .env file and configure the options as appropriate. The first thing you need to do is comment out/in the correct section in Database Configuration, depending on the database you chose in the first step. Set the variables to the correct values based on your set up.
Then you're ready to start it up:
npm install
npm run dev
You can then test the API using Postman at http://localhost:3001/api - or just open it in your browser, for a quick peek that things are connecting successfully!
The app can be found in the app directory... but if this is a new project, it will be empty! Check out the templates directory, and copy over one of the options that best suits your needs (or you've been instructed to use).
app-vite-vanilla- This is a vanilla js app, that is best suited for simple apps like the foundation final project.app-vite- Great for a more complex React app.app-next- Suitable for when you'd like to use the NextJS framework to build your app.
In a second terminal, run the following commands:
cd app
npm install
npm run dev
You can then open the web app at http://localhost:3000.
If you see the below error when trying to start either the API or the web app, then you have a port conflict.
Some other process is already listening on the port you want to use. Either stop that process or use another port by changing the PORT variable in the .env file for the package that is facing the conflict (API or web app).
node:events:496
throw er; // Unhandled 'error' event
^
Error: listen EADDRINUSE: address already in use :::3001
at Server.setupListenHandle [as _listen2] (node:net:1897:16)
at listenInCluster (node:net:1945:12)
at Server.listen (node:net:2037:7)
at Function.listen (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/express/lib/application.js:635:24)
at file:///Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/src/index.js:29:5
at ModuleJob.run (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:222:25)
at async ModuleLoader.import (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:323:24)
at async loadESM (node:internal/process/esm_loader:28:7)
at async handleMainPromise (node:internal/modules/run_main:113:12)
Emitted 'error' event on Server instance at:
at emitErrorNT (node:net:1924:8)
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:82:21) {
code: 'EADDRINUSE',
errno: -48,
syscall: 'listen',
address: '::',
port: 3001
}
If you see the error below when trying to make a query to your database it means that the variables DB_USER and DB_PASSWORD don't match the username and password used when starting the database container. Either find the right credentials or recreate your database container and store the new credentials.
/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/packets/packet.js:728
const err = new Error(message);
^
Error: Access denied for user 'root'@'192.168.65.1' (using password: YES)
at Packet.asError (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/packets/packet.js:728:17)
at ClientHandshake.execute (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/commands/command.js:29:26)
at Connection.handlePacket (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/connection.js:481:34)
at PacketParser.onPacket (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/connection.js:97:12)
at PacketParser.executeStart (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/packet_parser.js:75:16)
at Socket.<anonymous> (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/mysql2/lib/connection.js:104:25)
at Socket.emit (node:events:519:28)
at addChunk (node:internal/streams/readable:559:12)
at readableAddChunkPushByteMode (node:internal/streams/readable:510:3)
at Readable.push (node:internal/streams/readable:390:5) {
code: 'ER_ACCESS_DENIED_ERROR',
errno: 1045,
sqlState: '28000',
sqlMessage: "Access denied for user 'root'@'192.168.65.1' (using password: YES)",
sql: undefined
}
If you see the below error, then you are trying to establish a SSL (secure) connection to a database that doesn't support it, most likely you set the value of the environment variable DB_USE_SSL to "true" when it should be "false".
/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/pg/lib/connection.js:77
return self.emit('error', new Error('The server does not support SSL connections'))
^
Error: The server does not support SSL connections
at Socket.<anonymous> (/Users/hyf/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/api/node_modules/pg/lib/connection.js:77:37)
at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:633:26)
at Socket.emit (node:events:518:28)
at addChunk (node:internal/streams/readable:559:12)
at readableAddChunkPushByteMode (node:internal/streams/readable:510:3)
at Readable.push (node:internal/streams/readable:390:5)
at TCP.onStreamRead (node:internal/stream_base_commons:190:23)
Node.js v20.12.2
[nodemon] app crashed - waiting for file changes before starting...
Database not running or wrong address:
API listening on port 3001
node:internal/process/promises:289
triggerUncaughtException(err, true /* fromPromise */);
^
AggregateError [ECONNREFUSED]:
at internalConnectMultiple (node:net:1116:18)
at afterConnectMultiple (node:net:1683:7) {
code: 'ECONNREFUSED',
fatal: true,
[errors]: [
Error: connect ECONNREFUSED ::1:3306
at createConnectionError (node:net:1646:14)
at afterConnectMultiple (node:net:1676:16) {
errno: -61,
code: 'ECONNREFUSED',
syscall: 'connect',
address: '::1',
port: 3306
},
Error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:3306
at createConnectionError (node:net:1646:14)
at afterConnectMultiple (node:net:1676:16) {
errno: -61,
code: 'ECONNREFUSED',
syscall: 'connect',
address: '127.0.0.1',
port: 3306
}
]
}
This boilerplate does not use TypeScript, but Next which is used in the app package has built in support for TypeScript.
This means that Next (or rather esbuild which is used internally) will look for a TypeScript config file (tsconfig.json) in the current folder and all parent folders until it finds one.
If it does find a TypeScript config file but that file is invalid or empty you'll see errors like this:
✘ [ERROR] Unexpected end of file in JSON
../../tsconfig.json:1:0:
1 │
╵ ^
failed to load config from /Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/next.config.js
error when starting dev server:
Error: Build failed with 1 error:
../../tsconfig.json:1:0: ERROR: Unexpected end of file in JSON
at failureErrorWithLog (/Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:1651:15)
at /Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:1059:25
at runOnEndCallbacks (/Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:1486:45)
at buildResponseToResult (/Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:1057:7)
at /Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:1086:16
at responseCallbacks.<computed> (/Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:704:9)
at handleIncomingPacket (/Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:764:9)
at Socket.readFromStdout (/Users/milton/dev/hyf/hyf-project-template/app/node_modules/esbuild/lib/main.js:680:7)
at Socket.emit (node:events:519:28)
at addChunk (node:internal/streams/readable:559:12)
There are 3 possible solutions:
- Delete the offending TypeScript config file
- Fix the issue in the file so that Next can use it
- Move your project folder to some place that doesn't put the TypeScript config file in the parent folder of your project folder
Before you commit any changes you've made, you can run the command npm run format in either package to format the code using Prettier.
Using a consistent code style makes it easier to read code which improves productivity and avoid bugs.
When collaborating with other people, a code base should still look like it was written by a single person.
Before you commit your changes, you can use npm run check in either package to check for code issues using ESLint.
ESLint is a "linter", a tool that scans your code for common code problems, this can help you avoid bugs and write better code.
All 3 components (database, API, web app) can be deployed for free at Render.com. Sign in using your Github account to make the process smoother. When you sign in you can specify which of your repositories you want Render.com to have access to.
Database and API deployment instructions
App deployment instructions