Nodex Framework

This is an updated Express JS and MongoDB Project Architecture to create Readable & Maintainable API server (That's why this is called Headless). You can clone this and start your project by following the rules written below.

Features

• MCS [Model, Controller & Service Based Architecture].
• Socket IO Events
• .env or File based basic configs (app.config.js).
• Dedicated Route Folder
• Controllers
• Services
• Error Handlers
• Response Data Models
• Middlewares
• Maintenance Mode
• Emit events from HTTP Controller
• Standalone Seeding System for Mongoose

[More Features are coming soon]

• CLI
• ORM
• TS Version
• Templating Engine

Installation

Clone this repo and start creating.

  gh repo clone istiaqme/nodex-headless
  cd nodex-headless
  npm install
  npm start

You can copy .env.example information to .env file after creating it in the project root folder.

Or you can use app.config.js file to configure your app.

Important Notes

• Keep route and controller functionalities separate.
• Keep your controller clean.
• Don't use controller for business logics (Abstraction is good for writing better software.).
• Use Services for business logics.
• Try to write your application following DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle.
• If you need middleware feel free to use them.
• You can validate your requests my making request middlewares.
• Make error classes for your own errors, throw them. This is a good practice.

Usage/Examples

1. Creating a route -

const MeowController = require('../app/controllers/MeowController');
router.get('/cats', MeowController.meowList);

2. Controller Function - (app/controllers/MeowController.js)

const response = require('../responses/response');
const Handler = require('../errors/Handler');
const MeowService = require('../services/MeowService')

async function meowList (req, res) {

    try{
        const meows = await MeowService.loadAll();
        const resData = {
            meows
        }
        response.dispatch("Meow List", resData, res); // Successful responses should be dispatched using response.dispatch function
    }
    catch(error){
        Handler(error, res)
    }


    /* 
        *** try..catch block is mandatory for a controller function.
        *** To get JSON response an Error should be handled using Handler function.
        *** Use .env or app.config.js to set app debug true or false.
    */
}

3. Creating an Error Step 1 - (Assuming we are creating an Error called NaughtyMeow) - (app/errors/NaughtyMeow.js)

module.exports = class NaughtyMeow extends Error {
    constructor(message){
        super(message);
        this.name = "NaughtyMeow";
    }
}

Step 2 - Now you have to register this error in Handler - (app/errors/Handler.js)

const response = require('../responses/response');
const {buildMessage, buildData} = require('./ErrorHelper');
module.exports = function (error, res) {
    if(error instanceof require('./NotFoundError')){
        response.dispatch(error.message, {}, res, 404);
    }
    else if(error instanceof require('./ValidationError')){
        response.dispatch(error.message, {}, res, 400);
    }
    else if(error instanceof ReferenceError){
        response.dispatch(buildMessage(error), buildData(error), res, 500);
    }
    else if(error instanceof TypeError){
        response.dispatch(buildMessage(error), buildData(error), res, 500);
    }
    .
    .
    .
    .
    if(error instanceof require('./NaughtyMeowError')){
        response.dispatch(error.message, {}, res, 404); // 404 is demonstration purpose only, use your matching http response code
        // alternatively you can use build functions for message and stack trace depending on app debug status
        response.dispatch(buildMessage(error), buildData(error), res, 500);

    }
    else {
        response.dispatch(buildMessage(error), buildData(error), res, 500);
    }
}

Now from wherever you are throwing this error if the last consumer (controller) has try...catch block and the Handler function is used you will get correct json response.

Author

• Istiaq Hasan - @istiaqme, istiaq.com