Building Node.js Backends

Introduction

Modern backend development requires a balance of speed, security, and scalability. The Express-Prisma boilerplate provides an excellent foundation for building production-ready REST APIs using some of the most popular technologies in the Node.js ecosystem.

Technology Stack

Express.js

Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features for web and mobile applications. As a thin layer of fundamental web application features, Express doesn't obscure Node.js features, making it an ideal choice for developers who want control over their application architecture.

Prisma ORM

Prisma is a next-generation ORM for Node.js and TypeScript. It consists of:

• Prisma Client: Auto-generated and type-safe query builder
• Prisma Migrate: Migration system for database schema changes
• Prisma Studio: GUI to view and edit data in your database

Prisma simplifies database access, reduces boilerplate code, and prevents common runtime errors with its type-safe approach.

MongoDB

MongoDB is a document database designed for ease of development and scaling. Its flexible schema approach makes it easy to evolve and adapt to changing requirements, while its distributed architecture enables horizontal scaling.

Authentication System

The Express-Prisma boilerplate implements JWT (JSON Web Token) authentication with cookie-based storage, providing:

1. Secure Registration: New user signup with email verification
2. Login System: Authenticate users and issue JWT tokens
3. Password Reset Flow: Complete workflow for secure password recovery
4. Token Management: Refresh tokens, token revocation, and secure storage

Data Validation

Input validation is critical for backend security. This boilerplate uses Zod, a TypeScript-first schema validation library that provides:

• Runtime type checking
• Automatic TypeScript type inference
• Custom validation rules
• Comprehensive error messages

File Uploads

The boilerplate integrates with Cloudinary for handling file uploads:

• Image and document storage
• On-the-fly transformations
• Secure upload mechanisms
• CDN delivery

Email Integration

Using Resend, the boilerplate provides email functionality for:

• Verification emails
• Password reset requests
• Notifications
• Transactional emails

Best Practices

When building with this stack, consider these best practices:

1. Keep Controllers Thin: Business logic should live in service layers
2. Use DTOs: Define clear data transfer objects for API requests/responses
3. Error Handling: Implement consistent error handling throughout
4. Validation: Validate all input at the API boundary
5. Testing: Write unit and integration tests for critical paths

Resources

• Express.js Documentation
• Prisma Documentation
• MongoDB Documentation
• Zod Documentation
• JWT.io