Academic Digital Library Application: Express Backend

This is the REST API of an academic digital library search interface built with node.js and typescript. This API is consumed by an Angular app.

Features

• Written in Typescript for typed DB models, controllers, services and other source files

• JWT Authentication with access and refresh tokens. Here is the auth workflow:

  • Client initiates login. Access and refresh token is created. A refresh token is saved to DB and then both tokens are returned

  • Client sends access token with the header for subsequent requests

  • This access token is verified by the auth-middleware for each protected route

  • Client receives 401 if the access token expires and requests for a new access token with the refresh token

  • After receiving the refresh-token it is verified and also assessed with the DB token

  • If the refresh token is valid new set pair of access and refresh tokens are generated and returned to the user

  • If the refresh token is invalid client initiates login again

• Three-tier architecture used for separating different layers and easy code maintainability:

  • DB Layer: Database logics are written in repository files for each DB model

  • Business Layer: Business logics are written in service files

  • Presentation Layer: Joi Input validation, Error handling, Proper custom HTTP response creation is done in routing and controller files

  • Workflow: Route -> Controller -> Service -> Repository

• Best practices for RESTful API implemented:

  • Correct usage of HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, etc)

  • Using plural nouns for segmenting routes

  • Proper HTTP status code and consistent response messages are used to explain different types of errors and API response

• Error Handling:

  • Async errors are handled by a wrapper middleware function which is called with each controller function.
  • Synchronous errors are handled by another middleware which converts the thrown errors into custom error responses based on types of the errors
  • Through the app, custom errors are thrown so that they can be properly processed by the synchronous error handler middleware

• JOI Validation

  • JOI validation schemas are written for validating incoming requests

• Hot Reloading

  • Nodemon is used in the development mode for hot reloading.

Prerequisites

• Node.js (version v18.20.2 or higher)
• npm (Node Package Manager)

Installation

1. Clone repo: $ git clone git@bitbucket.org:romy6047/uregina-baseline-api.git

2. Install: $ npm install

3. Create environment variable files for development and production inside the environment directory. Use the '.env.example' as the example.

4. Start app

   • dev: $ npm start
   • prod: $ npm prod-start

Todo

• Logging user interaction and errors with winston and morgan
• Provide a Swagger endpoint for API documentation