Backend for Upath's self studying dashboard

Backend API for Upath's self studying dashboard using the following technology stack: PostgresQL Database, GraphQL Apollo Server for API requests, Node Js Runtime and Express Backend Framework built using Typescript

Production url

The URL endpoint that was deployed to heroku is:

https://upathorg-dashboard-backend.herokuapp.com/graphql

If you want to run it on your localhost, then follow the following commands below

Localhost setup

npm install

This installs the npm dependencies in the package.json file

npm install -g nodemon

This installs nodemon globally (optional: for some users you need to add sudo before the npm install)

Database setup

The databse created is hosted on heroku

Usage

Run this command to start a development server using nodemon

npm run dev

This runs your local server.

Enter the URL of the local server on your browser and enter this command on the graphiql client user interface to test if the app is working

{
  students{
    firstName
    lastName
    email
    courses{
      title
      description
    }
  }
}

If you see the output below, then this confirms the app is working

{
  {
  "data": {
    "students": [
      {
        "firstName": "Tony",
        "lastName": "Stark",
        "email": "ironman@gmail.com",
        "courses": [
          {
            "title": "Node Crash Course",
            "description": "Web dev Backend"
          },
          {
            "title": "GraphQL Apollo server course",
            "description": "Backend web dev/API"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "firstName": "Steve",
        "lastName": "Rodgers",
        "email": "captainamerica@gmail.com",
        "courses": [
          {
            "title": "GraphQL Apollo server course",
            "description": "Backend web dev/API"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "firstName": "Thor",
        "lastName": "Odinson",
        "email": "godofthunder@gmail.com",
        "courses": [
          {
            "title": "GraphQL Apollo server course",
            "description": "Backend web dev/API"
          },
          {
            "title": "Node Crash Course",
            "description": "Web dev Backend"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "firstName": "Doctor",
        "lastName": "Strange",
        "email": "drstrange@gmail.com",
        "courses": []
      }
    ]
  }
}

Adding Data to the database table

Enter the command below in the graphql test client

 mutation {
  createStudent(
    firstName: "Peter"
    lastName: "Parker"
    username: "spiderman"
    email: "spiderman@gmail.com"
  ){
    success
    message
    student{
      firstName
      lastName
      email
    }
  }
}

The following results should be returned

{
  "data": {
    "createStudent": {
      "success": true,
      "message": "student Created Successfully",
      "student": {
        "firstName": "Doctor",
        "lastName": "Strange",
        "email": "drstrange@gmail.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

Updating Data in the database table

Enter the command below in the graphql test client

 mutation {
  updateStudent(
    id: 4
    username: "spiderman_updated"
    email: "spiderman@gmail.com"
  ){
    success
    message
    student{
      firstName
      lastName
      email
    }
  }
}

Deleting Data from the database

Enter the following command to delete data from the database

mutation {
  deleteStudent(id: 2){
    success
    message
    user{
      id
      firstName
    }
  }
}

Compilation

When you are ready to compile your typescript project to Javascript, run this command

npm run build

This builds your project into dist folder

Test the final compiled files

When you are ready to test the final compiled files, run this command

npm run start

Note: The src folder contains the typescript files while the dist folder contains the compiled javascript files