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Getting started

This tutorial helps you:

  • Obtain a basic understanding of the Exiry backend framework
  • Create a new project
  • Run an instance of Exiry backend framework
info

You need to have Node.js 12 ou 14 installed.
You need are familiar with the command line and JavaScript.

Installation​

  1. Clone the Exiry backend repo from Gitlab
git clone git@gitlab.tekru.net:tekru/catu-backend.git
  1. Install the dependencies
cd catu-backend
npm install
  1. Run the project
npm start

GraphQL Playground and first query​

In non-production environments, Exiry backend uses Apollo Server to serve GraphQL Playground from the graphql URL (http://localhost:8880/graphql by default) to test with your backend IO.

GraphQL Playground

Go the your url, by default http://localhost:8880/graphql and type in the left part of the GraphQL Playground:

query {
  serverInfo {
    running
    version
  }
}

And this is supposed to deliver a json in the right part

{
  "data": {
    "serverInfo": {
      "running": true,
      "version": "1.0"
    }
  }
}

Project structure​

The Exiry backend is structured to be easy for use and update. The project contains 3 mains folders:

  • assets: used to store non JS/TS files used by the framework, this folder is not accessible by public static serving.
  • public: used to serve public static files like images (logos for example), json or users' uploaded assets.
  • src: where the JS/TS files goes, the build artifact will be stored in a ./build folder
danger

Any non JS file in the src folder will be ignored by the compiler, so please do not put any JSON or other files in the SRC folder

Files structure​

assets # Static assets like translation files or email and PDF templates
├── templates
│  ├── emails
│  └── pdfs
└── i18n
public # Public assets like uploads and images
├── assets
├── uploads
└── index.html
src
├── core
├── main  # Root directory of your app
│  ├── app # Your module lives here
│  ├── helpers # Your app specific helpers
│  ├── libraries # Libs needed for you app
│  ├── migration # DB migration (up or down)
│  └── plugins # Exiry ready-for use module
├── utils # Core helpers for use
└── libraries # Third party libraries
config.json
Dockerfile
package.json
README.md
.gitignore

The ./src structure​

The ./src folder is composed of 4 main folders:

  • core: contains the Core files of the Exiry backend, please do not touch or edit any files of this folder. If you need to change anything in this folder please ask your tech-leader
  • main: where your app is going to live, see the ./main section
  • utils: a set of helpers to facilitate your programming journey, see the Utils page for details
  • libraries: where Third party libs lives, can be different form a project to an other but not te be confused with ./src/main/libraries
note

The ./src/libraries is used rarely when you use a third-party lib like Facebook SDK because most of the external third-party lib are installed via NPM.

The ./src/main structure​

The ./src folder is composed of 4 main folders:

  • app: this is the folder where you put your modules, see Create a new module tutorial to check for example
  • helpers: you can write helpers functions in this folders, helpers are sets of functions grouped in JS files by theme
  • libraries: where Third party libs custom code lives
  • migration: DB base migration files, see Migrations section for details
  • plugins: where you put Exiry ready-to-use module, see Plugins section for details
note

The ./src/main/libraries is used developers need to add more code to a third-party lib like Quikbooks.