Introduction
I’m excited to announce that I have just finished building the backend of my laundry app using TypeScript! 🎉 After weeks of coding and problem-solving, the backend is up and running smoothly. This post will give a brief overview of the technologies I used and the features of the backend, as well as why I chose TypeScript for this project.
Why I Chose TypeScript for the Backend
TypeScript has become one of my go-to programming languages because of its strong type definitions and ability to catch potential errors early during development. This makes it ideal for building scalable and maintainable applications like my laundry service app. By using TypeScript, I can:
Increase code reliability: TypeScript's type-checking feature helps catch errors during development, reducing the risk of runtime bugs.
Improve code readability: The clear structure makes it easier to understand the project flow.
Enhanced tooling: The integration with modern IDEs, like Visual Studio Code, makes the development process smoother with helpful code suggestions and error tracking.
Overview of the Backend Features
The backend was built to support the core functionalities of the laundry service, including user management and laundry orders. Here’s a breakdown of the key components and features:
REST API with Express: I used Express.js to set up a REST API for handling HTTP requests. The routes allow users to perform essential operations like creating laundry orders, checking their status, and more.
MongoDB for Data Storage: MongoDB is the database I chose for this app. It's highly scalable and allows me to store data like customer information, laundry companies, and orders in a flexible, JSON-like format.
Mongoose for Schema Modeling: With Mongoose, I structured the data into schemas, ensuring that the data models (like customer and order models) follow a consistent format and validation rules.
Environment Variables for Security: I used dotenv to load environment variables, which keeps sensitive data like API keys and database credentials out of the source code.
Project Structure
Here’s a simplified view of the project structure:
laundry-backend/
│
├── src/
│ ├── config/
│ ├── models/
│ ├── routes/
│ ├── controllers/
│ └── app.ts
├── dist/
├── .env
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── nodemon.json
src: Contains all the main files for my app, including configuration, models, routes, and controllers.
dist: Contains the compiled JavaScript files from TypeScript.
.env: Stores environment variables like database URIs and API keys.
tsconfig.json: TypeScript configuration file.
nodemon.json: Helps automatically restart the server during development when changes are made.
Deploying the Backend
I deployed the backend on Render, a cloud platform that makes deployment easier by automatically building and running the app whenever changes are pushed to GitHub. The process was smooth, and Render’s seamless integration with GitHub saved me a lot of time.
What’s Next?
With the backend complete, my next step is to focus on building a sleek and intuitive frontend for the app. The frontend will allow users to easily interact with the laundry service, place orders, and track their laundry. I’ll be using modern tools and frameworks to ensure the UI is responsive and user-friendly across all devices.
Final Thoughts
This has been a great learning experience, and I’m really happy with how the backend turned out. By using TypeScript, MongoDB, and Express, I was able to build a secure and reliable system for managing the laundry service. Now, I can focus on the next steps: creating a beautiful frontend and launching the app.
Github Link - https://github.com/qubesmagazine/laundry-backend
Thank you for following my journey! Stay tuned for more updates on the development process.
#LaundryApp #TypeScript #BackendDevelopment #Nodejs #ExpressJS #Mongoose #APIDevelopment #WebDevelopment