Folder Structure

Each NodeBuilder template follows a clean, predictable structure designed for scalability and clarity.
This layout makes it easy to add routes, controllers, services, and utilities without clutter.

Typical Project Layout

<project-root>/
├── package.json
├── server.js
└── src/
    ├── app.js
    ├── config/
    ├── controllers/
    ├── models/
    ├── routes/
    ├── services/
    ├── middleware/
    └── utils/

Root Files

[!TIP] You can rename server.js to index.js or main.js if you prefer, as long as package.json scripts are updated accordingly.

/src Directory

This is where all your backend logic lives.

src/app.js

The core Express configuration file. Includes middleware setup, route registration, and error handling. Markers like // ROUTE_IMPORTS_START are used internally for optional CRUD removal.

src/config/

Houses configuration modules:

• db.js → MongoDB or database connection
• logger.js → Winston or console logger
• socket.js → Socket.IO initialization (in real-time templates)

Add your own config files here (e.g., Redis, mail, or caching).

src/controllers/

Contains request handler logic. Each controller matches a route and interacts with models/services. Example: user.controller.js, todo.controller.js.

src/models/

Defines Mongoose schemas or database models. Example:

const UserSchema = new mongoose.Schema({ name: String, email: String })

src/routes/

Express routers that map endpoints to controllers. Example:

router.get('/users', getUsers)
router.post('/users', createUser)

[!TIP] Keep route definitions simple — offload logic to controllers or services.

src/services/

Reusable business logic and helpers — usually database or API interaction code. Example: user.service.js handles queries, validation, or aggregation logic.

src/middleware/

Middleware used globally or per-route:

• auth.middleware.js — JWT or session validation
• error.middleware.js — global error handler
• validate.middleware.js — schema validation (e.g., Joi)

src/utils/

Utility functions and helper classes. Includes things like:

• ApiResponse.js, ApiError.js
• CatchAsync.js, Token.js
• Response or formatting helpers

Template Variations

Extending the Structure

You can safely add new folders:

src/
 ┣ jobs/         # Background or scheduled tasks
 ┣ scripts/      # CLI scripts (e.g. database seeding)
 ┗ validators/   # Custom schema validators

[!NOTE] NodeBuilder doesn’t enforce structure beyond the basics — you can freely add or rename modules to fit your workflow.

Example Flow

Typical request flow in a REST API template:

Route  →  Controller  →  Service  →  Model  →  Response

Each layer handles one responsibility:

• Routes define endpoints
• Controllers manage request logic
• Services handle database or external API logic
• Models define data structure
• Utils handle formatting and response output

✅ Summary

[!TIP] The folder structure is consistent across all templates — once you learn one, you know them all. Customize and extend as needed for your project’s complexity!