create-express-app

Scaffold production-ready Express.js backends with security, database options, testing, API documentation, Docker support, and best practices baked in.

Quick Start

npx @incoderashu/create-express-app my-api
cd my-api
npm run dev

Or install globally:

npm install -g @incoderashu/create-express-app
create-express-app my-api

Interactive Experience

$ npx @incoderashu/create-express-app my-api

        ⚡ Create Express App

◇ Choose your language
│ ❯ TypeScript
│   JavaScript

◇ Choose module system
│ ❯ ESM
│   CommonJS

◇ Choose database
│ ❯ PostgreSQL + Prisma
│   MongoDB + Mongoose
│   None

◇ Select features
│ ◉ Security
│ ◉ Validation
│ ◉ Testing
│ ◉ ESLint + Prettier
│ ◯ Swagger / OpenAPI
│ ◯ Docker
│ ◯ CRUD example

┌─ Configuration ──────────────────────────┐
│ TypeScript • ESM • PostgreSQL + Prisma   │
│ Security • Validation • Testing          │
│ ESLint + Prettier                        │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘

◇ Create project?
│ ❯ Yes

✔ Project structure created
✔ Configuration generated
✔ Features configured
✔ Dependencies installed

✨ Done!

  cd my-api
  npm run dev

  http://localhost:5000

CLI Flags

Skip any prompt with flags for automated CI or non-interactive use:

| Flag | Description | Default | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | | --js | Use JavaScript | true | | --ts | Use TypeScript | false | | --cjs | Use CommonJS module system | true | | --esm | Use ESM module system | false | | --db <choice> | Database: none, mongo, postgres | mongo | | --nodemon | Install nodemon for auto-reload | true | | --no-nodemon | Skip nodemon | false | | --tests | Add testing setup (Vitest + Supertest) | true (with --yes) | | --no-tests | Skip testing setup | false | | --docs <choice> | API documentation: none, swagger | none | | --docker | Add Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml setup | false | | --auth | Add JWT authentication (requires MongoDB or PostgreSQL) | false | | --extras <list> | Comma-separated extras: security,validator,eslint-prettier,crud-sample,docker,auth | None | | --all-extras | Enable all applicable extras | false | | --install | Install dependencies after scaffolding | true | | --no-install | Skip dependency installation | false | | --yes, -y | Accept sensible defaults (JS, CJS, Mongo, nodemon, tests, security, install) | false | | --help, -h | Show help message | | | --version, -v | Show version number | |

Examples

# All defaults — JS, CJS, MongoDB, nodemon, testing, security
create-express-app my-api --yes

# TypeScript + ESM + PostgreSQL + Prisma + Auth + Swagger + Testing + Docker
create-express-app my-api --ts --esm --db=postgres --auth --docs=swagger --tests --docker --yes

# Minimal API without database or tests (CI usage)
create-express-app my-api --js --cjs --db=none --no-tests --no-install

# Custom extras with CommonJS, MongoDB, and Auth
create-express-app my-api --js --cjs --db=mongo --auth --extras validator,security,docker --no-install

Generated Project Structure

my-api/
├── src/
│   ├── config/
│   │   ├── db.js             # MongoDB connection or Prisma client singleton
│   │   └── swagger.js        # Swagger / OpenAPI spec (if docs enabled)
│   ├── controllers/
│   │   ├── health.controller.js
│   │   ├── items.controller.js # CRUD sample controller (if selected)
│   │   └── auth.controller.js  # JWT Auth controller (if auth selected)
│   ├── middlewares/
│   │   ├── errorHandler.js   # Centralized error handler
│   │   ├── notFound.js       # 404 catch-all
│   │   ├── security.js       # Helmet, rate-limit, HPP (if security selected)
│   │   └── auth.middleware.js# protect and authorize guards (if auth selected)
│   ├── models/               # Mongoose models (user.model.js, item.model.js)
│   ├── routes/
│   │   ├── index.js          # Route aggregator
│   │   ├── health.routes.js  # Health check route (with OpenAPI annotations)
│   │   ├── items.routes.js   # CRUD sample routes (if selected)
│   │   └── auth.routes.js    # Auth routes (/register, /login, /refresh, etc.)
│   ├── utils/
│   │   ├── asyncHandler.js   # try/catch async wrapper
│   │   ├── token.js          # JWT signing, verification, and SHA-256 hash
│   │   └── cookie-options.js # Centralized httpOnly cookie options
│   ├── app.js                # Express app configuration & middleware
│   └── server.js             # HTTP server entry point & DB bootstrap
├── prisma/
│   └── schema.prisma         # Prisma schema (User, RefreshToken, Item models)
├── tests/
│   ├── health.test.js        # Supertest route tests (if testing enabled)
│   ├── auth.test.js          # Auth endpoints & token reuse tests (if auth + tests)
│   └── setup.js              # Test environment & DB lifecycle hooks
├── Dockerfile                # Multi-stage or production container build (if Docker selected)
├── .dockerignore
├── docker-compose.yml        # Docker compose service definition (if Docker selected)
├── .env
├── .env.example
├── .gitignore
├── package.json
├── vitest.config.js          # Test runner config (if testing enabled)
├── tsconfig.json             # TypeScript config (if TS selected)
└── README.md

Available Scripts (generated project)

| Script | Description | | ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | | npm run dev | Start development server (with auto-reload) | | npm start | Start production server | | npm test | Run test suite with Vitest (if testing enabled) | | npm run test:watch | Run tests in interactive watch mode | | npm run test:coverage| Generate test coverage report | | npm run build | Compile TypeScript with tsc (TS only) | | npm run docker:up | Build and start Docker containers (if Docker extra) | | npm run docker:down | Stop Docker containers (if Docker extra) | | npm run lint | Run ESLint (if ESLint extra selected) | | npm run format | Run Prettier formatting (if extra selected) |

License

MIT