10 Express Folder Structure Best Practices
If you're working on an Express project, it's important to have a well-organized file structure. Here are 10 best practices to follow.
Express is a popular web framework for Node.js that allows developers to quickly create web applications and APIs. One of the most important aspects of developing an Express application is the folder structure. A well-structured folder structure can make it easier to maintain and debug your application.
In this article, we will discuss 10 best practices for structuring your Express application. We will look at how to organize your files and folders, as well as how to use the Express Router to create a modular application.
1. Use a single folder for all your routes
Having a single folder for all your routes makes it easier to find and manage them. It also helps keep the codebase organized, which is important when working with larger projects. Additionally, having a single folder allows you to easily add new routes without needing to create additional folders or reorganize existing ones. Finally, using a single folder can help reduce confusion among team members who are unfamiliar with the project structure.
2. Organize your controllers into subfolders
Organizing your controllers into subfolders helps keep your codebase organized and easier to maintain. It also makes it easier for other developers to understand the structure of your application, as they can quickly identify which controller is responsible for a particular route or action.
Additionally, organizing your controllers into subfolders allows you to easily add new routes and actions without having to modify existing files. This reduces the risk of introducing bugs when making changes to your application.
3. Keep your models in their own folder
Models are the objects that represent your data, and they should be kept separate from other parts of your application. This helps keep your code organized and makes it easier to find what you need when making changes or debugging.
Keeping models in their own folder also allows for better scalability as your project grows. If you have multiple models, you can easily add new ones without having to reorganize existing files. Additionally, if you ever decide to switch out a model with another one, all you have to do is update the file path in the relevant controller.
4. Create separate folders for views and templates
When you create separate folders for views and templates, it makes your code easier to read and maintain. It also helps keep related files together, which can make debugging issues much simpler. Additionally, having a clear separation between the two types of files allows you to easily add new features or update existing ones without affecting other parts of the application. Finally, this structure is more organized and will help ensure that all of your files are in the right place when you need them.
5. Put static files in public/assets
Static files are those that don’t change, such as images, CSS, and JavaScript. By putting them in public/assets, you can easily access them from the browser without having to go through your server-side code. This makes it easier for developers to work with static files, since they don’t have to worry about routing or other server-side concerns.
Additionally, by keeping static files separate from your server-side code, you can more easily manage changes and updates. For example, if you need to update a single image, you can do so without affecting any of your server-side code. This helps keep your development process organized and efficient.
6. Separate configuration from code
Configuration files contain sensitive information such as API keys, database credentials, and other secrets. Keeping these in a separate folder ensures that they are not accidentally exposed to the public or shared with anyone who shouldn’t have access to them.
By separating configuration from code, you also make it easier for developers to work on different parts of the project without having to worry about conflicting configurations. This makes it simpler to debug issues and maintain the application over time.
7. Don’t put everything in app.js
When you have a lot of code in one file, it can become difficult to manage and debug. It’s also harder for other developers to understand the structure of your application if everything is in one place.
Instead, break up your code into separate files that are organized by feature or purpose. This will make it easier to find what you’re looking for and keep your codebase more maintainable. Additionally, use descriptive names for each file so that anyone who looks at your project knows exactly what they’re dealing with.
8. Add an index.js file to each folder
An index.js file allows you to easily import and export modules from the same folder, without having to specify a specific filename. This makes it easier for developers to quickly find what they need when working with multiple files in the same directory. It also helps keep your code organized and easy to read.
By adding an index.js file to each folder, you can ensure that all of your express routes are properly structured and organized. This will make it much easier for other developers to understand and work with your code.
9. Use the correct naming conventions
Using the correct naming conventions helps to keep your code organized and easy to read. It also makes it easier for other developers to understand what each file or folder is used for, which can save time when debugging or making changes.
For example, you should use descriptive names for folders such as “controllers”, “models”, “views”, etc., so that anyone looking at the structure knows exactly where to find certain files. Similarly, you should name files according to their purpose, such as “userController.js” or “productModel.js”. This will make it much easier to locate specific files in the future.
10. Split up large projects into multiple apps
When you have a large project, it can be difficult to keep track of all the different files and folders. Splitting up your project into multiple apps makes it easier to manage and maintain. It also allows for better organization and structure, which will make it easier for other developers to understand and work with your code.
Additionally, splitting up your project into multiple apps helps improve performance by reducing the amount of data that needs to be loaded at once. This is especially important when dealing with larger projects. By breaking up the project into smaller chunks, each app can be optimized separately, resulting in faster loading times and improved user experience.