Live Demo: http://megaboilerplate.com

Mega Boilerplate is a starter project generator that focuses on simplicity and ease of use, while providing you with flexibility of choices. It was heavily inspired by the Hackathon Starter, but unlike it, you can customize any part of your application stack — from web framework and database to CSS preprocessor and client-side JavaScript framework. Currently, generators are primarily limited to Node.js web apps, but I am planning to expand support for other platforms and languages in the near future.

• Getting Started
• Express
• Meteor
• Jekyll
• Middleman
• JS Library
• Database Setup
• MongoDB
• MySQL
• PostgreSQL
• SQLite
• Project Structure
• Obtaining API Keys
• Learning Resources
• React / Redux
• Cheatsheets
• ES6
• JavaScript Date
• Deployment
• FAQ
• React
• Angular
• Changelog
• Contributing
• License

• Node.js 6.0
• Git
• Command Line Tools
• Mac OS X: Xcode or xcode-select --install
• Windows: Visual C++ Build Tools 2015
• Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install build-essential
• Fedora: sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
• OpenSUSE: sudo zypper install --type pattern devel_basis

Download and extract the project. Then in your Terminal type the following:

$ cd megaboilerplate-app

# Install NPM dependencies
$ npm install

# Start the app
$ node server.js

# Express server listening on port 3000

Note: If you have selected Gulp or NPM build tool, you may also need to run npm run build command.

Note: If you have selected a database, please make sure it is up and running. For additional information, see Database Setup.

🔝 _{back to top}

• Ruby 2.0+
• Jekyll Ruby Gem

$ cd megaboilerplate-app

# Start Jekyll app
$ jekyll serve

# Server address: http://127.0.0.1:4000/
# Server running... press ctrl-c to stop.

🔝 _{back to top}

• Ruby 2.0+
• Middleman Ruby Gem

$ cd megaboilerplate-app

# Install Ruby dependencies
$ bundle install

# Start Middleman app
$ bundle exec middleman

# The Middleman is loading
# View your site at "http://localhost:4567"

🔝 _{back to top}

This JavaScript library boilerplate was inspired and based on Dan Abramov's library-boilerplate project. The main idea here is you write your code in ES6, which then gets transpiled into CommonJS and UMD builds. Consider lodash as an example - a very popular JavaScript library that supports ES6 import, CommonJS require() and can be used inside a browser via <script> tag.

$ cd megaboilerplate-app

# Install NPM dependencies
$ npm install

# ES5 / CommonJS build
$ npm run build

# UMD build
$ npm run build:umd

# Run tests
$ npm test

🔝 _{back to top}

• MongoDB
• MySQL
• PostgreSQL
• SQLite

🔝 _{back to top}

Mac OS X

Install Homebrew package manager. Then follow the steps below to install and setup MongoDB.

# Update Homebrew's package database
$ brew update

# Install MongoDB
$ brew install mongodb

# Create the data directory
$ sudo mkdir -p /data/db

# Set permissions for the data directory
$ sudo chown -R `whoami` /data/db

# Run MongoDB Server
$ mongod

Windows

1. Download and install the current stable release.
2. Create the data directory: C:\data\db.
3. Run MongoDB Server by opening mongod.exe in C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\3.2\bin.

Ubuntu

# Import the public key used by the package management system
$ sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv EA312927

# Create a source list file for MongoDB
$ echo "deb http://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu trusty/mongodb-org/3.2 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-3.2.list

# Update the repository
$ sudo apt-get update

# Install the latest stable version of MongoDB
$ sudo apt-get install -y mongodb-org

# Start MongoDB service
$ sudo service mongod start

🔝 _{back to top}

Use database settings below in the .env file.

Mac OS X

Install Homebrew package manager. Then follow the steps below to install and start MySQL.

# Update Homebrew's package database
$ brew update

# Install MySQL
$ brew install mysql

# Start MySQL Server
$ mysql.server start

Windows

1. Download MySQL Installer for Windows.
2. Start the installer and follow instructions until the installation is complete.

• When prompted, choose Server only or Developer Default setup type.

Note: Alternatively, you may use XAMPP, which already comes bundled with MySQL and phpMyAdmin.

Ubuntu

# Update the repository
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get upgrade

# Install MySQL
$ sudo apt-get install mysql-server

🔝 _{back to top}

Use database settings below in the .env file.

Mac OS X

Install Homebrew package manager. Then follow the steps below to install and start PostgreSQL.

# Update Homebrew's package database
$ brew update

# Install PostgreSQL
$ brew install postgres

# Start PostgreSQL Server
$ postgres -D /usr/local/var/postgres

Windows

1. Download the latest version of PostgreSQL Installer.
2. Start the installer and follow instructions until the installation is complete.

Ubuntu

# Update the repository
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get upgrade

# Install PostgreSQL
$ sudo apt-get install postgresql postgresql-contrib

No additional steps required. Package sqlite3 will be automatically installed during npm install in Getting Started.

🔝 _{back to top}

Due to the nature of this project, there are too many possible project structure variations to list here. For the sake of simplicity, let's consider just the following project types:

• Traditional Node.js Web App
• React App
• AngularJS App
• Meteor App

This is perhaps the most straightforward web app type that does not use any client-side JavaScript frameworks or build tools. Is also the closest thing to Hackathon Starter project.

.
├── config/                    # Configuration files for OAuth, database, etc.
│   ├── passport.js/           # Passport strategies
├── controllers/               # Express route handlers
├── models/                    # Express database models
├── public/                            
│   ├── css/                   # Sass/LESS/PostCSS/CSS stylesheets (both source and generated)
│   ├── fonts/                 # Web fonts
│   ├── js/                    # Client-side JavaScript and third-party vendor files
├── views/                     # Templates
├── test/                      # Unit tests                    
├── .env                       # API keys, passwords, and other sensitive information
├── server.js                  # Express application
└── package.json               # NPM Dependencies and scripts

The new hotness of the web — Universal JavaScript app, powered by React, Redux, React Router and Server Rendering.

Note: Some files were ommited like gulpfile.js and webpack.config.js.

.
├── app/                       # React application
│   ├── actions/               # Redux actions
│   ├── components/            # React components
│   ├── reducers/              # Redux reducers
│   ├── store/                 # Store initialization and configuration
│   ├── main.js                # Client-side app entry-point
│   ├── routes.js              # Universal application routes (React Router)
├── controllers/               # Express route handlers
├── models/                    # Express database models
├── public/                    
│   ├── css/                   # Sass/LESS/PostCSS/CSS stylesheets (both source and generated)
│   ├── fonts/                 # Font Awesome web fonts
│   ├── js/                    # Third-party vendor files and generated React app (bundle.js)
├── views/                    
│   ├── layout.jade            # Main container, into which React app is rendered
│   ├── loading.jade           # Loading spinner animation for OAuth 1.0 / 2.0 authentication flow inside a popup
├── .babelrc                   # Babel config
├── .env                       # API keys, passwords, and other sensitive information
├── server.js                  # Express application
└── package.json               # NPM Dependencies and scripts

Your typical MEAN stack (MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, Node.js). Originally, I was not planning on adding AngularJS 1.x generator, especailly with Angular 2 around the corner. So without investing too much time, I kept it real simple: no Browserify, no ES6 classes, no AngularJS 1.5 components. Once officially released, Angular 2 generator will be more elaborate with quite a few additional options.

.
├── app/                       # Angular app directory
│   ├── controllers/           # Angular controllers
│   ├── partials/              # Angular view templates
│   ├── services/              # Angular services
│   ├── store/                 # Store initialization and configuration
│   ├── app.js                 # Main Angular app file
│   ├── index.html             # Main layout template
├── controllers/               # Express route handlers
├── models/                    # Express database models
├── public/                    
│   ├── css/                   # Sass/LESS/PostCSS/CSS stylesheets (both source and generated)
│   ├── js/                    # Compiled Angular app and third-party vendor files, e.g. angular.js, angular-route.js
├── .env                       # API keys, passwords, and other sensitive information
├── gulpfile.js                # Compiles Angular application and templates
├── server.js                  # Express application
└── package.json               # NPM Dependencies and scripts

🔝 _{back to top}

To use any of the included OAuth providers (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Google), you will need to obtain API keys. I have included "throw-away" API keys for all OAuth providers to get you up and running quickly, but be sure to update them with your own keys.

🔝 _{back to top}

• HTML to Jade converter
• SassMe - A Tool for Visualizing SASS Color Functions
• uiGradients

• Creating a Simple RESTful Web App with Node.js, Express, and MongoDB
• How To Implement Password Reset In Node.js

• 🎥 React in 7 Minutes
• 🎥 Getting Started with Redux (30 free videos)
• 🎥 Building React Applications with Idiomatic Redux (27 free videos)
• 📖 Create a character voting app using React, Node.js, MongoDB and Socket.IO
• 📖 Handcrafting an Isomorphic Redux Application
• 📖 React.js Introduction For People Who Know Just Enough jQuery To Get By

• Managing Mobile Performance Optimization
• A technical guide to SEO

• John Papa's Angular Style Guide
• Build an Instagram clone with AngularJS, Satellizer, Node.js and MongoDB
• Create a TV Show Tracker using AngularJS, Node.js and MongoDB

• Setting up your GitHub Pages site locally with Jekyll
• Build A Blog With Jekyll And GitHub Pages

• How to Setup a Static Website with Middleman
• Static Website Generators Reviewed: Jekyll, Middleman, Roots, Hugo

• 🎥 How to Write an Open Source JavaScript Library

• Bookshelf.js: A Node.js ORM
• Getting Started with Bookshelf.js

• Easily Develop Node.js and MongoDB Apps with Mongoose
• Object Modeling in Node.js with Mongoose

🔝 _{back to top}

Declares a read-only named constant.

const name = 'yourName';

Declares a block scope local variable.

let index = 0;

Using the `${}` syntax, strings can embed expressions.

const name = 'Oggy';
const age = 3;

console.log(`My cat is named ${name} and is ${age} years old.`);

To import functions, objects or primitives exported from an external module. These are the most common types of importing.

import name from 'module-name';

import * as name from 'module-name';

import { foo, bar } from 'module-name';

To export functions, objects or primitives from a given file or module.

export { myFunction };

export const name = 'yourName';

export default myFunctionOrClass

The spread operator allows an expression to be expanded in places where multiple arguments (for function calls) or multiple elements (for array literals) are expected.

myFunction(...iterableObject);

<ChildComponent {...this.props} />

A Promise is used in asynchronous computations to represent an operation that hasn't completed yet, but is expected in the future.

var p = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) { });

The catch() method returns a Promise and deals with rejected cases only.

p.catch(function(reason) { /* handle rejection */ });

The then() method returns a Promise. It takes 2 arguments: callback for the success & failure cases.

p.then(function(value) { /* handle fulfillment */, function(reason) { /* handle rejection */ });

The Promise.all(iterable) method returns a promise that resolves when all of the promises in the iterable argument have resolved, or rejects with the reason of the first passed promise that rejects.

Promise.all([p1, p2, p3]).then(function(values) { console.log(values) });

Arrow function expression. Shorter syntax & lexically binds the this value. Arrow functions are anonymous.

singleParam => { statements }

() => { statements }

(param1, param2) => expression

const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
const squares = arr.map(x => x * x);

The class declaration creates a new class using prototype-based inheritance.

class Person {
  constructor(name, age, gender) {
    this.name   = name;
    this.age    = age;
    this.gender = gender;
  }

  incrementAge() {
    this.age++;
  }
}

🎁 Credits: DuckDuckGo and @DrkSephy.

🔝 _{back to top}

Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);

var now = new Date();
now.setMinutes(now.getMinutes() + 30);

// DD-MM-YYYY
var now = new Date();

var DD = now.getDate();
var MM = now.getMonth() + 1;
var YYYY = now.getFullYear();

if (DD < 10) {
  DD = '0' + DD;
} 

if (MM < 10) {
  MM = '0' + MM;
}

console.log(MM + '-' + DD + '-' + YYYY); // 03-30-2016

// hh:mm (12 hour time with am/pm)
var now = new Date();
var hours = now.getHours();
var minutes = now.getMinutes();
var amPm = hours >= 12 ? 'pm' : 'am';

hours = hours % 12;
hours = hours ? hours : 12;
minutes = minutes < 10 ? '0' + minutes : minutes;

console.log(hours + ':' + minutes + ' ' + amPm); // 1:43 am

var today = new Date();
var nextWeek = new Date(today.getTime() + 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);

var today = new Date();
var yesterday = date.setDate(date.getDate() - 1);

🔝 _{back to top}

Once you are ready to deploy your app, you will need to create an account with a cloud platform to host it. These are not the only choices you have, but they are my top picks.

• Download and install Heroku Toolbelt
• In Terminal, run heroku login, then enter your Heroku credentials
• Navigate to the megaboilerplate-app directory and run the following commands:

1. git init
2. git add .
3. git commit -m 'Initial commit'

• Then run heroku create to create a new Heroku app and link it with your current Git repository

  Creating app... done, ⬢ floating-mesa-51019
  https://floating-mesa-51019.herokuapp.com/ | https://git.heroku.com/floating-mesa-51019.git

• Run git push heroku master and you are done!

Note: If you have created a new app via Heroku Dashboard, you can link it with an existing Git repository by running:

heroku git:remote -a your-heroku-app-name

For more information, please visit Getting Started on Heroku with Node.js.

TODO: Deployment instructions for SQL and MongoDB databases. (Heroku PostgresL, Compose, MongoLab)

• Sign in to your account at Azure Portal
• Click on App Services, then click on Add button
• Enter an App name for your app and create or select an existing Resource Group
• Click on Create button and give it 15-20 seconds
• Find and select your app under App Services
• In the right-hand Settings sidebar, find and click on Deployment source
• Under Choose Source select Local Git Repository, then press OK
• Alternatively, you can choose GitHub to sync Azure with a GitHub repository for continous deployment
• Right below Deployment source, click on Deployment credentials and create new username and password, then hit Save
• Still inside Settings sidebar, find and click on Properties located under General settings
• Copy Git URL, e.g. https://[email protected]:443/appname.git
• Navigate to the megaboilerplate-app directory and run the following commands:

1. git init
2. git add .
3. git commit -m 'Initial commit'
4. git remote add azure https://[email protected]:443/appname.git

• Note: Use your Git URL from above
• Run git push azure master, and when prompted, enter your password created under Deployment credentials
• All set!

TODO

🔝 _{back to top}

• React
• Actions, reducers, stores, containers, provider...what? ಠ_ರೃ

🔝 _{back to top}

Despite being such a small library, Redux can be difficult to grasp for beginners. It took me almost three days until Redux "clicked" for me, even with my prior experience of working with React and Flux. Here is a TL;DR: summary:

🔝 _{back to faq}

If you have built an app using Mega Boilerplate, please enter yourself here by sending a pull request.

• Initial release.

Pull requests from beginners and seasoned JavaScript developers are welcome! As it stands, Mega Boilerplate is pretty large in scope to be maintained by a single person, so I am asking for your help to contribute where you can, whether it's a small fix in README or adding a whole new generator type, e.g. Meteor, Angular 2, React Native, Electron.

🔝 _{back to top}

MIT