When should I add auth to a Node.js REST API?
After schemas, routes, controllers, validation, and error handling. Auth depends on user schemas, password hashing, and tokens. It is a natural step after you can store and retrieve users.
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More FAQs in How to Build a REST API in Node.js: Step by Step
Set up the project, create folder structure, set up Express, connect to MongoDB, define schemas, write routes and controllers, add validation, error handling, auth, security middlewares, logging, tests, documentation, and deploy. One step at a time.
Initialize the project with npm init -y, install express, mongoose, dotenv, cors, helmet, and nodemon as a dev dependency. Add start and dev scripts. Then create the folder structure.
Separate folders for config, middlewares, models, routes, controllers, and utils. Keep app.js (Express app) and server.js (server startup) separate. One file per concern. This is the cleanest layout for a growing API.
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