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Backend File Structure

The backend follows MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture for scalable and maintainable code organization.

educado-api/
├── src/
│   ├── models/
│   │   └── user.model.ts
│   ├── routes/
│   │   └── user/
│   │       ├── user-auth.ts
│   │       └── user.ts
│   ├── types/
│   │   └── type-group/
│   │       └── user.ts
│   ├── utils/
│   │   └── authenticate-token.ts
│   ├── constants/
│   └── index.ts
└── .env

Directory Breakdown​

models/ - Database Schemas​

Define database schemas and models for data structure:

// models/user.ts
export const UserSchema = {
  id: String,
  name: String,
  email: String
}

// models/order.ts  
export const OrderSchema = {
  id: String,
  userId: String,
  totalAmount: Number
}

routes/ - Controllers & Handlers​

Organized by feature with entry points and individual handlers:

Structure Explained:

  • Each subroute gets its own folder
  • Main endpoint files (e.g., user.ts) contain route initialization
  • Specific handlers separated into individual files
// routes/user/user.ts → Main user endpoints
// GET /user, POST /user

// routes/user/user-update.ts → Update-specific handlers  
// Handlers for updating user information

constants/ - Backend Constants​

Shared constants across the project:

// constants/countries.ts
export const COUNTRIES = ['Denmark', 'Brazil', 'India'];

// constants/roles.ts  
export const USER_ROLES = ['admin', 'user', 'guest'];

types/ - TypeScript Definitions​

Type definitions organized by feature:

// types/User.ts
export interface User {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  email: string;
}

// Subfolders for related types:
// types/orders/Order.ts → Order-related types

utils/ - Helper Functions​

Utility functions for common operations:

// utils/format-date.ts
export const formatDate = (date: Date) => {
  // Format timestamps for API responses
}

// utils/hash-password.ts
export const hashPassword = (password: string) => {
  // Securely hash passwords
}

// utils/authenticate-token.ts
export const authenticateToken = (token: string) => {
  // JWT token validation
}

MVC Pattern Implementation​

Model​

  • Database schemas in models/
  • Data validation and business logic
  • MongoDB/Mongoose integration

View​

  • JSON API responses
  • Data formatting for client consumption
  • Error response structures

Controller​

  • Route handlers in routes/
  • Request/response processing
  • Business logic coordination
  • Authentication and authorization

Best Practices​

  1. Separate concerns - Keep models, routes, and utilities distinct
  2. Group related functionality - Use folders for feature-based organization
  3. Use TypeScript - Define interfaces for all data structures
  4. Follow naming conventions - Use established patterns consistently
  5. Document complex logic - Add comments for business rules and algorithms