README
nmess
In a Nutshell
What `nmess` does for you:
lays out an Express Node.js server
scaffolds server routing
prepares a database connection
sets up a gulpfile that:
compiles ECMAScript 6 to 5
uglifies Javascript
compiles Stylus to CSS
uglifies CSS
includes client assets such as:
jQuery
Bootstrap
Angular
Socket.IO
readies WebSockets
sets up miscellaneous server objects
About
nmess is a modern and developer-friendly skeleton application generator that implements the MESS stack: MongoDB, Express.js, Socket.IO, and Stylus, which uses Jade as the templating language. It is designed so that the developer can immediately start being productive, instead of writing boilerplate preparation code and build systems for every new project. nmess has been cleverly implemented to scale with future development. nmess now includes Bootstrap 3 by default and automatically extends the project into the MEAN stack, integrating Angular into the application.
The generator prepares various server utilities and components such as a configurable REST API, Socket.IO connection, database controllers, gulp build system, and HTTP response codes, and organizes source files in an extensible and logical manner.
The included gulp build system automatically optimizes and minifies client assets such as .styl sheets and Javascripts. Using a build system instead of middleware for client assets improves reliability and response time for all requests.
nmess is great for single page applications, hybrid sites, web services, and API endpoints.
nmess now provides automatic local caching by SHA-comparison and source management, so a fully functional environment can be set up while offline, and generation while online is expedited as well.
The actual skeleton code may be found at https://github.com/edge/nmess.
nmess is being developed in discord with MEAN.IO. nmess quickly prepares all assets that you need to supplement and encourage your design ideas, while MEAN.IO takes a more restrictive CMS approach.
nmess was inspired by and intends to replace express-generator and node-boilerplate, both projects with great initiatives but undermaintained.
Table of Contents
Installation
sudo npm install -g nmess
Generator
Help
nmess -h
Usage: nmess <command> [options]
Commands:
new <application> create new application
dev run application in development mode
pro run application in production mode
make compile application assets
Options:
-h, --help output usage information
-V, --version output the version number
-d, --directory [directory] Application directory [name]
-s, --secret [secret] Session secret [uuid.v4()]
-b, --database [db] Local database path ['localhost/' + name]
-p, --port [port] Server listening port [3000]
Usage
nmess new myapp
Up-to-date skeleton found in cache.
Installing...
Populating...
Building...
Node MESS Application generated with:
name: myapp
directory: myapp
secret: cd1b725d-8c41-4d30-a736-105db3cf8a14
db: localhost/myapp
port: 3000
myapp/
bin/
www
client/
css/
error.styl
myapp.styl
js/
index.js
myappApp.js
db/
control.js
init.js
model.js
public/
css/
bootstrap.css
error.css
myapp.css
fonts/
glyphicons-halflings-regular.eot
glyphicons-halflings-regular.ttf
glyphicons-halflings-regular.woff2
glyphicons-halflings-regular.svg
glyphicons-halflings-regular.woff
OpenSans.ttf
img/
favicon.ico
js/
angular.js
angular-animate.js
angular-route.js
angular.js
bootstrap.js
index.js
jquery.js
myappApp.js
socket.io.js
robots.txt
routes/
api.js
index.js
utils/
httpres.json
views/
base.jade
error.jade
index.jade
.gitignore
app.js
config.json
gulpfile.js
nodemon.json
package.json
README.md
router.js
Visual
Deployment
Production
cd ./myapp && nmess pro
Development
cd ./myapp && nmess dev
Dependencies
Production
These production modules (npm install --save) are required to run the server.
body-parser
compression
express
express-session
jade
mongoose
morgan
socket.io
Development
These development modules (npm install --save-dev) are required to compile the templates and stylesheets.
gulp
gulp-babel
gulp-cached
gulp-stylus
gulp-uglify
Global
These global modules (npm install -g) are required to run the application in development mode.
gulp
nodemon
Machine
These technologies are required to run the server, but features using them disengage gracefully if missing.
mongodb
Documentation
d - directory for
m - module for
__name__/ // d - all application files
bin/ // d - executable scripts
www // server start script
client/ // d - client assets
css/ // d - stylesheets
__name__.styl // main stylesheet
error.styl // error page stylesheet
index.styl // index page stylesheet
js/ // d - client scripts
__name__App.js // primary Angular application
index.js // index page script
db/ // d - database design
control.js // m - database business logic
init.js // m - database connection
model.js // m - database model definitions
public/ // d - client-accessible resources
css/ // d - files compiled from client/css/
__name__.css // compiled from client/css/__name__.styl
error.css // compiled from client/css/error.styl
index.css // compiled from client/css/index.styl
font/ // d - client fonts
glyphicons-halflings-regular.eot // Bootstrap Glyphicons font
glyphicons-halflings-regular.ttf // Bootstrap Glyphicons font
glyphicons-halflings-regular.woff2 // Bootstrap Glyphicons font
glyphicons-halflings-regular.svg // Bootstrap Glyphicons font
glyphicons-halflings-regular.woff // Bootstrap Glyphicons font
OpenSans.ttf // Open Sans font
img/ // d - image assets
favicon.ico // n.js tab icon
js/ // d - client scripts
__name__App.js // compiled from client/js/__name__App.js
angular.js // Angular 1.3.14, minified
angular-animate.js // Angular Animate, minified
angular-route.js // Angular Route, minified
bootstrap.js // Bootstrap 3.3.2, minified
index.js // compiled from client/js/index.js
jquery.js // jQuery 1.11.2, minified
socket.io.js // Socket.IO 1.3.5, minified
robots.txt // robots.txt
routes/ // d - server routes
api.js // m - api route
index.js // m - index route
util/ // d - server utilities
httpres.json // HTTP response code list
views/ // d - page templates
base.jade // base template
error.jade // error page template
index.jade // index page template
.gitignore // .gitignore
app.js // m - main application interface
config.json // application configuration
gulpfile.js // m - gulp build system
nodemon.json // nodemon server configuration
package.json // package configuration
README.md // application README
router.js // m - server route coordination
Todo
- Dynamically add database models and controllers
- Deepen Angular integration
- Add sourcemaps to build system