The gothinkster/node-express-realworld-example-app is a Node.js and Express-based implementation of the "RealWorld" backend API spec. It serves as a reference for building scalable and production-ready applications using Node.js and Express, following best practices and modern development patterns.

Pros

• Implements a comprehensive API spec, covering common real-world scenarios
• Uses popular and well-maintained technologies (Node.js, Express, MongoDB)
• Follows best practices for project structure and code organization
• Includes authentication, authorization, and data validation

Cons

• May be overwhelming for beginners due to its comprehensive nature
• Some dependencies might be outdated and require updates
• Limited documentation for advanced customization or extension
• Lacks built-in support for more modern features like GraphQL or WebSockets

Code Examples

1. User registration:

router.post('/users', function(req, res, next) {
  var user = new User();

  user.username = req.body.user.username;
  user.email = req.body.user.email;
  user.setPassword(req.body.user.password);

  user.save().then(function(){
    return res.json({user: user.toAuthJSON()});
  }).catch(next);
});

2. Authentication middleware:

function auth(req, res, next) {
  if (req.payload.id) {
    User.findById(req.payload.id).then(function(user){
      if(!user){ return res.sendStatus(401); }

      req.user = user;
      return next();
    }).catch(next);
  } else {
    return res.sendStatus(401);
  }
}

3. Article creation:

router.post('/', auth, function(req, res, next) {
  User.findById(req.payload.id).then(function(user){
    if (!user) { return res.sendStatus(401); }

    var article = new Article(req.body.article);

    article.author = user;

    return article.save().then(function(){
      return res.json({article: article.toJSONFor(user)});
    });
  }).catch(next);
});

Getting Started

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/gothinkster/node-express-realworld-example-app.git
   

2. Install dependencies:

   cd node-express-realworld-example-app
   npm install
   

3. Set up environment variables:

   cp .env.example .env
   

4. Start the server:

   npm start
   

The API will be available at http://localhost:3000/api.