Backend Quickstart

Run the backend locally with PostgreSQL, apply the existing Prisma migrations, and verify an HTTP response. You do not need to install or run the frontend for this check.

PrerequisitesCopy Anchor Link

• Git, Node.js, and npm. The backend does not pin a Node.js or npm version. Its locked Prisma 6.15.0 packages require Node.js 18.18 or newer; the backend CI job selects Node.js 20.
• A running local PostgreSQL server and a login role with permission to create databases. Prisma's development migration command also creates a temporary shadow database, so the role needs CREATEDB permission (or superuser privileges).
• createdb, from the PostgreSQL client tools, if you use the database-creation command below; you can also create the database with your PostgreSQL administration tool.
• curl for the health check.

Prisma is installed with the backend dependencies. Google credentials are needed only for Google sign-in; no Google account configuration or frontend server is required for basic startup.

Sourcebackend/package-lock.json

Source.github/workflows/ci.yml

Get the codeCopy Anchor Link

Clone the repository and enter the separate backend package:

git clone https://github.com/vaibhavxtripathi/ElixirV4.git
cd ElixirV4/backend

Install the dependencies from the committed npm lockfile:

npm ci

If you already have a checkout, enter its backend/ directory and run the same installation command. Run all subsequent npm commands from that directory.

Sourcebackend/package.json

SourceCONTRIBUTING.md

Configure local environment variablesCopy Anchor Link

Create backend/.env with the following configuration. Replace YOUR_POSTGRES_USER and YOUR_POSTGRES_PASSWORD with your local PostgreSQL credentials. Percent-encode special characters in the username or password when including them in the URL.

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://YOUR_POSTGRES_USER:YOUR_POSTGRES_PASSWORD@localhost:5432/elixir_db"

DATABASE_URL is the only application setting required for this startup and health check. The server connects Prisma before it listens. The current import chain loads .env through src/utils/jwt.ts; run the backend from backend/ so it finds this file.

Add JWT_SECRET to the same file before testing registration, login, or authenticated requests. It is used to sign and verify tokens; it has no default and is not validated at startup.

JWT_SECRET="replace-with-a-long-local-development-secret"

The remaining settings are optional for this Quickstart:

Sourcebackend/env.example

Sourcebackend/src/utils/jwt.ts

Sourcebackend/src/controllers/authController.ts

Prepare PostgreSQL and PrismaCopy Anchor Link

Start PostgreSQL using your installation's service controls. Create an empty database named elixir_db, matching the URL above. With the PostgreSQL client tools, replace YOUR_POSTGRES_USER and run:

createdb --host=localhost --port=5432 --username=YOUR_POSTGRES_USER elixir_db

Use the same host, port, and role as DATABASE_URL. If you already created this local database, skip the creation command.

Generate the Prisma client and apply the checked-in migrations:

npm run db:generate
npm run db:migrate

These scripts run prisma generate and prisma migrate dev using prisma/schema.prisma. The six migrations in prisma/migrations/ prepare the schema; no seed data is needed for the health check. On a fresh database, the migration command applies those migrations without needing a new migration name.

Sourcebackend/prisma/schema.prisma

Sourcebackend/prisma/migrations/

Start and verify the backendCopy Anchor Link

Run the development server:

npm run dev

nodemon runs src/server.ts through ts-node. The default port is 3001; PORT overrides it. The process should remain running. There is no application-level “server started” log: use the health check to confirm it is listening.

In another terminal, verify the application responds:

curl -i http://localhost:3001/health

Expect HTTP 200 OK with this JSON body:

{
  "status": "OK",
  "message": "Server is working!"
}

If you changed PORT, use that port in the URL. The local route is /health, without an /api prefix.

The health route reports application availability. This local server starts listening only after prisma.$connect() succeeds, so a response also confirms that its initial database connection completed. The route does not query PostgreSQL or verify that migrations were applied; it does not prove ongoing database connectivity.

Sourcebackend/nodemon.json

Sourcebackend/src/server.ts

Sourcebackend/src/app.ts

If setup does not completeCopy Anchor Link

• If startup reports Failed to start server:, check that PostgreSQL is running, the database exists, and the credentials in DATABASE_URL are correct. Run from backend/ and check that .env is in that directory.
• If migration fails while creating a shadow database, check that the PostgreSQL role has CREATEDB permission.
• If Prisma reports a missing generated client, rerun npm run db:generate, then retry the failed command. The generator may need network access to download Prisma engines.
• If startup reports EADDRINUSE, set PORT in .env to an available port and restart. Use that port in the health-check URL.

Next stepsCopy Anchor Link

Read Backend Architecture to understand the runtime flow, Authentication & Authorization before changing access control, and Data Model before changing Prisma models. Use the API Reference for route-specific behavior.