The answer
Understand the goal, list features, pick the stack (Node, Express, MongoDB, JWT), decide monolith vs microservices, plan the folder structure, run npm init, install dependencies, design the database, and write a health check API first.
How to Start a Node.js Project From Scratch: A Beginner's Guide
How do I start a Node.js project from scratch?
More FAQs in How to Start a Node.js Project From Scratch: A Beginner's Guide
Yes. Spend time understanding the goal, listing features, and sketching the database. Planning prevents rework. Real projects start with a plan, not code.
A health check at /health that returns a 200 OK. It confirms the server runs, the port is open, and the setup works. Build everything else after that.
Separate concerns: routes, controllers, models, middlewares, utils, and config. Keep config out of logic, keep handlers thin, and put shared helpers in utils.
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