🧱 Building create-node-spark: A CLI Tool to Scaffold Node.js APIs – Phase 1 Complete!

Intro:

A powerful CLI (Command Line Interface) tool designed to scaffold production-ready Node.js backend projects with ease. Inspired by tools like Create Next App and Vite, this tool removes the boilerplate pain by generating a clean, structured, and configurable Node.js project — so you can focus on building features, not setting up folders and configs.

The fastest way to scaffold production-ready Node.js backends — no manual setup, no headaches.

• Why I built this tool : Inspiration from create-next-app, but tailored for Node.js REST APIs
• Goal : Speed up backend scaffolding with sensible defaults and flexibility

⚙️ What is create-node-spark?

• A CLI tool to scaffold REST API projects in Node.js
• Supports JavaScript and TypeScript
• Option to use Express.js or native Node.js http server
• Pick your preferred database: None, MongoDB, or MySQL
• Additional Features like Eslint and Multer
• ESM and Dotenv support out of the box

🔧 Features So Far (Phase 1)

• ✅ Language toggle: JavaScript or TypeScript
• ✅ Framework toggle: Express or None
• ✅ Linting option with ESLint
• ✅ MongoDB integration with environment setup
• ✅ MySQL integration using Knex.js and mysql2 (as of v2.3.0)
• ✅ Folder structure generation with:
  • src/ structure: controllers/, middlewares/, routes/, models/, utils/, services/, config/
  • public/ folder with subfolders for images/, js/, css/
  • temp/ folder for temp uploads or runtime storage
• ✅ Smart index.js bootstrapping based on selected DB
• ✅ Separated .env handling through config/env.js

📦 Tech Stack

• Node.js (ESM)
• Inquirer.js (for CLI prompts)
• No unnecessary bloat – intentionally lightweight

🛠 Input Example

🛠 Output Example

Project Folder Structure

It generates a comprehensive folder structure shown below :

🔄 Version History Summary

• 1.0.0 : JavaScript only, basic Express scaffold, optional Auth/Multer
• 1.1.0 : Added ESLint and improved folder structure
• 2.0.0 : TypeScript support, removed Auth/Multer, added native HTTP option
• 2.1.0 : MongoDB selection with conditional server start
• 2.2.0 : Public/temp folders, more structure in output
• 2.3.0 : MySQL + Knex.js and multer support added, Phase 1 complete ✅

Check Changelog for more details

📍 Why Use It?

• ✅ Time-saving: Skip repetitive setup
• ✅ Customizable: Choose only what you need
• ✅ Lightweight: Zero dependencies except Inquirer
• ✅ Developer-friendly: Clean folder structure, DB-ready, ESM-first

💭 Roadmap (Phase 2 Ideas)

• Prisma integration
• PostgreSQL & SQLite support
• Optional authentication boilerplate
• File upload module integration

🛠 Need Help or Found a Bug?

If you encounter any issues, have feature suggestions, or just want to say hi — I’d love to hear from you:

• 💬 GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• 📦 NPM Package: Check out the tool on NPM
• 📧 Email: contact@talhabilal.dev
• 🌐 GitHub Repo: Explore the source code

Your feedback helps shape the future of this project. Let’s build something great together!

📢 Final Thoughts

Phase 1 of create-node-spark is complete, and I’m proud of the flexibility and simplicity it provides. It’s not just another CLI tool—it’s a fast track to starting robust, real-world REST APIs in Node.js.