the simplest MERN (MongoDB, Express, React and Node) setup

Why?

While there are many MERN starters on the interwebs already, I've struggled to find a 'minimal viable' MERN app. Existing examples usually involve other libraries and tools such as Redux, React Router, Typescript, Docker etc. These are all great things, but add unnecessary complexity when you just want to start simple.

This MERN starter, simple-mern aims to be the minimum you need to get started with the stack.

Getting Started

Development

1. Install MongoDB and run on default port 27017
2. npm install in both root directory and client directory
3. npm start in both root directory and client directory
4. Head to localhost:3000 to see the 'My Tasks' app

Production

npm install
npm run build
npm run start:prod

The production app will be running at localhost:5000.

Extend simple-mern

While this boilerplate was designed to be as minimal as possible, support for other tech could be added in their own branches.

Current Extensions

• with-axios: Replaces Axios with fetch - @leonlafa
• with-react-router: Adds React Router - @leonlafa
• with-material-ui: Adds Material UI - @leonlafa
• with-docker: Adds Docker & Docker Compose - @alejandrotoga02
• with-redux: Adds Redux for state management - @rahulSinha-01

Ideas for Future Extensions

• Replace JavaScript with TypeScript
• Multi-user setup with social auth (e.g. Google, Facebook etc. login using Passport)
• Redux or MobX global state management for tasks
• Static site generator using GatsbyJS or Next.js

If you'd like to add support for any of the above or something else, please open an issue letting me know, and I'll create a new branch to base the PR against.