When I started building backend projects with Node.js,
I didn’t fail because I couldn’t code.
I failed because I didn’t know where things should go.
Should this logic be in the route?
The controller?
A service?
Most beginner backend projects die on day one for the same reason:
confusion, not complexity.
The problem is not missing features
People think they need:
- authentication
- databases
- deployments
- frameworks
But the real blocker is structure.
If you don’t understand how a request flows,
you don’t know how to move forward.
A simple flow changes everything
Once you understand this:
Request → Route → Controller → Service → Repository
Things stop being magical.
You know where to add logic.
You know where not to.
Why I built a Day One starter
I built a minimal Node.js API that focuses on one thing:
helping beginners finish their first backend feature.
No auth.
No frameworks.
Just a clean structure and a real CRUD example.
If you want to see how this looks in practice,
I made a small preview on GitHub and a complete starter kit.
GitHub preview:
👉 https://github.com/LCassio99/day-one-api-starter-node-preview
Full starter kit:
👉 https://lucianocassio.gumroad.com/l/xsgel
If you’re stuck on day one,
this might help you move forward.
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