Introduction
Building full-stack applications requires careful consideration of architecture, state management, and deployment strategies. In this guide we explore how to create scalable applications using NestJS for the backend and React for the frontend.
Architecture Overview
Our full-stack application follows a modern architecture with a clear separation of concerns:
- Backend (NestJS): RESTful APIs, authentication, database operations
- Frontend (React): User interface, state management, API integration
- Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM
- Authentication: JWT-based authentication
Setting Up the Backend
Start by scaffolding the NestJS backend and installing the required dependencies:
npm install -g @nestjs/cli
nest new backend
cd backend
npm install @nestjs/typeorm typeorm pg prisma @prisma/client
Database Configuration
Configure Prisma for database management and migrations:
npx prisma init
npx prisma generate
npx prisma db push
API Development
Create RESTful endpoints with proper validation and error handling:
@Controller("users")
export class UsersController {
constructor(private readonly usersService: UsersService) {}
@Get()
async findAll(): Promise<User[]> {
return this.usersService.findAll();
}
}
Frontend Setup
Set up the React frontend with modern tooling:
npx create-react-app frontend --template typescript
cd frontend
npm install axios react-router-dom @tanstack/react-query
State Management
Implement efficient state management using React Query for server state and the Context API for client state.
Authentication Flow
Implement secure authentication with JWT tokens, refresh token rotation, and proper storage strategies.
Deployment Strategy
Deploy your application using modern cloud platforms like Vercel for the frontend and Railway for the backend. Automate migrations and health checks to maintain reliability.
Conclusion
Building full-stack applications with NestJS and React provides a robust foundation for scalable web applications. By following best practices you can create maintainable and performant products.
