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Introducing the New Serverless, GraphQL, Apollo Server, and Contentful Starter kit

Introducing the new Serverless, GraphQL, Apollo Server, and Contentful Starter kit

The team at This Dot Labs has released a brand new starter kit which includes the Serverless Framework, GraphQL, Apollo Server and Contentful configured and ready to go. This article will walk through how to set up the new kit, the key technologies used, and reasons why you would consider using this kit.

Table of Contents

How to get started setting up the kit

Generate the project

In the command line, you will need to start the starter.dev CLI by running the npx @this-dot/create-starter command. You can then select the Serverless Framework, Apollo Server, and Contentful CMS kit and name your new project. Then you will need to cd into your new project directory and install the dependencies using the tool of your choice (npm, yarn, or pnpm). Next, you will need to Run cp .env.example .env to copy the contents of the .env.example file into the .env file.

Setup Contentful access

You will first need to create an account on Contentful, if you don't have one already. Once you are logged in, you will need to create a new space. From there, go to Settings -> API keys and click on the Content Management Tokens tab. Next, click on the Generate personal token button and give your token a name. Copy your new Personal Access Token, and add it to the CONTENTFUL_CONTENT_MANAGEMENT_API_TOKEN variable. Then, go to Settings -> General settings to get the CONTENTFUL_SPACE_ID. The last step is to add those CONTENTFUL_CONTENT_MANAGEMENT_API_TOKEN and CONTENTFUL_SPACE_ID values to your .env file.

Setting up Docker

You will first need to install Docker Desktop if you don't have it installed already. Once installed, you can start up the Docker container with the npm run infrastructure:up command.

Starting the local server

While the Docker container is running, open up a new tab in the terminal and run npm run dev to start the development server. Open your browser to http://localhost:3000/dev/graphql to open up Apollo server.

How to Create the Technology Model in Contentful

To get started with the example model, you will first need to create the model in Contentful.

  1. Log into your Contentful account
  2. Click on the Content Model tab
  3. Click on the Design your Content Modal button if this is your first modal
  4. Create a new model called Technology
  5. Add three new text fields called displayName, description and url
  6. Save your new model

How to seed the database with demo data

This starter kit comes with a seeding script that pre-populates data for the Technology Content type.

In the command line, run npm run db:seed which will add three new data entries into Contentful.

If you want to see the results from seeding the database, you can execute a small GraphQL query using Apollo server.

First, make sure Docker, and the local server(npm run dev) are running, and then navigate to http://localhost:3000/dev/graphql.

Add the following query:

query TechnologyQuery {
  technologies {
    description
    displayName
    url
  }
}

When you run the query, you should see the following output.

{
  "data": {
    "technologies": [
      {
        "description": "GraphQL provides a strong-typing system to better understand and utilize our API to retrieve and interact with our data.",
        "displayName": "GraphQL",
        "url": "https://graphql.framework.dev/"
      },
      {
        "description": "Node.js® is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment.",
        "displayName": "Node.js",
        "url": "https://nodejs.framework.dev/"
      },
      {
        "description": "Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework.",
        "displayName": "Express",
        "url": "https://www.npmjs.com/package/express"
      }
    ]
  }
}

How to work with the migration scripts

Migrations are a way to make changes to your content models and entries. This starter kit comes with a couple of migration scripts that you can study and run to make changes to the demo Technology model. These migration scripts are located in the scripts/migration directory.

To get started, you will need to first install the contentful-cli.

   npm i -g contentful-cli

You can then login to Contentful using the contentful-cli.

   contentful login

You will then need to choose the Contentful space where the Technology model is located.

   contentful space use

If you want to modify the existing demo content type, you can run the second migration script from the starter kit.

   contentful space migration scripts/migrations/02-edit-technology-contentType.js -y

If you want to build out more content models using the CLI, you can study the example code in the /scripts/migrations/01-create-technology-contentType.js file. From there, you can create a new migration file, and run the above contentful space migration command.

If you want to learn more about migration in Contentful, then please check out the documentation.

Technologies included in this starter kit

Why use GraphQL?

GraphQL is a query language for your API and it makes it easy to query all of the data you need in a single request. This starter kit uses GraphQL to query the data from our Contentful space.

Why use Contentful?

Contentful is a headless CMS that makes it easy to create and manage structured data. We have integrated Contentful into this starter kit to make it easy for you to create new entries in the database.

Why use Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)?

Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) is a queuing service that allows you to decouple your components and process and store messages in a scalable way.

In this starter kit, an SQS message is sent by the APIGatewayProxyHandler using the sendMessage function, which is then stored in a queue called DemoJobQueue. The SQS handler sqs-handler polls this queue, and processes any message received.

import { APIGatewayProxyHandler } from "aws-lambda";
import { sendMessage } from "../utils/sqs";

export const handler: APIGatewayProxyHandler = async (event) => {
  const body = JSON.parse(event.body || "{}");
  const resp = await sendMessage({
    id: Math.ceil(Math.random() * 100),
    message: body.message,
  });

  return {
    statusCode: resp.success ? 200 : 400,
    body: JSON.stringify(resp.data),
  };
};

Why use Apollo Server?

Apollo Server is a production-ready GraphQL server that works with any GraphQL client, and data source. When you run npm run dev and open the browser to http://localhost:3000/dev/graphql, you will be able to start querying your Contentful data in no time.

Why use the Serverless Framework?

The Serverless Framework is used to help auto-scale your application by using AWS Lambda functions. In the starter kit, you will find a serverless.yml file, which acts as a configuration for the CLI and allows you to deploy your code to your chosen provider.

This starter kit also includes the following plugins:

Why use Redis?

Redis is an open-source in-memory data store that stores data in the server memory. This starter kit uses Redis to cache the data to reduce the API response times and rate limiting. When you make a new request, those new requests will be retrieved from the Redis cache.

Why use the Jest testing framework?

Jest is a popular testing framework that works well for creating unit tests.

You can see some example test files under the src/schema/technology directory. You can use the npm run test command to run all of the tests.

Project structure

Inside the src directory, you will find the following structure:

.
├── generated
│   └── graphql.ts
├── handlers
│   ├── graphql.ts
│   ├── healthcheck.spec.ts
│   ├── healthcheck.ts
│   ├── sqs-generate-job.spec.ts
│   ├── sqs-generate-job.ts
│   ├── sqs-handler.spec.ts
│   └── sqs-handler.ts
├── models
│   └── Technology
│       ├── create.spec.ts
│       ├── create.ts
│       ├── getAll.spec.ts
│       ├── getAll.ts
│       ├── getById.spec.ts
│       ├── getById.ts
│       ├── index.ts
│       ├── TechnologyModel.spec.ts
│       └── TechnologyModel.ts
├── schema
│   ├── technology
│   │   ├── index.ts
│   │   ├── technology.resolver.spec.ts
│   │   ├── technology.resolvers.ts
│   │   └── technology.typedefs.ts
│   └── index.ts
└── utils
    ├── contentful
    │   ├── contentful-healthcheck.spec.ts
    │   ├── contentful-healthcheck.ts
    │   ├── contentful.spec.ts
    │   ├── contentful.ts
    │   └── index.ts
    ├── redis
    │   ├── index.ts
    │   ├── redis-healthcheck.spec.ts
    │   ├── redis-healthcheck.ts
    │   ├── redis.spec.ts
    │   └── redis.ts
    ├── sqs
    │   ├── client.spec.ts
    │   ├── client.ts
    │   ├── getQueueUrl.spec.ts
    │   ├── getQueueUrl.ts
    │   ├── index.ts
    │   ├── is-offline.spec.ts
    │   ├── is-offline.ts
    │   ├── sendMessage.spec.ts
    │   └── sendMessage.ts
    └── test
        └── mocks
            ├── contentful
            │   ├── entry.ts
            │   └── index.ts
            ├── aws-lambda-handler-context.ts
            ├── graphql.ts
            ├── index.ts
            └── sqs-record.ts

This given structure makes it easy to find all of the code and tests related to that specific component. This structure also follows the single responsibility principle which means that each file has a single purpose.

How to deploy your application

The Serverless Framework needs access to your cloud provider account so that it can create and manage resources on your behalf. You can follow the guide to get started.

Steps to get started:

  1. Sign up for an AWS account
  2. Create an IAM User and Access Key
  3. Export your AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID & AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY credentials.
       export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=<your-key-here>
       export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=<your-secret-key-here>
    
  4. Deploy your application on AWS Lambda:
       npm run deploy
    
  5. To deploy a single function, run:
       npm run deploy function --function myFunction
    

To stop your Serverless application, run:

   serverless remove

For more information on Serverless deployment, check out this article.

What can this starter kit be used for?

This starter kit is very versatile, and can be used with a front-end application for a variety of situations.

Here are some examples:

  • personal developer blog
  • small e-commerce application

Conclusion

In this article, we looked at how we can get started using the Serverless, GraphQL, Apollo Server, and Contentful Starter kit. We also looked at the different technologies used in the kit, and why they were chosen. Lastly, we looked at how to deploy our application using AWS.

I hope you enjoy working with our new starter kit!

This Dot Labs is a development consultancy that is trusted by top industry companies, including Stripe, Xero, Wikimedia, Docusign, and Twilio. This Dot takes a hands-on approach by providing tailored development strategies to help you approach your most pressing challenges with clarity and confidence. Whether it's bridging the gap between business and technology or modernizing legacy systems, you’ll find a breadth of experience and knowledge you need. Check out how This Dot Labs can empower your tech journey.

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You can inspect components, change layouts, see their references, and filter them. By showcasing all the auto-imported composables, Nuxt DevTools provides a clear overview of the composables in use, including their source files. This feature brings much-needed clarity to managing composables within large projects. You can also see short descriptions and documentation links in some of them. Together, these features give you a clear picture of your app's layout and workings, simplifying navigation and management. Modules and Static Assets Management This aspect of the DevTools revolutionizes module management. It displays all registered modules, documentation, and repository links, making it easy to discover and install new modules from the community! This makes managing and expanding your app's capabilities more straightforward than ever. On the other hand, handling static assets like images and videos becomes a breeze. The tool allows you to preview and integrate these assets effortlessly within the DevTools environment. These features significantly enhance the ease and efficiency of managing your app's dynamic and static elements. The Runtime Config and Payload Editor The Runtime Config and Payload Editor in Nuxt DevTools make working with your app's settings and data straightforward. The Runtime Config lets you play with different configuration settings in real time, like adjusting settings on the fly and seeing the effects immediately. This is great for fine-tuning your app without guesswork. The Payload Editor is all about managing the data your app handles, especially data passed from server to client. It's like having a direct view and control over the data your app uses and displays. This tool is handy for seeing how changes in data impact your app, making it easier to understand and debug data-related issues. Open Graph Preview The Open Graph Preview in Nuxt DevTools is a feature I find incredibly handy and a real time-saver. It lets you see how your app will appear when shared on social media platforms. This tool is crucial for SEO and social media presence, as it previews the Open Graph tags (like images and descriptions) used when your app is shared. No more deploying first to check if everything looks right – you can now tweak and get instant feedback within the DevTools. This feature not only streamlines the process of optimizing for social media but also ensures your app makes the best possible first impression online. Timeline The Timeline feature in Nuxt DevTools is another standout tool. It lets you track when and how each part of your app (like composables) is called. This is different from typical performance tools because it focuses on the high-level aspects of your app, like navigation events and composable calls, giving you a more practical view of your app's operation. It's particularly useful for understanding the sequence and impact of events and actions in your app, making it easier to spot issues and optimize performance. This timeline view brings a new level of clarity to monitoring your app's behavior in real-time. Production Build Analyzer The Production Build Analyzer feature in Nuxt DevTools v1.0 is like a health check for your app. It looks at your app's final build and shows you how to make it better and faster. Think of it as a doctor for your app, pointing out areas that need improvement and helping you optimize performance. API Playground The API Playground in Nuxt DevTools v1.0 is like a sandbox where you can play and experiment with your app's APIs. It's a space where you can easily test and try out different things without affecting your main app. This makes it a great tool for trying out new ideas or checking how changes might work. Some other cool features Another amazing aspect of Nuxt DevTools is the embedded full-featured VS Code. It's like having your favorite code editor inside the DevTools, with all its powerful features and extensions. It's incredibly convenient for making quick edits or tweaks to your code. Then there's the Component Inspector. Think of it as your code's detective tool. It lets you easily pinpoint and understand which parts of your code are behind specific elements on your page. This makes identifying and editing components a breeze. And remember customization! Nuxt DevTools lets you tweak its UI to suit your style. This means you can set up the tools just how you like them, making your development environment more comfortable and tailored to your preferences. Conclusion In summary, Nuxt DevTools v1.0 marks a revolutionary step in web development, offering a comprehensive suite of features that elevate the entire development process. Features like live updates, easy navigation, and a user-friendly interface enrich the development experience. Each tool within Nuxt DevTools v1.0 is thoughtfully designed to simplify and enhance how developers build and manage their applications. In essence, Nuxt DevTools v1.0 is more than just a toolkit; it's a transformative companion for developers seeking to build high-quality web applications more efficiently and effectively. It represents the future of web development tools, setting new standards in developer experience and productivity....