Overview:

The MERN App is a simple project repository containing a MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js) stack app with a focus on deploying a production-ready React-Express app. The project allows the frontend to call a simple API to confirm successful API calls. The benefit of the project is the utilization of a proxy with the Express server, allowing the React project to be built into static files that Express serves. This eliminates the need for separate servers for frontend and backend, simplifying project management and resolving CORS issues.

Features:

• Project layout showcasing a generic MERN stack app structure.
• Ability to set up project manually or with Docker, including Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml files.
• Docker integration for easy setup and execution of the MERN app.
• Cleaning up container and image post-project use to optimize resources.
• Manual setup option for those interested in building the project themselves.
• Running React server for frontend viewing at localhost:3000.
• API functionality available for testing successful API calls.
• Full-stack development using MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js.

Installation:

1. Clone the project using the command: $ git clone <project-url>
2. For Docker setup:
   • Install Docker Desktop for Mac or Windows, or follow Linux distribution instructions.
   • Use Docker Compose for container creation, navigate to project directory.
   • Build and run the container with $ docker-compose up.
   • Access the site at http://localhost:5000.
   • Stop the container by pressing <Ctrl-C> twice and close it with $ docker-compose down.
   • Clean up the container and image using $ docker system prune.
3. For manual setup:
   • Install dependencies using appropriate package managers for Express and React.
   • Navigate to the client directory and run the React server with $ npm start.
   • Access the React frontend at http://localhost:3000.

Summary:

The MERN App project offers a simplified approach to deploying React-Express apps through a MERN stack setup. Users can choose between Dockerized setup for easy deployment or manual installation for a custom approach. The integration of a proxy with the Express server eliminates CORS issues and streamlines the project’s management. Overall, the project provides a practical solution for developers looking to create and deploy full-stack applications efficiently.