Introduction
In the modern e-commerce landscape, a powerful backend system is crucial for managing various aspects of an online store. In this post, I'll share how I developed a robust e-commerce REST API using Node.js and PostgreSQL. This API manages categories, products, orders, payments, and includes user and admin authentication, forming the backbone of a fully-featured e-commerce platform.
Project Overview
The e-commerce API I built provides endpoints for managing:
Categories: Organize products into different categories to enhance the shopping experience.
Products: Handle the details of each product, including pricing and inventory.
Orders: Manage customer orders, track their status, and handle billing and shipping information.
Payments: Process and track payment transactions for orders.
User Authentication: Secure access for users to manage their accounts and orders.
Admin Authentication: Allow administrators to manage products, categories, and view all orders.
Categories
Categories allow us to classify products, making it easier for customers to find what they're looking for. The API provides endpoints to create, read, update, and delete categories.
Features:
Add new categories with a name and description.
Retrieve a list of all categories or a specific category by its ID.
Update category details or delete categories when necessary.
Products
Products are the core of any e-commerce platform. The API supports comprehensive product management functionalities.
Features:
Create products associated with specific categories.
Retrieve details of all products or individual products by their ID.
Update product information, including pricing, description, and inventory levels.
Delete products when they are no longer available.
Orders
Orders manage the purchasing process. The API handles various aspects of order management, ensuring a smooth checkout experience for customers.
Features:
Create new orders with user details, shipping and billing addresses, and total amount.
Track the status of orders, such as pending, shipped, or completed.
Retrieve order details to view past transactions or current order statuses.
Delete orders when needed.
Payments
Payments are crucial for completing transactions. The API provides endpoints to handle payment processing and tracking.
Features:
Record payments associated with orders, including amount, payment method, and transaction details.
Track the status of payments, such as completed or pending.
Retrieve payment details for specific transactions or view a list of all payments.
User Authentication
To ensure secure access, the API includes authentication mechanisms for users.
Features:
User Registration: Allows users to create accounts by providing their email, password, and other details.
User Login: Authenticates users and provides a token for accessing protected routes.
User Profile: Enables users to view and update their profile information.
Token-based Authentication: Secures API routes using JWT tokens to ensure that only authenticated users can access certain endpoints.
Admin Authentication
Administrative functionalities are protected by authentication to ensure only authorized personnel can manage critical aspects of the platform.
Features:
Admin Registration: Allows for the creation of new admin accounts.
Admin Login: Provides a token for admins to access admin-specific routes.
Admin Dashboard: Enables admins to manage categories, products, and view all orders and payments.
Role-based Access Control: Restricts access to admin functionalities to only those with admin roles.
Conclusion
Building this e-commerce REST API involved designing a well-structured backend system to handle various aspects of an online store. By using Node.js for the server and PostgreSQL for the database, and incorporating robust authentication mechanisms, I was able to create a scalable and efficient system to support product management, order processing, and payment handling, while ensuring secure access for both users and administrators.
I hope this overview provides insight into the development of an e-commerce backend system. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further details about the project!