📚 Stack Library API

📖 Project Overview

Stack Library API is a RESTful API built using Node.js and Express.js that demonstrates modern backend development practices.

This project includes:

• API Key Authentication
• HATEOAS Implementation
• CRUD Operations
• Pagination
• Rate Limiting
• Logging
• Usage Tracking
• Modular Architecture
• Global Error Handling

This API simulates a real-world production-ready backend system using a dummy JSON-based database.

---

🚀 Features

🔐 Authentication

• Login-based access
• API Key generation
• Header-based API authentication

Header format:

x-api-key: stack_xxxxxxxxx

---

🔗 HATEOAS Support

After login, the API returns navigational links such as:

• Generate API Key
• Get Books
• Access Resources

---

📚 CRUD Operations

Supports:

• Create books
• Read books
• Pagination support
• Resource access control

---

📄 Pagination

Supported query parameters:

?page=1
&limit=5

Example:

GET /api/books?page=1&limit=5

---

⚡ Rate Limiting

Limits:

5 Requests per minute

Prevents:

• Server overload
• API abuse

---

🧾 Request Logging

Logs include:

• HTTP Method
• Route
• Status Code
• Response Time

---

📊 API Usage Tracking

Tracks:

• Request count
• Last used timestamp

Example:

"usage": {
    "requestCount": 12,
    "lastUsed": "2026-04-16T08:50:00Z"
}

---

❌ Global Error Handling

Centralized error responses.

Example:

{
  "success": false,
  "error": "Route not found"
}

---

🏗️ Folder Structure

project-root
│
├── config
│   └── db.js
│
├── controllers
│   ├── authController.js
│   ├── bookController.js
│   ├── usageController.js
│   └── docsController.js
│
├── middleware
│   ├── apiKeyMiddleware.js
│   ├── rateLimiter.js
│   ├── errorHandler.js
│
├── routes
│   ├── authRoutes.js
│   ├── bookRoutes.js
│   ├── usageRoutes.js
│   └── docsRoutes.js
│
├── data
│   ├── users.json
│   └── books.json
│
├── utils
│   └── generateApiKey.js
│
├── .env
├── app.js
├── package.json
└── README.md

---

⚙️ Installation Guide

Step 1 — Clone Project

git clone <repository-url>

---

Step 2 — Install Dependencies

npm install

---

Step 3 — Create .env File

Example:

PORT=5000

API_KEY_HEADER=x-api-key

RATE_LIMIT_MAX=5

RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW=60000

---

Step 4 — Start Server

npm start

or

node app.js

Server runs at:

http://localhost:5000

---

🔑 Authentication Flow

Step 1 — Login

POST /api/login

Body:

{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "password": "password"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "apiKey": "stack_xxxxx",
  "links": [...]
}

---

Step 2 — Use API Key

Add header:

x-api-key: stack_xxxxx

Then access:

GET /api/books

---

📡 API Endpoints

---

🔐 Login User

POST /api/login

Body:

{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "password": "password"
}

---

🔑 Generate API Key

POST /api/generate-api-key

---

📚 Get Books

GET /api/books

Optional:

?page=1
&limit=5

---

➕ Create Book

POST /api/books

Body:

{
  "title": "Book Title",
  "author": "Author Name"
}

---

📊 Get Usage Stats

GET /api/usage

---

📄 API Documentation

GET /api/docs

---

🛠️ Technologies Used

• Node.js
• Express.js
• UUID
• Morgan (Logger)
• Express Rate Limit
• dotenv
• JSON File Database

---

🎯 Learning Goals Achieved

This project demonstrates:

• RESTful API design
• API Key authentication
• HATEOAS implementation
• Middleware architecture
• Pagination logic
• Rate limiting
• Logging system
• Usage analytics
• Modular backend structure

---

📌 Future Improvements

Possible upgrades:

• Database Integration (MongoDB / PostgreSQL)
• JWT Authentication
• Swagger Documentation
• Role-Based Access Control
• API Versioning

---

👨‍💻 Author

StackWiseDev Developer

---

📜 License

This project is for learning and educational purposes.