Installation
Meet Formidable
Formidable (or formidablejs) is a modern full-stack framework designed to help you build scalable backend applications with a strong focus on developer experience. With Formidable, you can effortlessly create full-stack Node.js applications using TypeScript or Imba, offering a solid foundation for your projects.
Formidable uses Fastify for optimal performance and scalability, ensuring your application runs efficiently even under heavy loads.
For the frontend, you can choose from popular frameworks like Vue, React, and Svelte, giving you the flexibility to craft modern, dynamic user interfaces with ease.
Your First Formidable Project
Prerequisites
Please make sure that Node.js (>= 20.*) is installed on your operating system.
Please note Formidable is not yet fully compatible with Bun, but we are working on it.
Tooling
For a better development experience, we recommend using the following tools:
- VS Code - A free and open source code editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- Imba Extension - VS Code Language support for Imba.
Installation
You may create a new Formidable project by using the create-formidable CLI. After the application has been created, you may start Formidable's local development server using the dev script:
- npm
- pnpm
- yarn
- bun
npm create formidable@latest example-app
cd example-app
npm run dev
For convenience, the Formidable installer can also create a Git repository for your new project. To indicate that you want a Git repository to be created, pass the --git flag when creating a new project:
npm create formidable@latest example-app -- --git
This command will initialize a new Git repository for your project.
By default, the create-formidable CLI will scaffold your application with TypeScript. If you would like to scaffold your application with Imba, you may pass the --language flag and set the value to "imba":
npm create formidable@latest example-app -- --language imba
pnpm create formidable@latest example-app
cd example-app
pnpm run dev
For convenience, the Formidable installer can also create a Git repository for your new project. To indicate that you want a Git repository to be created, pass the --git flag when creating a new project:
pnpm create formidable@latest example-app --git
This command will initialize a new Git repository for your project.
By default, the create-formidable CLI will scaffold your application with TypeScript. If you would like to scaffold your application with Imba, you may pass the --language flag and set the value to "imba":
pnpm create formidable@latest example-app --language imba
yarn create formidable example-app
cd example-app
yarn run dev
For convenience, the Formidable installer can also create a Git repository for your new project. To indicate that you want a Git repository to be created, pass the --git flag when creating a new project:
yarn create formidable example-app --git
This command will initialize a new Git repository for your project.
By default, the create-formidable CLI will scaffold your application with TypeScript. If you would like to scaffold your application with Imba, you may pass the --language flag and set the value to "imba":
yarn create formidable example-app --language imba
bun create formidable@latest example-app
cd example-app
bun run dev
For convenience, the Formidable installer can also create a Git repository for your new project. To indicate that you want a Git repository to be created, pass the --git flag when creating a new project:
bun create formidable@latest example-app --git
This command will initialize a new Git repository for your project.
By default, the create-formidable CLI will scaffold your application with TypeScript. If you would like to scaffold your application with Imba, you may pass the --language flag and set the value to "imba":
bun create formidable@latest example-app --language imba
Windows Considations
To ensure compatibility and smooth operation on Windows, it is recommended to enable Developer Mode or use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This will help avoid potential issues with command execution and file paths that may arise when using the default Command Prompt or PowerShell.
This is a crucial step for Windows users to avoid potential issues with command execution and file paths that may arise when using the default Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Initial Configuration
All of the configuration files for the Formidable framework are stored in the config directory. Each option is documented, so feel free to look through the files and get familiar with the options available to you.
Environment Based Configuration
Since many of Formidable's configuration option values may vary depending on whether your application is running on your local computer or on a production web server, many important configuration values are defined using the .env file that exists at the root of your application.
Your .env file and the bootstrap/cache/config.json file should not be committed to your application's source control, since each developer / server using your application could require a different environment configuration. Furthermore, this would be a security risk in the event an intruder gains access to your source control repository, since any sensitive credentials would get exposed.
Next Steps
Formidable The API Backend
Formidable may serve as an API backend to a JavaScript single-page application or mobile application. For example, you might use Formidable as an API backend for your Vue.js SPA application. In this context, you may use Formidable to provide authentication and data storage / retrieval for your application.
Formidable The Full Stack Framework
Formidable may also serve as a full stack framework. By "full stack" framework we mean that you are going to use Formidable to route requests to your application and render your frontend via Imba views or using a single-page application hybrid technology like Inertia.js.