Tip
Starting something new? The successor, agentic-react-express-ts, is this stack in TypeScript with tRPC and pre-wired guardrails. This repo stays maintained as the simple JavaScript version. Migration guide.
A full-stack starter with working examples, not empty folders: real CRUD, database relationships, forms with validation, and a clean layered structure you can read in an afternoon.
Version 2.2 · Changelog · Docs
You need Node.js 22+ and a running PostgreSQL (no Postgres? see options).
npx degit Avinava/simple-vite-react-express my-project
cd my-project
npm install
cp example.env .env # then set DATABASE_URL in .env
createdb simple-vite-db # skip if the database already exists
npm run db:setup # migrations + Prisma client
npm run db:seed # optional sample data
npm run devOpen http://localhost:3000. The API runs on http://localhost:8080/api/v1.
Something not working? See Troubleshooting.
A small CRM that shows the patterns you'll reuse:
- Contacts: full CRUD with Formik + Yup forms
- Tasks: status workflow, assigned to contacts
- Projects: many-to-many team membership
- Plumbing: health check, toasts, error handling, security headers, rate limiting, tests
Browser ─► React 19 + MUI 7 ─► Express 5 ─► Prisma 7 ─► PostgreSQL
Client: Pages → Hooks → Services → Axios Server: Routes → Services → Prisma
More in Architecture and the API reference.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
npm run dev |
Client and server together |
npm run build / npm start |
Production build / run |
npm run db:setup |
Migrate + generate Prisma client |
npm run db:seed |
Load sample data |
npm run db:studio |
Prisma Studio GUI |
npm run db:reset |
Drop and re-create the database schema |
npm run test:run |
Tests once (npm test for watch) |
npm run lint / npm run format |
ESLint / Prettier |
| Layer | Tools |
|---|---|
| Client | React 19, Vite 7, MUI 7, React Router 7, Formik + Yup, Axios, react-toastify |
| Server | Express 5, Prisma 7 (pg adapter), celebrate/Joi, Helmet, express-rate-limit |
| Quality | ESLint 9 (flat config), Prettier, Vitest 4, React Testing Library, GitHub Actions CI |
Rename the project, swap the logo and theme, replace the demo models, then delete what you don't need. The checklist lives in Getting Started and Architecture.
Using an AI coding agent? AGENTS.md describes the conventions.
Small, focused PRs welcome. See CONTRIBUTING.md. Security issues: SECURITY.md.