Node Modules Finder

The Node Modules Finder application is a simple tool designed to help users manage and open folders containing node_modules. It consists of a frontend built with React and a backend powered by Express.js. This document provides an overview of both components, including installation instructions, features, and API details.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Frontend
  • Features
  • Installation
  • Usage
• Backend
  • Features
  • Installation
  • API Endpoints
• Importand
• Future Enhancements: Elevating Functionality
• Acknowledgements
• License

Overview

The Node Modules Finder application consists of two main components: the frontend, which provides the user interface, and the backend, which handles API requests for folder management.

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Frontend

The frontend is built using React and provides a clean and intuitive interface for users to view and open folders.

Frontend Features

• Displays a list of folders containing node_modules.
• Allows users to open selected folders with a single click.
• Provides error handling and feedback messages.

Frontend Installation

To set up the frontend locally, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/gunash-portfolio/node-modules-finder
   cd node-modules-finder/node-modules-frontend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Run the application:

   npm start

Frontend Usage

• Once the application is running, it will automatically fetch and display a list of folder paths containing node_modules.

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Backend

The backend is built using Express.js and provides the necessary API endpoints for the frontend to communicate with.

Backend Features

• Search for node_modules directories: Recursively searches the filesystem for directories named node_modules.
• Open folders: Allows users to open specific folders based on their paths.

Backend Installation

To set up the backend locally, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/gunash-portfolio/node-modules-finder
   cd node-modules-finder/src

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Compile dependencies:

   npx tsc

4. Run the server:

   node dist/server.js

The server will start on http://localhost:3001.

Backend API Endpoints

1.Get Node Modules

• Endpoint: GET /api/node-modules
• Description: Recursively searches for directories named node_modules starting from the root directory (or a specified directory).
• Response: A JSON array of folder paths containing node_modules .

[
  "/path/to/folder1",
  "/path/to/folder2"
]

2.Open Folder

• Endpoint: POST /api/open-folder
• Description: Opens a specified folder based on the provided path.
• Requested Body:

{
  "folderPath": "/path/to/folder"
}

• Response:
  • Success: Returns a JSON object with a success message.

    {
    "message": "Folder opened"
    }

  • Error: Returns a JSON object with a error message if the folder could not be opened.

    {
     "error": "Failed to open folder"
    }

Important

• First you must install, compile and run backend side:

• Second you must install and run frontend side and open http://localhost:3000 in your browser:

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Future Enhancements: Elevating Functionality

To further enhance the capabilities of the Node Modules Finder application, the following features could be considered for future development:

• User Authentication:: Implement user authentication to restrict access to folder opening functionality based on user roles or permissions.
• Folder Navigation Interface:: Create a user-friendly interface that allows users to navigate the filesystem visually, selecting folders to open without needing to remember paths.
• Search Functionality:: Add a search feature that allows users to quickly find specific folders or files within the node_modules directories.
• Favorites and History:: Implement a system for users to mark certain folders as favorites and maintain a history of recently opened folders for quick access.
• File Management Features:: Extend functionality to allow users to perform file management tasks such as copying, moving, or deleting files directly from the interface.
• Error Handling Improvements:: Enhance error handling to provide more informative feedback to users when folder opening fails, including potential causes and troubleshooting steps.
• Mobile Compatibility: Optimize the application for mobile devices, enabling users to access folder management features on the go.
• Configuration Options:: Allow users to customize the root search path and other settings to tailor the application to their specific needs.

Acknowledgements

• Inspired by the need to manage folder structures in a Node.js environment.
• Thanks to the Node.js, Express, and React communities for their resources and documentation.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.