mean_dart_example

Example of using express_dart, angular2_dart, and mongo_dart to create a MEAN stack app fully in dart (Perhaps MEAD since dart replaces node.js!).

Run the examples!

There are two examples of the server to try out: one that holds an in- memory set of data and performs CRUD operations on this dataset, and one that proxies the CRUD operations to a running instance of a mongodb.

Basic Express Server (no mongodb)

To run the express server, run app.dart in the bin/ folder:

dart bin/app.dart
[2017-05-18 22:50:36.788524] listening on http://127.0.0.1:8000

Then navigate to http://localhost:8000 in a browser.

Mongodb Express Server

To run the express server with mongodb, run the app_db.dart in the bin/ folder. By default the server will attempt to connect to a db instance running locally, and try to connect to a heroes database: mongodb://localhost:27017/heroes

You must have a running instance of mongod before you start the server!

dart bin/app_db.dart
[2017-05-18 22:50:36.788524] listening on http://127.0.0.1:8000

Then navigate to http://localhost:8000 in a browser.

Project Structure

All server code is located in the bin/ folder. All client code is located in the public/ folder.

Client Code

The public/ folder contains a simple angular2 web app. The app contains all necessary files to be developed on in dart. You can develop the client-side code by running a pub get in the public/ folder, then a pub serve. The server pulls from the public/build/ folder, so when the client-side app has been developed, running pub build will update that folder with new code that the server can serve on GET requests.

All data related queries send their requests to an api/ endpoint within the running server. This allows the server to differentiate between serving rendered content and raw JSON data responses.

Server Code

The server runs using a custom file handler that redirects all requests to the same index.html by default. This is done to correctly display deep links within the angular2 app. The URI is then passed to the app and the client can handle those deep links.

All requests from the client are routed to the api/ endpoint. These requests are specified, so the default redirect does not take place. All CRUD operations are supported. This allows multiple implementations to occur for manipulating data, but the client does not need to know those details.

The server without mongodb simply keeps an in-memory set of hereos that it manipulates while the server with mongodb catches the requests and forwards those to the actual mongodb, returning the results.

More Info

The following packages were used in this project:

• angular2.dart - Front-end web app
• express.dart - Server
• mongo.dart - Manipulating the database

The client-side code was taken from a great tutorial and intro to angular2 (written specifically for dart!).

For more information about mongodb, check out their website.