Build with clarity.

Installation #

You need Node.js 24 LTS or newer and a package manager. Install the CLI globally using pnpm or npm.

pnpm add -g @exetjs/cli

npm install -g @exetjs/cli

Verify that the executable is available:

exet --version

For manual integration in an existing ESM project, install @exetjs/core directly. For a new application, the CLI is the recommended starting point.

Quick start #

Create a project, enter its directory, and start development. The setup wizard asks for your package manager, server host, port, API prefix, and CORS origin.

exet init my-api
cd my-api
exet start

The CLI prints the resolved server address and health URL. Open the health URL or request it from your terminal. With port 5000 and the default API prefix:

curl http://localhost:5000/api/v1/health

CLI commands #

A focused command set for the everyday development loop. Run project commands from the directory containing exet.config.ts.

exet init my-api --no-install

exet start --no-watch

exet install auth --dry-run

exet list

exet doctor

exet install also supports --no-install to skip dependency installation and --force to allow overwriting template files. Review a dry run before replacing existing work.

Project structure #

The generated project separates runtime setup from feature modules. Routes and handlers live with their module; shared utilities have a dedicated home.

my-api/
├── src/
│   ├── app.ts                # Application bootstrap
│   ├── main.ts               # Runtime entry point
│   ├── config/               # Environment and app config
│   ├── middlewares/          # Logging and error handling
│   ├── modules/
│   │   ├── index.ts          # Explicit module registry
│   │   └── health/           # Built-in health module
│   └── shared/               # Reusable utilities
├── .env
├── .env.example
├── exet.config.ts
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json

src/app.ts creates the application, registers the modules, and starts the server. src/modules/index.ts is the explicit module registry. Keep the registry marker comments so the CLI can safely add new modules.

Runtime configuration #

Project defaults live in exet.config.ts. An environment file and process environment can override runtime values. The order is explicit:

HOST=0.0.0.0
PORT=5000
API_PREFIX=/api/v1
APP_NAME=my-api
NODE_ENV=development
CORS_ENABLED=true
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:5173
LOG_LEVEL=info

The environment file path comes from paths.envFile. Set EXET_ENV_FILE to override that path for a specific process. New projects use HOST and PORT; the older APP_HOST and APP_PORT aliases are deprecated.

Modules #

See the module catalog for available modules and the Core module contract for the complete API.

A module declares its name, base path, and registration function. It returns an Express router, keeping ordinary Express routes and middleware available.

import { Router } from 'express';
import type { ExetModule } from '@exetjs/core';

export const helloModule: ExetModule = {
  name: 'hello',
  basePath: '/hello',
  register: () => {
    const router = Router();
    router.get('/', (_req, res) => {
      res.json({ message: 'Hello, ExetJS.' });
    });
    return { router };
  },
};

Add the module to the exported registry alongside the built-in health module:

import type { ExetModule } from '@exetjs/core';
import { healthModule } from './health/health.module.js';
import { helloModule } from './hello/hello.module.js';

// exet:imports:start
// exet:imports:end

export const modules: ExetModule[] = [
  healthModule,
  helloModule,
  // exet:modules:start
  // exet:modules:end
];

With the default prefix, the route is available at /api/v1/hello. To explore the templates included with your installed CLI, run exet list.

Health check #

Generated projects include a health module at the default endpoint:

curl http://localhost:5000/api/v1/health

The handler returns HTTP 200 with an API response containing status: "ok", engine: "ExetJS", and a timestamp. Its path follows your configured API prefix.

Use it to check that the application is reachable. Add checks for your database and other dependencies if your deployment needs readiness checks beyond the built-in endpoint.

Deployment #

Deploy the generated backend to an environment that supports Node.js 24 or newer. Type-check and build the project, then run the compiled entry point using the production script.

pnpm check
pnpm build
pnpm start:prod

Set NODE_ENV=production and provide the runtime environment values through your host. Bind to HOST=0.0.0.0 where required, configure the assigned port, and set the intended CORS origin.

The production script runs node dist/main.js. Keep required runtime dependencies available and use your host's process supervision. The development command exet start is intended for the local workflow.

Frequently asked questions #