A modular and scalable backend system integrating secure authentication, role-based access control, and PostgreSQL database-driven RESTful APIs.

The increasing complexity of modern web applications necessitates secure and efficient ways to manage data and user access. Traditional applications often face challenges such as:

• Security Gaps: Insufficient or improperly implemented user authentication and role-based access control can lead to vulnerabilities.
• Scalability Issues: Poorly designed APIs can become bottlenecks as applications grow.
• Time-Consuming Integration: Developers often need to spend significant time integrating databases with APIs and implementing security layers.

This project addresses these challenges by creating a modular and scalable API framework that integrates robust authentication and role-based access control (RBAC) with a PostgreSQL database. The goal is to provide a foundational solution that developers can easily adapt and extend for real-world applications, ensuring security, performance, and scalability.

SQL to API: Functional APIs with Role-Based Access Control is a full-stack project aimed at building a secure and scalable backend system using Node.js and PostgreSQL. It showcases the integration of database-driven RESTful APIs with advanced access management features, making it an excellent foundation for enterprise-grade applications.

1. Security First:

   • Implement industry-standard authentication with hashed passwords and JWTs.
   • Incorporate role-based access control to regulate resource access based on user roles.

2. Database-Centric Design:

   • Use PostgreSQL as the relational database for storing user data and permissions.
   • Ensure efficient database queries and data handling.

3. Modularity & Scalability:

   • Structure the project for easy extension and scalability.
   • Provide a clean and reusable codebase for future enhancements.

4. Practical Use Cases:

   • Demonstrate the ability to create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) operations with role-based access restrictions.
   • Serve as a robust backend framework for any application requiring secure data handling.

• Authentication and Authorisation:

  • User registration and login with encrypted passwords.
  • JWT-based stateless authentication.
  • Role-based middleware to enforce permissions.

• Database Management:

  • Centralised data storage with a well-defined schema in PostgreSQL.
  • SQL schema provided for quick database setup.

• RESTful Endpoints:

  • Comprehensive CRUD operations, secured and optimized.
  • Separation of concerns for routing, middleware, and business logic.

• Extensibility:

  • Easily adaptable for different use cases, such as e-commerce, education, or financial applications.

• Node.js (v16+)
• PostgreSQL (v13+)
• npm (v7+)

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/drnsmith/SQLtoAPI-Functional-APIs-with-Role-Based-Access-Control-from-Postgres-DB-using-NodeJS.git
   cd SQLtoAPI-Functional-APIs-with-Role-Based-Access-Control-from-Postgres-DB-using-NodeJS

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Configure the database:

   • Create a PostgreSQL database using the provided db_uni.sql script.
   • Update the db.js file with your database credentials.

4. Run the application:

   npm start

• app.js: Initializes the server and middleware.
• db.js: Handles database connection and queries.
• index.js: Defines the application routes.
• db_uni.sql: SQL script for creating the database schema.
• package.json & package-lock.json: Dependencies and scripts for the project.

• Languages: JavaScript
• Backend Framework: Node.js (Express.js)
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Authentication: JWT (JSON Web Tokens), bcrypt.js
• Role-Based Access Control: Middleware for authorization
• Deployment: Docker-ready

We welcome contributions to enhance this project! Please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a feature branch.
3. Commit your changes with clear messages.
4. Submit a pull request for review.

This project is licensed under the MIT License.