Data Layer

Goal

This snapshot advances Glasspoint Notes by teaching you to persist authors and posts in SQLite.

Every numbered folder is a complete app. Run this stage independently, then compare it with the previous folder.

Prerequisites

Use Node.js 20+, npm, and a terminal. No Docker is required — each snapshot uses a local SQLite file.

Port 3006 must be free. Copy .env.example before starting database stages.

• Node.js and npm
• A code editor and terminal

Concepts

Each snapshot uses its own SQLite file so stages stay independent.

Keep handlers thin: Express routes load data, Lit templates present escaped HTML, and mutations re-check authorization on the server.

Walkthrough

Connect DATABASE_PATH, create User and Post tables, seed Ada and Grace.

Read the example, then open the matching snapshot. The repository includes the surrounding setup and error handling.

const posts = db.prepare('SELECT * FROM posts ORDER BY created_at DESC').all()

Run and verify

Enter 04-Data-Layer, install dependencies, copy .env.example, and start Express on port 3006.

Open http://127.0.0.1:3006. Watch the terminal for validation and database errors.

git clone https://github.com/michaeldunga1/fcc-lit-blog.git
cd fcc-lit-blog/04-Data-Layer
npm install
cp .env.example .env
npm run dev

Troubleshooting

If the schema looks stale, delete glasspoint.db and restart.

For database failures, delete glasspoint.db and restart so schema and seeds recreate. Never commit .env, *.db, or node_modules.

• Read the first error first
• Restart after environment changes
• Never commit secrets

Try this

Add a minimum title length check before insert.

Test a happy path and one invalid or unauthorized request.

• Make one small change
• Test it in the browser
• Compare with the next snapshot only after it works