eBookStore Mock Server - Archived Reference

⚠️ IMPORTANT: This is an ARCHIVED REFERENCE
This backend implementation is NOT currently used in the CodeBook e-commerce project.
The current project uses AWS Lambda functions with DynamoDB as the backend (see codebook/aws-lambda/).
This directory is kept for reference and learning purposes only.

📌 Status: Archived Reference

This mock server was the original backend for the eBookStore/CodeBook project during early development. It has been replaced by a serverless architecture using:

AWS Lambda Functions - Serverless API endpoints
AWS DynamoDB - NoSQL database
AWS API Gateway - HTTP API routing
JWT Authentication - Custom authentication system

Current Backend Location: codebook/aws-lambda/
Current Backend Documentation: See codebook/aws-lambda/README.md

This archived reference is maintained for:

Learning purposes - Understanding mock server patterns
Reference - Comparing old vs new architecture
Educational value - Demonstrating different backend approaches

Project Summary

The eBookStore Mock Server is a backend mock API server built with Express, json-server, and json-server-auth to simulate the eBookStore application's backend. It provides a fully functional REST API for products, featured products, orders, and users, complete with authentication and custom access rules. This project is ideal for frontend/backend developers and learners who wish to understand API mockups, authentication, and rapid prototyping.

Note: This was the original backend implementation. The current CodeBook project uses AWS Lambda instead.

Backend Demo: https://codebook-mock-server-j8n3.onrender.com (may be offline)
Frontend Demo: https://ebookstore-arnob.netlify.app
Frontend Source: https://github.com/arnobt78/eBookStore--ReactJS

Status: Archived Reference
Project Summary
Project Structure
Features
Technology Stack
Installation
How to Run
API Endpoints
Authentication & Access
Example Data & Scripts
Learning & Teaching Notes
Architecture Comparison
Conclusion

Project Structure

.
├── .gitignore
├── data/
│   ├── db.json
│   └── routes.json
├── index.js
├── package.json

.gitignore: Specifies files/folders to ignore in Git.
data/db.json: Stores mock data for products, featured products, orders, and users.
data/routes.json: Custom route rules for the API.
index.js: Main entry point; configures and starts the Express server, JSON server, and authentication.
package.json: Project metadata, dependencies, and scripts.

View the project files directly for more details:

Features

Full REST API for eBookStore entities (products, featured_products, orders, users)
Authentication & Authorization using json-server-auth (configurable access levels)
Custom Routing via routes.json
CORS enabled for easy frontend integration
Mock Data for learning, prototyping, and frontend development
Easy Extensibility for new resources or routes

Technology Stack

Node.js: Server runtime
Express: Core server framework
json-server: Rapid REST API mock server
json-server-auth: Simple authentication/authorization layer for json-server

Installation

Prerequisites

Node.js installed (Download Node.js)
npm (Node Package Manager)

Steps

Clone the Repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd Mock-Server--eBookStore

Install Dependencies:
```
npm install
```

How to Run

Start the server with:

npm start

By default, the server runs on: http://localhost:8000

API Endpoints

All endpoints are prefixed with /api:

GET /api/products — Fetch all products
GET /api/featured_products — Fetch all featured products
GET /api/orders — Fetch all orders
GET /api/users — Fetch all users

Custom routes and access rules are defined in data/routes.json:

{
  "/products*": "/444/",
  "/featured_products*": "/444/",
  "/orders*": "/660/",
  "/users*": "/600/"
}

Authentication & Access

Authentication is handled via json-server-auth and rules are set in index.js:

const rules = auth.rewriter({
  products: 444, // Read-only
  featured_products: 444, // Read-only
  orders: 660, // Read & Write
  users: 600, // Full access
});

444 = Read-only access
660 = Read and write access
600 = Full access (CRUD)

Authentication Example:
To access protected routes, you must register/login and use the provided token.

Example Data & Scripts

Example Product (`db.json`)

{
  "products": [
    {
      "id": 10001,
      "name": "Basics To Advanced In React",
      "overview": "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Error unde quisquam magni vel eligendi nam.",
      "long_description": "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur, adipisicing elit. Soluta aut, vel ipsum maxime quam quia, quaerat tempore minus odio exercitationem illum et eos, quas ipsa aperiam magnam officiis libero expedita quo voluptas deleniti sit dolore? Praesentium tempora cumque facere consectetur quia, molestiae quam, accusamus eius corrupti laudantium aliquid! Tempore laudantium unde labore voluptates repellat, dignissimos aperiam ad ipsum laborum recusandae voluptatem non dolore. Reiciendis cum quo illum. Dolorem, molestiae corporis.",
      "price": 29,
      "poster": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1633356122544-f134324a6cee?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=650&q=40",
      "image_local": "/assets/images/10001.avif",
      "rating": 5,
      "in_stock": true,
      "size": 5,
      "best_seller": true
    }
    // More products...
  ]
}

For more, see data/db.json

Learning & Teaching Notes

Purpose: This project is designed as a learning tool for developers to understand how to mock REST APIs, use authentication, and simulate a real backend for frontend development.
Modular Structure: Easily add more entities or extend existing data.
Security: Shows how to implement and test route protection in a mock server context.
Frontend Integration: Works perfectly with any frontend (React, Angular, Vue, etc.) — just use the /api endpoints.
Customization: Data, routes, and access rules can be easily edited for different scenarios.

Architecture Comparison

Old Architecture (This Reference - Archived)

Frontend (React)
    ↓
Express + json-server + json-server-auth
    ↓
JSON File (db.json) - In-memory database
    ↓
Render.com / Local Server

Characteristics:

✅ Simple setup - just npm start
✅ Fast prototyping
✅ Good for learning and development
❌ Not scalable for production
❌ Data stored in JSON file (not persistent)
❌ Requires always-on server
❌ Limited authentication features

Current Architecture (Active)

Frontend (React)
    ↓
AWS API Gateway (HTTP API)
    ↓
AWS Lambda Functions (Serverless)
    ↓
AWS DynamoDB (NoSQL Database)

Characteristics:

✅ Serverless - no server management
✅ Scalable - auto-scales with traffic
✅ Production-ready
✅ Persistent data storage (DynamoDB)
✅ Pay-per-use pricing
✅ AWS Free Tier eligible
✅ Advanced features (payment processing, email, shipping)

Why the Migration?

The project migrated from this mock server to AWS Lambda for:

Scalability - Serverless architecture handles traffic spikes automatically
Cost Efficiency - Pay only for what you use (free tier available)
Production Ready - Real database, proper authentication, payment processing
Feature Rich - Support for Stripe payments, email notifications, shipping labels
Maintenance - No server management, automatic updates, high availability

When to Use Each Approach

Use Mock Server (This Reference):

Learning and prototyping
Frontend development without backend
Quick demos and POCs
Teaching REST API concepts
Local development only

Use AWS Lambda (Current):

Production applications
Scalable projects
Real-world features (payments, emails, etc.)
Cost-effective serverless architecture
Enterprise-grade infrastructure

Full Code Example: Server Setup (`index.js`)

import express from "express";
import jsonServer from "json-server";
import auth from "json-server-auth";

const server = express();
server.use((req, res, next) => {
  res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*");
  res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Headers", "*");
  next();
});

const router = jsonServer.router("./data/db.json");
server.use("/api", router);
server.db = router.db;

const middlewares = jsonServer.defaults();
const rules = auth.rewriter({
  products: 444,
  featured_products: 444,
  orders: 660,
  users: 600,
});

server.use(rules);
server.use(auth);
server.use(middlewares);
server.use(router);

server.listen(8000);

Keywords

express, json-server, mock api, authentication, json-server-auth, REST, node.js, eBookStore, api prototyping, learning, teaching, backend, routes, middleware, mock data, CORS

Conclusion

The eBookStore Mock Server is a robust and easy-to-use mock backend for learning, teaching, and rapid prototyping. With real-world structure and authentication, it empowers developers to quickly test and demo frontend applications without building a full backend. Customize the data, routes, and rules as needed — and start building today!

Note: While this mock server is archived and no longer used in the active CodeBook project, it remains a valuable reference for understanding:

Mock API server patterns
Express.js and json-server usage
Authentication with json-server-auth
Rapid prototyping techniques
Backend architecture evolution

For the current production backend, see codebook/aws-lambda/README.md.

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eBookStore Mock Server - Archived Reference

📌 Status: Archived Reference

Project Summary

Table of Contents

Project Structure

Features

Technology Stack

Installation

Prerequisites

Steps

How to Run

API Endpoints

Authentication & Access

Example Data & Scripts

Example Product (`db.json`)

Learning & Teaching Notes

Architecture Comparison

Old Architecture (This Reference - Archived)

Current Architecture (Active)

Why the Migration?

When to Use Each Approach

Full Code Example: Server Setup (`index.js`)

Keywords

Conclusion

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README.md

Latest commit

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README.md

File metadata and controls

eBookStore Mock Server - Archived Reference

📌 Status: Archived Reference

Project Summary

Table of Contents

Project Structure

Features

Technology Stack

Installation

Prerequisites

Steps

How to Run

API Endpoints

Authentication & Access

Example Data & Scripts

Example Product (db.json)

Learning & Teaching Notes

Architecture Comparison

Old Architecture (This Reference - Archived)

Current Architecture (Active)

Why the Migration?

When to Use Each Approach

Full Code Example: Server Setup (index.js)

Keywords

Conclusion

Example Product (`db.json`)

Full Code Example: Server Setup (`index.js`)