Backlify — Backend Project Generator
Build your backend foundation in seconds.
Backlify is a professional VS Code extension that scaffolds complete, production-ready Express.js + MongoDB backend projects with real boilerplate code — no more manually creating folders, routes, controllers, models, middleware, and configuration files.
✨ Features
🚀 Create Backend Project
Generate a complete, connected backend project structure with a professional setup wizard:
- Project Name validation
- Backend Framework: Express.js
- Database: MongoDB or None
- Architecture: MVC, MVC + Services, Custom
- Authentication: None, JWT, or JWT + bcrypt
- Feature selection: Authentication, Users, Products, Orders, File Uploads, Validation, Error Handling, Logging, CORS, Environment Variables, API Documentation, Tests
- Package Manager: npm, yarn, pnpm
➕ Create Resource
Generate individual resources with custom fields:
- Pick which files to create (Model, Controller, Routes, Service, Validator)
- Supports field types:
String, Number, Boolean, Date, Array, ObjectId
- Automatically registers the new route in
app.js
⚡ Generate CRUD
Scaffold a full REST CRUD resource in seconds:
- POST / GET (list) / GET (by id) / PUT / DELETE
- Full async error handling via
express-async-handler
- Connected Model → Controller → Service → Routes → Validation layers
🔐 Authentication Generator
When JWT is selected, automatically generates:
User model with password hashing via bcryptregister, login, me endpoints- JWT signing utility + protect middleware
- Input validation with
express-validator
📦 Add Feature
Incrementally add features to an existing project:
- Authentication, Users, Products, Orders, File Uploads, Validation, Error Handling, CORS, Logging
- Safe overwrite prompts for existing files
🔍 Analyze Project
Inspect an existing workspace and detect:
- Backend framework, database, architecture
- Authentication method, package manager
- Existing resources (from
models/*.js)
- Project structure completeness
Beautiful Activity Bar panel with:
- One-click quick actions
- Real-time project info cards
- Project structure checklist
- Direct link to extension settings
📦 Installation
From VS Code Marketplace
- Open VS Code
- Press
Ctrl+P / Cmd+P → type ext install backlify.backlify
- Or search Backlify in the Extensions panel
From VSIX
vsce package
code --install-extension backlify-1.0.0.vsix
🚀 Getting Started
1. Create a New Backend Project
- Open an empty folder in VS Code (File → Open Folder)
- Open the Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
- Run: Backlify: Create Backend Project
- Follow the wizard (project name → framework → DB → architecture → auth → features → package manager)
- Wait for "Backlify project created successfully."
- Open the generated folder when prompted
2. Install Dependencies
cd my-project-name
npm install
Or:
yarn install
Or:
pnpm install
Copy .env.example to .env and fill in your values:
PORT=5000
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/my-db
JWT_SECRET=change-this-to-a-random-string
JWT_EXPIRES_IN=7d
4. Run the Project
Development:
npm run dev
Production:
npm start
Open http://localhost:5000/api/health to verify it's running.
🎛️ Commands
| Command |
Description |
| Backlify: Create Backend Project |
Run the full project scaffold wizard |
| Backlify: Create Resource |
Generate a single resource |
| Backlify: Generate CRUD |
Generate full REST CRUD operations |
| Backlify: Add Feature |
Add a feature to an existing Backlify project |
| Backlify: Analyze Project |
Inspect the current project configuration |
⚙️ Extension Settings
Open Settings → Extensions → Backlify or use the gear icon in the sidebar.
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
backlify.defaultFramework |
Express.js |
Pre-selected framework |
backlify.defaultDatabase |
MongoDB |
Pre-selected database |
backlify.defaultArchitecture |
MVC |
Pre-selected architecture |
backlify.includeReadme |
true |
Generate README.md |
backlify.includeGitignore |
true |
Generate .gitignore |
backlify.confirmBeforeOverwrite |
true |
Confirm before replacing existing files |
🏗️ Generated Project Structure
my-ecommerce-api/
├── src/
│ ├── config/
│ │ ├── db.js
│ │ └── env.js
│ ├── controllers/
│ │ ├── authController.js
│ │ └── userController.js
│ ├── middleware/
│ │ ├── authMiddleware.js
│ │ ├── errorMiddleware.js
│ │ └── notFoundMiddleware.js
│ ├── models/
│ │ └── User.js
│ ├── routes/
│ │ ├── authRoutes.js
│ │ └── userRoutes.js
│ ├── services/
│ │ ├── authService.js
│ │ └── userService.js
│ ├── utils/
│ │ └── generateToken.js
│ ├── validators/
│ │ └── authValidator.js
│ ├── app.js
│ └── server.js
├── public/
│ ├── css/
│ ├── js/
│ └── images/
├── tests/
├── .env
├── .env.example
├── .gitignore
├── package.json
├── README.md
└── nodemon.json
🛠️ Development
Prerequisites
- Node.js ≥ 16
- npm / yarn / pnpm
- VS Code
Setup
git clone <repo>
cd backlify
npm install
Compile
npm run compile
Watch mode:
npm run watch
Run Extension
- Open the
backlify folder in VS Code
- Press
F5
- A new Extension Development Host window opens
- Open an empty folder in that window
- Test commands through
Ctrl+Shift+P
Packaging
npm run package
This produces: backlify-1.0.0.vsix
Publishing
npm run publish
🧪 Testing Each Command
Create Backend Project
- Open empty folder
- Run the command
- Select Express + MongoDB + MVC + JWT+bcrypt
- Verify generated files
- Run
npm install
- Run
npm run dev
- Verify
/api/health
- Verify
/api/auth/register
Create Resource
Example: Product
Fields:
name: Stringprice: Number
Select all five file types and verify the generated files.
Generate CRUD
Example: Order
Verify:
- POST
- GET
- GET /:id
- PUT /:id
- DELETE /:id
Add Feature
Start with a minimal project and add Authentication.
Verify that the required files and routes are created.
Analyze Project
Run Analyze Project on a generated backend and verify the detected information.
Open the Backlify sidebar and verify that every action button triggers the correct command.
🗺️ Roadmap
- v1.1: MySQL, PostgreSQL support
- v1.2: Email verification, Password reset flows
- v1.3: Auto-generated API documentation (Swagger/OpenAPI)
- v1.4: Docker + docker-compose configurations
- v2.0: NestJS, Fastify adapters
- Future: Backlify AI Architect — describe your backend in plain English!
🛡️ Safety & Smart File Handling
Backlify is built to be safe:
- ✅ Target directory existence check
- ✅ Warnings for non-empty folders
- ✅ Per-file overwrite confirmation
- ✅ Never silently deletes files
- ✅ Existing
package.json requires explicit confirmation
- ✅ Existing imports are detected before modifying
app.js
- ✅ Route registrations are de-duplicated
❓ FAQ
Q: Does Backlify work offline?
A: Yes! 100% of the core functionality is local. No external API calls.
Q: Can I use Backlify with JavaScript AND TypeScript projects?
A: v1.0 generates JavaScript projects using ES5-style require / module.exports. TypeScript generation is planned for a future version.
Q: Does it overwrite my existing code?
A: Only after explicit confirmation. You can also skip individual files when prompted.
📄 License
MIT License — Copyright © 2026 Backlify
See the LICENSE file for the full license text.
Built with ❤️ for developers who hate boilerplate.
Tagline: Build your backend foundation in seconds.
