Modularity Best Practices

Import direction: routes → use-cases → domain. These practices keep Node.js codebases testable and ready for framework or persistence changes.

How to Use This List

• Automate import rules before code review debates
• Apply to workers and CLI entry points, not only HTTP
• Pair with Architecture Best Practices for macro boundaries
• New routes must call existing use cases - no duplicate orchestration

A - Layer Discipline

• Route handlers stay under 15 lines. Parse, authorize, call use case, map response.
• Use cases own orchestration and application rules. Not repositories, not routes.
• Domain layer has zero imports from express, fastify, @nestjs/*, prisma, ioredis.
• Infrastructure implements ports defined in domain/application. Map ORM rows to domain entities in adapter.
• Composition root is the only place that instantiates concrete adapters.

B - Import Direction

• Allowed flow: infrastructure → application → domain. Never domain → infrastructure.
• Cross-feature calls go through module public API or application service. No reaching into peer infrastructure/.
• CI runs dependency-cruiser or ESLint to fail forbidden imports.
• Shared kernel contains utilities only. No pricing, tax, or discount rules in shared/.
• Barrel files export intentional public surface. No export * from './infrastructure'.

C - Testing

• Unit test use cases with in-memory repositories. Sub-10ms tests per command.
• Integration tests hit real Postgres via Testcontainers for repository adapters.
• HTTP tests (supertest) cover status codes and auth. Not every business rule branch.
• Workers call the same use cases as HTTP routes. No forked business logic.
• Reset DI container or config cache between tests.

D - Use Case Design

• One use case per command or query. No OrderGodService.
• Explicit input/output types. Adapters map to JSON DTOs.
• Authorization checks live in use case or domain policy. Not only route middleware.
• Idempotency and transactions documented per use case.
• Return domain errors typed (AppError). Central HTTP mapper translates codes.

E - Persistence

• Repository interfaces express domain language. findById, not findUnique.
• No Prisma client in use cases. Inject OrderRepository.
• Heavy reporting uses read models or query services. Not bloated repositories.
• In-memory repo shipped alongside Postgres adapter for fast tests.
• Pagination cursors returned from repository port when lists are large.

F - Framework Notes (Express 5 / Fastify 5 / Nest 11)

• Express/Fastify: factory routers ordersRouter(deps) for injection.
• Fastify: use plugins with encapsulated scope when modules need isolation.
• Nest: controllers thin; providers map to use cases. Avoid fat OrdersService god class.
• Validate req.body with Zod at HTTP edge before execute().
• One HTTP framework per deployable. Do not mix Express and Fastify in one process.

FAQs

Related

• Modularity Basics - introductory examples
• Use Cases & Services - application layer
• Repository Pattern - persistence ports
• Dependency Injection Patterns - wiring
• Refactoring Checklist - structural audit

External Related Links

• Node.js Best Practices (GitHub) - Curated production best practices.
• NestJS Documentation - Progressive Node.js framework docs.
• DEV Community – Node.js - Community articles and discussions.
• Node.js Design Patterns, 4th Edition - Production-grade application patterns.
• Node.js Design Patterns, 2nd Edition - Earlier edition still useful.

Stack versions: This page was written for Node.js 24.18.0 (Active LTS), npm 10+, TypeScript 5.6+, Express 5, Fastify 5, and NestJS 11.