Build a To-Do App Using the MEAN Stack

Introduction

The MEAN stack — MongoDB, Express, Angular, and Node.js — is a popular full-stack JavaScript framework that enables developers to build dynamic web applications quickly and efficiently. In this tutorial, we'll walk through building a simple To-Do app, covering everything from backend API creation to frontend UI with Angular.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of JavaScript and Node.js

Node.js and npm installed on your machine

MongoDB installed locally or access to a cloud MongoDB service (like Atlas)

Angular CLI installed globally (npm install -g @angular/cli)

Step 1: Setup the Backend with Node.js, Express, and MongoDB

1. Initialize Node.js project

Create a new directory and run npm init -y

Install dependencies: npm install express mongoose cors body-parser

2. Connect to MongoDB

Use Mongoose to connect to MongoDB

Create a To-Do schema and model

3. Build RESTful API endpoints

Create routes for CRUD operations:

GET /todos — list all todos

POST /todos — add a new todo

PUT /todos/:id — update a todo

DELETE /todos/:id — delete a todo

4. Setup Express server and middleware

Enable CORS and body parsing

Listen on a port

Step 2: Setup the Frontend with Angular

1. Create a new Angular project

Run ng new todo-app and navigate into the project folder

2. Create To-Do components and services

Generate components for listing, adding, and editing todos

Create a service to handle HTTP requests to the backend

3. Build the UI

Use Angular Material or Bootstrap for styling (optional)

Display list of todos

Add forms for creating and editing todos

4. Connect frontend to backend API

Use Angular HttpClient to communicate with Express API

Implement CRUD operations in UI

Step 3: Running and Testing the Application

Run the backend server (node server.js or nodemon server.js)

Serve the Angular app (ng serve)

Test the application in the browser

Step 4: Optional Enhancements

Add user authentication with JWT

Implement filters and search functionality

Deploy the app to Heroku and Firebase Hosting

Conclusion

You now have a fully functional To-Do app built using the MEAN stack! This foundational project sets you up for building more complex full-stack JavaScript applications.

Learn MEAN Stack Course

Read More

🚀 Mini Project Ideas to Blog About

Handling File Uploads in a MEAN App (e.g., with Multer)

Best Practices for Structuring a MEAN Stack Project

Angular Routing and Navigation in Single Page Applications (SPA)

Visit Our Quality Thought Training in Hyderabad

Get Directions