Initialize a project

While it is possible to run scripts directly with ende run, for larger projects it is recommended to create a sensible directory structure. This way you can organize your code, manage dependencies, script tasks and run tests more easily.

Initialize a new project by running the following command:

$ ende init my_project
✅ Project initialized

Run these commands to get started

  cd my_project

  # Run the server
  ende run --allow-net main.ts

  # Run the server and watch for file changes
  ende task dev

  # Run the tests
  ende test

Where my_project is the name of your project. You can read more about the project structure.

Run your project

Navigate to the project directory:

cd my_project

Then you can run the project directly using the ende task command:

$ ende task dev
Task dev ende run --watch --allow-net main.ts
Watcher Process started.
Listening on http://0.0.0.0:8000/ (http://localhost:8000/)

Take a look in the ende.json file in your new project. You should see a dev task in the "tasks" field.

"tasks": {
  "dev": "ende run --watch --allow-net main.ts"
},

The dev task is a common task that runs the project in development mode. As you can see, it runs the main.ts file with the --watch flag, which will automatically reload the script when changes are made. You can see this in action if you open the main.ts file and make a change.

Run the tests

In the project directory run:

$ ende test
Check main_test.ts
running 2 tests from ./main_test.ts
returns html on / ... ok (11ms)
returns json on /api ... ok (0ms)

ok | 2 passed | 0 failed (13ms)

This will execute all the tests in the project. You can read more about testing in Ende and we’ll cover tests in a little more depth in a later tutorial. At the moment you have one test file, main_test.ts, which tests the request handler in main.ts.

Adding to your project

The main.ts file serves as the entry point for your application. It’s where you’ll write your main program logic. When developing your project you will start by replacing the default HTTP server with your own code; its routes and request handler are a starting point to build on.

Beyond the initial files, you’ll likely create additional modules (files) to organize your code. Consider grouping related functionality into separate files. Remember that Ende supports ES modules, so you can use import and export statements to structure your code.

Example folder structure for a ende project:

my_project/
├── ende.json
├── main.ts
├── main_test.ts
├── routes/
│   ├── home.ts
│   ├── about.ts
├── services/
│   ├── user.ts
│   ├── post.ts
└──utils/
    ├── logger.ts
    ├── logger_test.ts
    ├── validator_test.ts
    └── validator.ts

This kind of structure keeps your project clean and makes it easier to find and manage files.

💀 Congratulations! Now you know how to create a brand new project with ende init. Remember that Ende encourages simplicity and avoids complex build tools. Keep your project modular, testable, and organized. As your project grows, adapt the structure to fit your needs. And most importantly, have fun exploring Ende’s capabilities!