This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Raimi Dikamona Lassissi
Hey devs! 👋
Welcome to my second weekly update on building Treazurex, a web application I’m building with React + Vite on the front-end and Node.js + PostgreSQL on the back-end. If you missed the first week’s post, this project is all about learning through doing, building out a full-stack shopping experience while picking up best practices along the way.
Original Plan vs. Reality
At the start of the week, my plan was simple:
Build the homepage and the shop page.
But like many development journeys, I quickly realized that I had overlooked an important foundation, my back-end and database setup were still incomplete. Without a solid schema and working back-end logic, there was no way I could reliably fetch and display real product data on the front-end.
So I shifted gears. Instead of pushing forward on the UI, I decided to focus on getting the data layer right first.
Thinking Through the Data
I started by creating the missing tables in my PostgreSQL database. I took time to think carefully about:
- What each table represents
- What columns are necessary
- What valid data should look like
- How the tables should relate to each other
This exercise really helped me sharpen my understanding of relational database design. I found myself constantly thinking in terms of primary keys, foreign keys, data types, and referential integrity.
Once the tables were in place, I moved on to creating model files for each table — functions that allow common operations like inserting, updating, deleting, or querying records. This part was a bit repetitive, but it also reinforced some important patterns in working with raw SQL in Node.js.
As tedious as it felt at times, I believe that repetition builds mastery and I definitely came away with more confidence in writing data access logic.
Looking Ahead: Exploring ORMs
While writing models manually helped me understand the underlying logic of data access, it also made me curious about how to work more efficiently in the future.
I came across a concept called Object-Relational Mapping (ORM), a technique that allows you to interact with your database using object-oriented code instead of raw SQL. Tools like Sequelize, Prisma, and TypeORM promise to reduce boilerplate and make database queries easier to manage.
Though I haven’t used an ORM on Treazurex yet, it’s definitely something I want to explore in future projects. It seems like a smart way to stay productive while keeping code clean and readable.
Back to the Front-end
Once I had a more stable back-end and database schema in place, I returned to the front-end to design the look and feel of the home page.
I wanted the page to be:
- Clean and visually appealing
- Easy to navigate
- Fully responsive across devices
Using Tailwind CSS, I styled the components with flexibility in mind. Tailwind’s utility-first approach really helped me iterate quickly, experiment with layouts, and make small visual adjustments without writing custom CSS classes.
Although the front-end part was less complex than the back-end this week, it reminded me that presentation matters just as much as functionality, especially for user-facing features like a homepage.
What I Learned This Week
Week two was a mix of challenges, insights, and progress. I gained a deeper appreciation for:
Database design: carefully planning tables, columns, and relationships can save a lot of headaches later.
Repetition as a teacher: writing similar model logic manually might be repetitive, but it solidified my understanding of CRUD operations.
Tailwind CSS: how utility-first styling can make responsive design faster and more intuitive.
The importance of flexibility: it’s okay to shift plans if your foundation isn’t ready yet.
What’s Next?
In the coming week, I’ll be focusing on:
- Completing the shop page
- Building out the product details page
Both of these will involve tying the front-end to real data and ensuring that the design remains consistent and responsive.
I’m excited to see how Treazurex evolves from here. One week, one decision, and one improvement at a time.
Thanks for following along! Feel free to share your own experience building apps or any tips on working with databases or styling with Tailwind. 😊
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Raimi Dikamona Lassissi
Raimi Dikamona Lassissi | Sciencx (2025-07-23T11:46:43+00:00) Week 2 Building Treazurex — Lessons from the Backend and Beyond. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/07/23/week-2-building-treazurex-lessons-from-the-backend-and-beyond/
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