ApiHelper

The @churchapps/apihelper package provides server-side utilities for all ChurchApps Express.js APIs. It includes the base controller class, JWT authentication middleware, database utilities, and AWS integrations that every API project depends on.

Before You Begin

• Install Node.js and Git -- see Prerequisites
• Familiarize yourself with the npm link workflow for local development
• This package depends on @churchapps/helpers

What's Included

• CustomBaseController -- base class for API controllers
• Auth middleware -- JWT authentication via CustomAuthProvider
• Database utilities -- DB.query, EnhancedPoolHelper for MySQL connection management
• AWS integrations -- helpers for S3, SSM Parameter Store, and other AWS services
• Inversify DI setup -- dependency injection container configuration

Setup for Local Development

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ChurchApps/ApiHelper.git

2. Install dependencies:

   cd ApiHelper && npm install

3. Build the package (compiles TypeScript to dist/):

   npm run build

4. Make it available for local linking:

   npm link

Key Commands

Command	Description
npm run build	Compile TypeScript to dist/
npm run lint	Run ESLint
npm run lint:fix	Run ESLint with auto-fix
npm run format	Format code with Prettier

info

This package is a dependency of every ChurchApps API. When making changes, use npm link to test against an API locally before publishing.

Related Articles

• Helpers -- The base utility package that this package depends on
• Module Structure -- How controllers and auth middleware are used in API modules
• Local API Setup -- Setting up the API for local development