Hey there,
This tutorial will guide you step-by-step through building a fully functional subscription-based platform. Along the way, you’ll learn about Express.js, a web application framework for Node.js.
What We’re Building.
We’ll create a subscription-based platform where customers need to subscribe to one of our plans to access exclusive content. Our plans will include options like weekly and monthly subscriptions.
Article Structure
This guide is divided into the following modules:
Overview of dependencies,project setup, and server setup
Authentication
Cron job setup
Main Dependencies
To follow along, make sure you have:
Node.js installed
MongoDB as the database
Moment.js for date manipulation
Node-cron for scheduling tasks
v-response for structured responses
Let’s dive in and get our hands dirty!
Server.js File
This is where we’ll set up our development server.
Upon successfully setting up the server, you should see the following logged in your console:
Creating the Plan Model
Let’s define our plan model file.
Creating the Plan Controller
Here, we’ll write the logic to manage our subscription plans.
Creating the Plan Routes
Next, we’ll set up the routes to handle plan-related endpoints.
Helper File for Payment and Subscription Dates
We need to create a helper file to process payments and calculate the user’s next payment date.
Creating the Signup Model
Now, let’s create the signup model to manage user registration and subscriptions.
Creating the Signup Controller
This is where we’ll handle user registration and payment processing. We’ll use Paystack as the payment gateway, but feel free to use any other provider of your choice.
Restricting Access to Subscribed Users
We’ll configure the login functionality to ensure that only subscribed users can access the platform.
Setting Up a Cron Job
Finally, we’ll use a cron job to deactivate user accounts once their subscriptions expire.
Additional Features
Here are a few more features you could consider adding:
Auto-renewal of subscriptions
Notifications to remind users of upcoming payments
If you’d like me to write a part two covering these features, let me know in the comments!