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PROJECT BUILD GUIDE · BEGINNER FRIENDLY

Build an Inventory
Management System

A friendly, step-by-step guide to building a complete inventory system. You'll set up secure login, verify users via email, build a product dashboard, and configure automatic alerts when items run low. Choose your preferred tools, we cover all options side-by-side.

Auth + Email VerifyProduct CRUDLow-Stock EmailsMulti-StackTypeScript-first
01 — THE PROJECT

What You'll Build

A small-store inventory manager. A shopkeeper signs up, confirms their email, logs in, and manages products. When any product runs low, the system emails them automatically.

  • Register & log in securely — passwords hashed with bcrypt; the server issues a JWT sent in the Authorization: Bearer header on every request.
  • Verify email before access— a one-time signed link confirms the address; unverified users can't log in.
  • Add products— name, SKU (a product's unique code), quantity in stock, and a minimum-stock threshold.
  • Update & delete products — edit details or restock; remove discontinued items.
  • View stock — a dashboard table listing every product and its current quantity.
  • Automatic low-stock alerts — when quantity ≤ minStockLevel, the owner gets a notification email.
Who this is for
Anyone building their first web app — even if you've never written code before. We explain what each tool is, whyit's here, and give copy-paste commands and code. No experience assumed.
02 — THE STACK

Pick Your Stack

There are four valid stacks. Frontend and backend are coupled — pick one pair. The database is independent and works with either pair.

Frontend + Backend (coupled)
Next.js ⇒ NestJS
React + Vite ⇒ Express
Tailwind + Zustand (UI/state)
JWT · bcrypt · validators · Nodemailer
Database (independent)
PostgreSQL (TypeORM + Docker)
MongoDB (Mongoose + Atlas)
Deployment (hosting)
Docker Compose (local)
Vercel (frontend)
AWS EC2 / Render (API)
FE

Frontend renders the UI

The login form, the product table, the Add-product dialog. Next.js is paired with NestJS; React + Vite is paired with Express — the two are coupled.

BE

Backend holds the rules

It verifies passwords, issues JWTs (sent as Bearer tokens), validates input with express-validator (class-validator in NestJS), and sends emails via Nodemailer. NestJS goes with Next.js; Express goes with React + Vite.

DB

Database stores the truth

Users and products live here. Postgres (via TypeORM) running in Docker, or MongoDB (via Mongoose) hosted on MongoDB Atlas.

Email connects it all

Nodemailer sends the verification link on sign-up and the low-stock alert when inventory drops.

Valid stacks
Four combinations are supported: Next.js + NestJS + PostgreSQL, Next.js + NestJS + MongoDB, React + Vite + Express + PostgreSQL, and React + Vite + Express + MongoDB. Mixing across pairs (e.g. Next.js + Express or React + Vite + NestJS) is not supported. The easiest beginner combo is React + Vite + Express + MongoDB.
03 — ROADMAP

How This Guide Works

Seven build steps — eight pages counting this overview. Each builds on the last. Use the Next → button at the bottom of every page to move through the build, or jump around from the sidebar.