00: Introduction

Welcome to the Igniter.js course! In this free, interactive course, you'll learn how to build a full-stack SaaS application by creating a complete link shortening service from scratch.

What You'll Build

Throughout this course, you'll build Shortify - a production-ready link shortening SaaS with real-world features:

• 🔐 Authentication - Secure user registration and login with Better Auth
• 🔗 Link Management - Create, edit, and delete shortened links with custom slugs
• 📊 Analytics Dashboard - Track clicks, locations, devices, and user behavior
• 🤖 AI-Powered Features - Generate smart slugs and suggestions using AI
• 💳 Subscription Plans - Monetize with Stripe integration (Free, Pro, Enterprise)
• ⚡ High Performance - Caching with Redis and background jobs with BullMQ
• 🚀 Production Ready - Deploy to Vercel with proper monitoring and observability

By the end of this course, you'll have a complete, deployable application and the knowledge to build your own SaaS products with Igniter.js.

What is Igniter.js?

Igniter.js is a modern, type-safe framework for building full-stack TypeScript applications. It provides:

• End-to-end type safety from database to UI
• Developer-first experience with excellent tooling and CLI
• Framework agnostic - works with Next.js, Vite, Remix, and more
• Production ready - built-in support for caching, jobs, telemetry, and monitoring
• Plugin ecosystem - easily extend with adapters for Redis, BullMQ, OpenTelemetry, and more

Think of it as the backend framework you've been missing - it brings the same level of type safety and developer experience to your API that you enjoy with modern frontend frameworks.

How the Course Works

This isn't a passive tutorial where you copy and paste code. You'll learn by building, step by step:

1. Setup & Scaffold

Start with the Igniter.js CLI to create a new project with all the right tools configured for you.

2. Build Features Incrementally

Each chapter adds new functionality to your application:

• Design your database schema
• Generate CRUD operations automatically
• Add authentication and authorization
• Implement business logic

3. Test in Real-Time

Use the built-in Igniter Studio to test your API as you build it - no Postman or cURL needed.

4. Deploy to Production

Learn the best practices for deploying, monitoring, and maintaining your application.

What You'll Learn

Here's a breakdown of the skills you'll develop:

Core Concepts

• Understanding Igniter.js architecture and philosophy
• Working with Controllers, Actions, and Procedures
• Managing application context and dependency injection
• Type-safe API design patterns

Database & Data

• Designing schemas with Prisma
• Implementing CRUD operations
• Data validation with Zod
• Database migrations and seeding

Authentication & Security

• Setting up Better Auth
• Protected routes and middleware
• Session management
• Role-based access control

Advanced Features

• Caching strategies with Redis
• Background job processing with BullMQ
• AI integration for smart features
• Payment processing with Stripe
• Real-time analytics

DevOps & Deployment

• Environment configuration
• CI/CD pipelines
• Monitoring and observability
• Performance optimization

Prerequisites

Before starting this course, you should have:

• Basic TypeScript knowledge - Understanding of types, interfaces, and async/await
• React fundamentals - Components, hooks, and props
• Node.js installed - Version 20.0 or later (Download)
• Basic terminal skills - Running commands and navigating directories

What You'll Need

Make sure you have these tools ready:

• Code Editor - VS Code recommended (Download)
• Package Manager - npm, pnpm, yarn, or bun
• Git - For version control (Download)
• GitHub Account - Free (Sign up)
• Vercel Account - Free tier is perfect (Sign up)

Course Structure

This course is organized into focused, practical chapters:

• Chapters 1-4: Foundation - Project setup, structure, and first features
• Chapters 5-7: Database - Schema design, CRUD operations, and data validation
• Chapters 8-9: Authentication - User management and protected routes
• Chapters 10-12: Frontend - Building the UI with Next.js and type-safe client
• Chapters 13-16: Advanced Features - Analytics, caching, jobs, and AI
• Chapters 17-19: Production - Payments, testing, and deployment

Each chapter builds on the previous one, so we recommend following them in order for the best learning experience.

How to Get the Most Out of This Course

1. Code Along - Don't just read, type the code yourself
2. Experiment - Try modifying the code and see what happens
3. Take Quizzes - Test your understanding with interactive quizzes
4. Build Your Own - After completing a chapter, try building a related feature on your own
5. Ask Questions - Join our Discord community if you get stuck

Ready to Build?

You're about to embark on a journey that will transform you from an Igniter.js beginner to someone who can confidently build and deploy production-ready SaaS applications.

Let's get started! 🚀