Building a Dynamic Web Application: A Comprehensive Guide to Using React, Node.js, and Modern Tools

Day 1: Initial Project Setup with Yarn

Task 1: Install Necessary Tools

• Objective: Ensure that all necessary tools are installed on your system.
• Steps:
  1. Install Node.js and Yarn:
     • Node.js: Download and install the latest LTS version of Node.js from the official website.
     • Yarn: Install Yarn globally. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:
       bash

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       npm install --global yarn


       yarn set version stable

       Alternatively, follow the official Yarn installation guide for other methods.
  2. Install Git:
     • If you haven't installed Git yet, download it from the official website and follow the installation instructions.
  3. Install a Code Editor:
     • Use Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for this project. If you don’t have it installed, download and set it up.

Task 2: Initialize the React Project with Yarn

• Objective: Set up a new React project with TypeScript using Yarn.
• Steps:
  1. Create a New React Project:
     • Open your terminal and navigate to the directory where you want to create your project.
     • Run the following command to create a new React app with TypeScript using Yarn:
       bash

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       yarn create react-app hacking-with-react --template typescript
       This command initializes a new React project named hacking-with-react with TypeScript support.
  2. Navigate to the Project Directory:
     • Change into the project directory:
       bash

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       cd hacking-with-react
  3. Open the Project in VS Code:
     • Launch VS Code from the terminal:
       bash

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       code .

Task 3: Set Up Version Control with Git

• Objective: Initialize a Git repository and make the first commit.
• Steps:
  1. Initialize Git:
     • In the project directory, run:
       bash

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       git init
  2. Verify/Create .gitignore File:
     • create-react-app automatically generates a .gitignore file that excludes node_modules and other unnecessary files. Verify that it exists and includes node_modules/.
  3. Make the First Commit:
     • Add all files to the staging area:
       bash

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       git add .
     • Commit the changes:
       bash

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       git commit -m "Initial commit - setup React with TypeScript using Yarn"

Task 4: Push to a Remote Repository

• Objective: Push the project to a GitHub repository.
• Steps:
  1. Create a New Repository on GitHub:
     • Go to GitHub and create a new repository named hacking-with-react (or any name you prefer). Do not initialize it with a README, .gitignore, or license, since you've already set up Git locally.
  2. Link the Local Repository to GitHub:
     • In your terminal, add the remote repository URL (replace <your-repository-url> with the actual URL of your GitHub repository):
       bash

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       git remote add origin <your-repository-url>
     • Rename the default branch to main (if it's not already):
       bash

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       git branch -M main
     • Push the local repository to GitHub:
       bash

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       git push -u origin main

Day 1 Summary

Today, you've successfully:

• Installed necessary tools (Node.js, Yarn, Git, and VS Code).
• Initialized a React project with TypeScript using Yarn.
• Set up Git for version control and made the initial commit.
• Pushed the project to a remote GitHub repository.

Great! Let's move on to Day 2. Today, we'll focus on setting up the basic structure of your project, including creating the foundational layout and integrating essential packages. This will give you a strong base to build upon.