Minimal Architecture

Minimal architecture is the simplest StartXKit layout.

It keeps each feature in a route file and puts the request handlers directly inside that file. There are no controllers, services, repositories, interfaces, or validators.

When To Use Minimal

Use minimal when:

• You are building a prototype
• The API has only a few endpoints
• The business logic is small
• You want the least amount of structure
• You are learning how the framework works

Avoid minimal when:

• Multiple developers will work on the same API
• You expect many modules
• You need dedicated business logic or data access layers
• You want clear test boundaries around services or repositories

Structure

src/
  server.ts
  routes/
    health.route.ts
    users.route.ts
  config/
  shared/

The exact support folders depend on your selected features. For example, config/ appears when env or CORS config is enabled.

Request Flow

Request
  |
  v
route file
  |
  v
inline handler
  |
  v
Response

Example Route File

import { Router } from "express";

const router = Router();

router.get("/", (_req, res) => {
  return res.status(200).json({
    success: true,
    message: "Users fetched successfully",
    data: [],
  });
});

export default router;

Trade-Off

Minimal is fast to understand because there are fewer files. The cost is that route files can grow large as business rules increase.

If a route starts doing validation, business decisions, persistence, and response formatting in one place, move to modular or layered.