6 Essential Features Every Web Starter Kit Should Include

Need a web starter kit that has everything? Here’s what you need to know in 30 seconds:

A useful web starter kit needs these 6 core features:

Why this matters: A good starter kit cuts development time by 40-60% and helps you avoid common setup mistakes.

Quick facts:

• Setup time: 24-48 hours
• Works with: Astro, SvelteKit, Next.js
• Browser support: All modern browsers
• Learning curve: 1 day for initial setup

The LaunchFast Astro, Next.js and SvelteKit starter kits includes all these features pre-configured. Purchase, clone and start launching!

Table Of Contents

• 1. User Login and Account System
• 2. Basic Dev Tools Setup
• 3. Data Management Tools
• 4. CSS and Design Setup
• 5. API Setup and Tools
• 6. Basic Security Setup
• Website Launch Checklist
• Wrap-up

1. User Login and Account System

Every web app needs a solid login system. Here’s what your starter kit should include for managing users:

Your basic login system needs to handle:

• Sign up with email checks
• Password resets
• Login/logout flow
• Session timeouts

Want to skip the heavy lifting? Here are some popular pre-built options:

Let’s break this down with an online course platform:

A student logs in. The system checks if they’ve paid. If yes, they get access to their courses. The system tracks their progress and keeps them logged in.

To keep things secure:

• Hash those passwords
• Use HTTPS for auth
• Lock down your cookies

The LaunchFast Astro, Next.js and SvelteKit starter kits come with all this built-in. You get a secure auth system without the setup headaches.

2. Basic Dev Tools Setup

Here’s what you need to start coding right away:

1. VS Code: Your Code Home

VS Code is the go-to editor for 73% of developers. Here are the must-have extensions:

2. Node.js: Your Build Foundation

# Set up Node
echo "v20.10.0" > .nvmrc
nvm use

# Start your project
npm init -y

3. TypeScript: Add Type Safety

# Get TypeScript ready
npm install --save-dev typescript @types/node @tsconfig/node20

# Add to package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsc",
    "dev": "tsc --watch"
  }
}

4. Make Your Code Look Good

// .prettierrc
{
  "tabWidth": 2,
  "trailingComma": "es5",
  "semi": true,
  "singleQuote": true
}

Pick your starter framework:

Add this for better debugging:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Debug Server",
      "type": "node-terminal",
      "request": "launch",
      "command": "npm run dev"
    }
  ]
}

3. Data Management Tools

Here’s what you need to know about databases for your web starter kit:

State management boils down to your framework choice:

Here’s how to set up a Svelte store:

// store.js
import { writable } from 'svelte/store';

export const userData = writable({
  name: '',
  email: '',
  preferences: {}
});

SQL vs NoSQL: Quick Guide

Here’s a basic CRUD setup:

// api/users.js
export async function getUser(id) {
  return await db.query('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?', [id])
}

export async function createUser(data) {
  return await db.query('INSERT INTO users SET ?', data)
}

Keep your files organized:

4. CSS and Design Setup

Let’s look at the top CSS frameworks you can pick from:

Want to get started? Here’s the basic setup:

# Bootstrap
npm install bootstrap@5.3.3

# Tailwind
npm install -D tailwindcss
npx tailwindcss init

For Tailwind, drop this into your CSS:

@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;

Here are some tools that’ll make your CSS work easier:

Here’s what a basic Tailwind component looks like:

const Nav = () => (
  <nav className="fixed w-full bg-white shadow-lg">
    <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4">
      <div className="flex justify-between h-16">
        <Logo />
        <MenuItems />
      </div>
    </div>
  </nav>
)

Some numbers that might interest you:

• Bootstrap runs on 18.6% of all websites
• 75.5% of developers stick with Tailwind after trying it

Tailwind as a low-level CSS framework has become my preferred styling solution. It has solved most of the drawbacks I have encountered in my journey through different CSS solutions. - Rishi Raj Jain, LaunchFast

Here’s how to organize your design files:

5. API Setup and Tools

Here’s what you need to set up APIs in your next project:

Let’s look at different auth methods:

The numbers don’t lie:

• 41% of organizations faced API security problems in 2022
• Skype protects ALL business servers with mTLS

Here’s the RIGHT way to handle API keys:

// BAD - Don't do this
const apiKey = "sk_test_123456789";

// GOOD - Do this instead
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY;

Want Google OAuth in your Next.js project? Here’s how:

import NextAuth from 'next-auth'  
import GoogleProvider from 'next-auth/providers/google'

export default NextAuth({  
  providers: [  
    GoogleProvider({  
      clientId: process.env.GOOGLE_ID,  
      clientSecret: process.env.GOOGLE_SECRET,  
    }),  
  ],  
})

Keep your files organized like this:

6. Basic Security Setup

Here’s how to protect your web app from common threats:

Add these headers to your Next.js app:

// next.config.js
const securityHeaders = [
  {
    key: 'Strict-Transport-Security',
    value: 'max-age=63072000'
  },
  {
    key: 'X-Frame-Options',
    value: 'DENY'
  },
  {
    key: 'Content-Security-Policy',
    value: "default-src 'self'"
  }
]

Here’s how to lock down your API routes:

export default function handler(req, res) {
  // Block non-POST requests
  if (req.method !== 'POST') {
    return res.status(405).end()
  }

  // Check auth token
  const token = req.headers.authorization
  if (!isValidToken(token)) {
    return res.status(401).json({
      error: 'Invalid token'
    })
  }
}

Know these attacks and how to stop them:

Here’s what you MUST do first:

1. Switch to HTTPS: Block all HTTP traffic
2. Add Security Headers: Set up CSP and other browser rules
3. Check All Input: Filter form data and API requests
4. Lock Down Cookies: Enable HttpOnly and Secure flags
5. Protect Your Secrets: Use environment variables

Test your setup with:

• Mozilla Observatory
• Security Headers
• SSL Labs Server Test

Your security work isn’t done after setup. Check for dependency updates every week and run security scans each month.

Website Launch Checklist

Here’s what you need to get your website up and running:

Pick your hosting:

Must-do checks:

1. Test every form and payment flow
2. Click all links
3. Check SSL setup
4. Send sitemap to Google
5. Create a 404 page

Speed things up:

Here’s why speed matters: Over half your visitors will leave if your site takes more than 3 seconds to load.

Wrap-up

Your starter kit should make life easier. Pick tools that play nice together and fit what you’re building.