6 Essential Features Every Web Starter Kit Should Include

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6 Essential Features Every Web Starter Kit Should Include

Rishi Raj Jain
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:

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A useful web starter kit needs these 6 core features:

FeatureWhat You GetPopular Tools
User Login and Account SystemUser auth, sessions, access controlAuthjs.dev, Lucia, Clerk
Dev ToolsCode editor, version control, lintingVS Code, Prettier, ESLint
Data Management ToolsDatabase setup, state managementMongoDB, PostgreSQL, Firestore, Redis, SQLite
CSS and Design SetupStyling framework, design systemTailwind CSS, Bootstrap CSS
API ToolsEndpoints, auth, securityAuthjs.dev, JWT (jsonwebtoken)
Security SetupSSL, headers, input validationHTTPS, CSP, Authorization

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

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

ComponentPurposeCommon Implementation
AuthenticationVerify user identityEmail/password, social logins
Session ManagementTrack user stateCookies, database storage
Password SecurityProtect user dataPassword hashing

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:

Auth ProviderFeaturesBest For
LuciaEncrypted cookies, stateless sessionsSimple setups
Iron SessionEncrypted cookies, stateless sessionsSimple setups
Authjs.devBuilt-in API routes, database sessionsNext.js, SvelteKit projects
ClerkSocial logins, customizable UILarge applications
Auth0Social logins, customizable UILarge applications

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:

Tool CategoryToolsPurpose
Code EditorVS CodeWrite and debug code
Version ControlNode.js, npm/yarnManage packages
Code QualityESLint, PrettierKeep code clean
Type SafetyTypeScriptCatch errors early

1. VS Code: Your Code Home

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

ExtensionDownloadsWhat You Get
Live Server46M+See changes instantly
GitHub Copilot14.6M+Get AI code suggestions
GitLens30M+Track code changes
Prettier42M+Format code automatically

2. Node.js: Your Build Foundation

Terminal window
# Set up Node
echo "v20.10.0" > .nvmrc
nvm use
# Start your project
npm init -y

3. TypeScript: Add Type Safety

Terminal window
# 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:

FrameworkCommand
Astronpm create astro@latest
SvelteKitnpx sv create my-app
Next.jsnpx create-next-app@latest

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:

Database TypeBest ForUsed ByKey Features
MySQLStructured dataFacebook, TwitterSQL queries, ACID compliance
MongoDBUnstructured dataUber, eBayDocument-based, high scalability
PostgreSQLComplex queriesFinancial appsData integrity, JSON support
RedisCaching, sessionsInstagram, GitHubIn-memory, fast performance
FirestoreNoSQL, real-timeGoogle, FirebaseReal-time data, offline support
SQLiteEmbedded databaseMobile apps, IoTLightweight, self-contained

State management boils down to your framework choice:

FrameworkToolSetup Command
AstroNanostoresimport { atom } from 'nanostores'
SvelteBuilt-in storesimport { writable } from 'svelte/store'
Next.jsZustandnpm i zustand

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

FactorSQL DatabasesNoSQL Databases
Data StructureFixed schemaFlexible schema
ScalingVerticalHorizontal
Query LanguageSQLVarious
Use CaseBanking, CRMReal-time data, IoT

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:

FolderContentsPurpose
/dbDatabase configsConnection setup
/apiAPI routesData endpoints
/storesState managementClient-side data

4. CSS and Design Setup

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

FrameworkSize (gzipped)Learning TimeBest ForUsed By
Bootstrap16KB1-2 daysRapid prototypingTwitter, Spotify
Tailwind508.7kB3-4 daysCustom designsShopify, OpenAI
Foundation34.7 KB2-3 daysEnterprise apps-

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

Terminal window
# 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:

ToolPurposePrice
CSS Grid GeneratorLayout creationFree
PurifyCSSRemove unused CSSFree
CSS ScanCopy styles from sites$100 lifetime
TailscanTailwind inspector$59/year

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:

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:

FolderContents
/stylesGlobal CSS
/componentsUI components

5. API Setup and Tools

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

ComponentPurposeSetup Command
TLS/SSLMessage encryptionopenssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048
OAuth2User authenticationnpm install oauth2-server
JWTToken handlingnpm install jsonwebtoken
NextAuth.jsSocial loginnpm install next-auth

Let’s look at different auth methods:

Auth MethodSetup TimeSecurity LevelBest For
API Keys30 minsBasicInternal tools
OAuth 2.02-3 hoursHighPublic apps
JWT1 hourMediumMobile apps
mTLS4-5 hoursVery HighEnterprise

The numbers don’t lie:

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:

FolderContents
/apiAPI routes
/authAuth config
/middlewareAPI middleware
/lib/utilsHelper functions

6. Basic Security Setup

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

Security FeaturePurposeImplementation
SSL CertificateEncrypts data in transitInstall from trusted CA, force HTTPS
Security HeadersBrowser protection rulesSet CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options
Input ValidationPrevents injection attacksUse zod/Valibot for schema checks
Secure CookiesProtects session dataSet HttpOnly and Secure flags
Environment VariablesHides sensitive dataStore API keys, credentials in .env

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:

Attack TypeRiskSolution
XSSScript injectionCSP headers, input sanitization
CSRFFake requestsCSRF tokens, SameSite cookies
SQL InjectionDB compromiseParameterized queries
DoSServer overloadRate limiting, CDN protection

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:

Launch PhaseToolsPurpose
SpeedGoogle PageSpeed Insights, WebPageTest, GTMetrixLoad time checks
SecuritySSL Certificate, HTTPSData safety
SEOXML Sitemap, robots.txtGoogle indexing
AnalyticsWide Angle Analytics, Google Analytics, Pirsch Analytics, etc.User tracking

Pick your hosting:

Hosting ProviderFeaturesBest For
Fly.ioGlobal deployment, automatic scaling, Docker supportApps needing low latency worldwide
VercelServerless functions, easy integration with Next.js, automatic scalingFrontend frameworks and static sites
NetlifyContinuous deployment, serverless functions, form handlingJAMstack sites and static web apps
AWS AmplifyFull-stack development, easy integration with AWS services, CI/CDComplex applications needing AWS infrastructure

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:

TaskToolResult
Compress images.webp format25-35% smaller
Shrink codeTerser30-50% smaller
Use CDNCloudflare/VercelFaster loading
Set cacheBrowser cacheQuick returns

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.

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