semini

1.5.125 verified Sat May 09 auth: no javascript

Semini (v1.5.125) is a Node.js package for database and website initialization using MongoDB, Express.js, and Handlebars.js. It provides tools for setting up database schemas, seeding data, and configuring SEO-friendly site structures. Compared to alternatives, it offers a bundled initialization workflow with minimal configuration. Released infrequently, this version is stable but lacks detailed documentation.

Common errors

error SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module ↓

cause Package is ESM-only, but project is not configured for ESM.

fix

Add "type": "module" to package.json or use .mjs extension.

error TypeError: init is not a function ↓

cause Using default import for named export.

fix

Use import { init } from 'semini' instead of import semini from 'semini'.

error Error: MongoDB connection error: MongoError: bad auth Authentication failed. ↓

cause Missing or incorrect database credentials in config.

fix

Check MONGO_URI env var or config.database.uri includes username and password.

error Error: Cannot find module 'handlebars' ↓

cause Handlebars peer dependency not installed.

fix

Run npm install handlebars.

Warnings

breaking In v1.0.0, the package switched from CommonJS to ESM. require() will fail. ↓

fix Use import syntax or downgrade to v0.x.

gotcha The init function mutates the global Express app object if not isolated. ↓

fix Pass a fresh Express instance via config or use a scoped initialization.

deprecated The default import semini() is deprecated since v1.5.0. ↓

fix Use named import { init } instead.

gotcha Handlebars templates must be placed in a 'views' directory by default, else initialization fails silently. ↓

fix Set 'site.viewsDir' in config to the correct path.

breaking MongoDB driver v4+ is required as of v1.4.0; v3 is not supported. ↓

fix Update mongodb dependency to v4 or later.

Install

npm install semini

yarn add semini

pnpm add semini

Imports

default

wrong

const semini = require('semini')

correct

import semini from 'semini'

Package is ESM-only since v1.0.0.

init

wrong

const init = require('semini').init

correct

import { init } from 'semini'

Named export for database initialization.

types

wrong

import { Config } from 'semini' (value import)

correct

import type { Config } from 'semini'

Use 'import type' for TypeScript types to avoid runtime errors.

Quickstart

Shows how to import and use the init function with MongoDB connection string from environment variable.

import { init } from 'semini';

const config = {
  database: {
    uri: process.env.MONGO_URI ?? 'mongodb://localhost:27017/myapp',
    name: 'myapp'
  },
  site: {
    title: 'My Site',
    description: 'A site initialized with semini'
  }
};

init(config)
  .then(() => console.log('Database and site initialized successfully'))
  .catch(err => console.error('Initialization failed:', err));