### 🏗️ 1. Optimal Tech Stack * **Backend:** Node.js with Express.js (Lightweight, incredibly fast for I/O bound REST APIs). * **Database:** MongoDB with Mongoose (Flexible schema design, perfect for JSON-like task documents). * **Authentication:** JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for stateless, scalable user sessions. ### 📂 2. Production Directory Structure task-manager-api/ ├── src/ │ ├── controllers/ # Route logic (taskController.js) │ ├── models/ # Mongoose schemas (Task.js) │ ├── routes/ # Express route definitions (taskRoutes.js) │ ├── middleware/ # Auth and error handling │ ├── config/ # Database connection (db.js) │ └── server.js # Main application entry point ├── .env # Environment variables ├── .gitignore └── package.json # Dependencies and scripts ### 🚀 3. Core Boilerplate Code ```javascript // src/server.js const express = require('express'); const mongoose = require('mongoose'); require('dotenv').config(); const app = express(); const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000; // Middleware app.use(express.json()); // Health Check Route app.get('/health', (req, res) => { res.status(200).json({ status: 'API is running optimally' }); }); // Database Connection & Server Start mongoose.connect(process.env.MONGO_URI, { useNewUrlParser: true, useUnifiedTopology: true }) .then(() => { console.log('Connected to MongoDB'); app.listen(PORT, () => console.log(`Server running on port ${PORT}`)); }) .catch(err => console.error('Database connection error:', err));