The latest articles on Forem by Amissi (@ecson). https://forem.com/ecson https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3725669%2Fb8f32fa7-cdc0-4aad-8766-71b651700a06.jpg https://forem.com/ecson en Amissi Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:28:00 +0000 https://forem.com/ecson/stop-overengineering-small-projects-meet-snapjson-a-lightweight-orm-for-nodejs-51i0 https://forem.com/ecson/stop-overengineering-small-projects-meet-snapjson-a-lightweight-orm-for-nodejs-51i0 <p>We've all been there. You're starting a small CLI tool, a quick prototype, or a personal side project. You just need to store some data. <br> ‎<br> ‎Then comes the dilemma: <br> ‎- <strong>SQLite?</strong> A bit too much boilerplate for a 1-hour project.<br> ‎- <strong>MongoDB?</strong> Setting up a server/atlas for 10 entries feels like overkill.<br> ‎- <strong>Simple JSON file?</strong> Great, but now you’re manually writing <code>fs.readFileSync</code> and you have zero security or structure.<br> ‎<br> ‎That's why I built <strong>SnapJSON</strong>.<br> ‎<br> <strong>‎💡 What is SnapJSON?</strong><br> ‎<br> ‎<strong>SnapJSON</strong> is an open-source library for Node.js that lets you use simple JSON files as a data store, but with the power and developer experience (DX) of a real ORM.<br> ‎<br> ‎It’s designed to be <strong>zero-config</strong>, but unlike a simple JSON wrapper, it handles the "heavy lifting" for you.<br> ‎<br> ‎<strong>✨ Key Features</strong><br> ‎<br> ‎</p> <ol> <li><p>🔐 Built-in Encryption (AES-256-GCM)<br> ‎Security shouldn't be an afterthought. SnapJSON includes native support for AES-256-GCM encryption. Your local files are not just stored; they are protected.<br> ‎<br> ‎</p></li> <li><p>🔗 Collection Relations<br> ‎Managing relationships between JSON files usually involves messy loops and filters. SnapJSON allows you to define and query relations between collections effortlessly.<br> ‎<br> ‎</p></li> <li><p>⚡ Zero Configuration<br> ‎No database servers, no Docker containers, no complex connection strings.<br> ‎<code>npm install snapjson</code> and you're ready to go.<br> ‎<br> <strong>🚀 Why use it?</strong></p></li> </ol> <ul> <li><p><strong>Prototyping</strong>: Move fast without worrying about DB migrations.</p></li> <li><p><strong>CLI Tools</strong> : Perfect for storing user configs or local state securely.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Small Apps</strong>: When a full DB engine is just too much.</p></li> </ul> <p>‎🙏 I need your feedback!</p> <p>‎This project is <strong>open-source</strong> and I’m looking for early adopters to test the API.</p> <ul> <li><p>What features are missing?</p></li> <li><p>How can I improve the relationship handling?<br> ‎<br> ‎Check it out on NPM:<a href="//npmjs.com/package/snapjson">here</a></p></li> </ul> <p>‎If you find the project useful, feel free to leave a ⭐ on the repo! It helps a lot.<br> ‎<br> ‎#nodejs, #javascript, #opensource, #cli, #orm.<br> ‎<br> ‎<br> ‎<br> ‎<br> ‎</p> javascript typescript opensource node