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Quickstart Guide

Get POS Nest API up and running in just a few minutes. This guide will walk you through cloning the repository, setting up your environment, and making your first API call.
Before starting, ensure you have Node.js 18+ and PostgreSQL installed, or a Supabase account for hosted PostgreSQL.

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Getting Started

1

Clone the Repository

Clone the POS Nest API repository to your local machine:
git clone <repository-url>
cd pos-nest
2

Install Dependencies

Install all required npm packages:
npm install
This will install all dependencies including:
  • NestJS core packages (v11.0.1)
  • TypeORM (v0.3.28)
  • Supabase JS client (v2.97.0)
  • PostgreSQL driver
  • Validation libraries
3

Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory with your configuration:
.env
# Server Configuration
PORT=3000

# Database Configuration (PostgreSQL)
DATABASE_HOST=your-database-host
DATABASE_PORT=5432
DATABASE_USER=your-database-user
DATABASE_PASS=your-database-password
DATABASE_NAME=pos_nest_db

# Supabase Configuration
SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=your-service-role-key
SUPABASE_BUCKET=products
Never commit your .env file to version control. Keep your SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY secure as it provides admin access to your Supabase project.
4

Start the Development Server

Run the API in development mode with hot reload:
npm run start:dev
You should see output indicating the server is running:
[Nest] 12345  - 03/04/2026, 10:00:00 AM     LOG [NestFactory] Starting Nest application...
[Nest] 12345  - 03/04/2026, 10:00:00 AM     LOG [InstanceLoader] AppModule dependencies initialized
[Nest] 12345  - 03/04/2026, 10:00:00 AM     LOG [NestApplication] Nest application successfully started
The API is now running at http://localhost:3000
5

Create Your First User

Make a signup request to create your first user account:
cURL
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/auth/signup \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "password": "secure_password123"
  }'

const response = await fetch('http://localhost:3000/auth/signup', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    email: '[email protected]',
    password: 'secure_password123'
  })
});

const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);
Expected Response:
{
  "user": {
    "id": "uuid-here",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "created_at": "2026-03-04T10:00:00.000Z"
  },
  "session": {
    "access_token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...",
    "refresh_token": "...",
    "expires_in": 3600
  }
}
The password must be at least 6 characters long due to validation rules in src/auth/dto/sign-up.dto.ts
6

Sign In and Get Access Token

Sign in with your credentials to get an access token:
cURL
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/auth/signin \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "password": "secure_password123"
  }'
Expected Response:
{
  "access_token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...",
  "refresh_token": "...",
  "expires_in": 3600,
  "user": {
    "id": "uuid-here",
    "email": "[email protected]"
  }
}
Save the access_token - you’ll need it for authenticated requests.
7

Make an Authenticated Request

Use your access token to make authenticated API calls. For example, fetch categories:
cURL
curl -X GET http://localhost:3000/categories \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
JavaScript
const response = await fetch('http://localhost:3000/categories', {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN'
  }
});

const categories = await response.json();
console.log(categories);

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What’s Next?

Congratulations! You now have POS Nest API running locally. Here are some next steps:

API Reference

Explore all available endpoints

Authentication

Learn about authentication and authorization

Products

Manage products and inventory

Transactions

Process sales transactions

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Common Issues

If port 3000 is already in use, you can change it in your .env file:
PORT=3001
Or set it when starting the server:
PORT=3001 npm run start:dev
Verify your database credentials in the .env file match your PostgreSQL or Supabase configuration. The connection settings are loaded in src/config/typeorm.config.ts:9-13.If using Supabase, ensure:
  • Your project is active
  • Database password is correct
  • Host includes the correct region
Double-check your Supabase configuration:
  • SUPABASE_URL should be your project URL (e.g., https://xxxxx.supabase.co)
  • SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY is the service role key, not the anon key
  • The service role key can be found in Supabase Dashboard under Settings > API
The signup endpoint validates:
  • Email must be a valid email format
  • Password must be at least 6 characters
These validations are defined in src/auth/dto/sign-up.dto.ts:1-12

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Development Tips

Watch Mode: The start:dev command uses NestJS watch mode, which automatically reloads when you make changes to your code.
Debug Mode: For debugging, use npm run start:debug to enable Node.js inspector on port 9229.
CORS: CORS is enabled by default in src/main.ts:9-14 with credentials support. Adjust the configuration if you need to restrict origins.

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