mernSetups.js

# sets up package.json file
npm init

# express is our main framework
# mongoose is used to connect/interact with MongoDB
# body-parser allows us to get the data throughout the request
# bcryptjs is a password hashing function designed by Niels Provos and David Mazières
# validation (as its name implies) is used for validation
npm i express mongoose body-parser bcryptjs validation

#nodemon is a utility that will monitor for any changes in your source and automatically restart your server.
npm i -D nodemon

#add .gitignore file
#taken from https://github.com/github/gitignore/blob/master/Node.gitignore 7/29/2019
node_modules/


#create app.js file in project directory

#add to package.json file:
"scripts": {
    "start": "node app.js",
    "app": "nodemon app.js",
  }
  
  # start server with following (run npm install if error)
  npm run start