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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

Node.js

Version >= 18.0.0

MongoDB

Version >= 5.0

npm

Version >= 8.0.0
You’ll also need an Anthropic API Key for Claude AI integration. Get one at console.anthropic.com.

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Installation Steps

1

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/JuanMartinezL/CUIDO_Back.git
cd CUIDO_Back
2

Install Dependencies

Install all required packages using npm:
npm install
This will install production dependencies including:
  • Express 5.1.0 - Web framework
  • Mongoose 8.18.0 - MongoDB ODM
  • @anthropic-ai/sdk - Claude AI integration
  • Socket.io 4.8.1 - Real-time notifications
  • Winston 3.17.0 - Advanced logging
3

Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory:
touch .env
Add the following configuration:
.env
# Server Configuration
PORT=3000
NODE_ENV=development

# Database
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/cuido-db

# Authentication
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_super_secure_256_bits_minimum

# Claude AI
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-api03-your-api-key-here
CLAUDE_MODEL=claude-3-sonnet-20240229

# CORS & Security
ALLOWED_ORIGINS=http://localhost:3000,http://localhost:5173,http://localhost:8080
SOCKET_IO_CORS_ORIGINS=http://localhost:3000,http://localhost:5173,http://localhost:8080

# Rate Limiting
RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW_MS=900000
RATE_LIMIT_MAX_REQUESTS=100

# Scheduled Tasks
ENABLE_CRON_JOBS=true
The ANTHROPIC_API_KEY must start with sk-ant- or the server will not start. The application validates this on startup.
4

Initialize Database

Seed the database with initial data:
npm run seed
5

Start Development Server

npm run dev
You should see:
✓ Servidor corriendo en puerto 3000 (development)
✓ Conectado exitosamente a la base de datos
✓ Conexión con Claude API validada exitosamente
✓ Módulo de Diagnóstico Inteligente activado
✓ Notificaciones en tiempo real habilitadas
✓ Tareas programadas iniciadas

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Available Scripts

The following npm scripts are available for development:

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Development

# Start with auto-reload (nodemon)
npm run dev
This uses nodemon to automatically restart the server when file changes are detected. Perfect for active development.

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Production

# Start production server
npm start
Runs the server with Node.js directly without auto-reload.

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Database Management

npm run seed

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Code Quality

npm run lint
ESLint is configured to check JavaScript files in the src/ directory.

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Docker Commands

npm run docker:build

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Development Workflow

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Using Nodemon

The npm run dev command uses nodemon to watch for changes. By default, nodemon watches all .js files and automatically restarts the server when changes are detected.
Nodemon ignores node_modules/, .git/, and other common directories automatically. Your changes in src/ will trigger immediate reloads.

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Health Check

Verify the server is running correctly: 
curl http://localhost:3000/health
Expected response: 
{
  "success": true,
  "message": "Servicio funcionando correctamente",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T21:43:00.000Z",
  "environment": "development"
}

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Debugging Tips

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Enable Debug Logs

The application uses Winston for logging. Logs are automatically written to:
  • Console (formatted based on NODE_ENV)
  • logs/application-%DATE%.log (rotated daily)
  • logs/error-%DATE%.log (errors only)

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Common Issues

Ensure MongoDB is running:
# Check MongoDB status
sudo systemctl status mongod

# Start MongoDB if not running
sudo systemctl start mongod
Verify the MONGODB_URI in your .env file is correct.
The application validates the API key format on startup. Ensure:
  • Key starts with sk-ant-
  • Key is active and has sufficient credits
  • No extra whitespace in the .env file
Check startup logs for validation details:
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY configurada: true
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY longitud: 108
If port 3000 is already in use:
# Find process using port 3000
lsof -i :3000

# Kill the process
kill -9 <PID>
Or change the PORT in your .env file.
Ensure CORS origins are properly configured:
SOCKET_IO_CORS_ORIGINS=http://localhost:3000,http://localhost:5173
Check the browser console for CORS errors and add the origin to the allowed list.

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Using Node.js Debugger

Start the server with the Node.js debugger: 
node --inspect server.js
Then attach your debugger:
  • VS Code: Use the built-in debugger with “Attach to Node Process”
  • Chrome DevTools: Navigate to chrome://inspect
Add debugger; statements in your code to create breakpoints.

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Project Structure

CUIDO_Back/
├── server.js           # Application entry point
├── src/
│   ├── app.js         # Express app configuration
│   ├── config/        # Database and other configs
│   ├── controllers/   # Request handlers
│   ├── middleware/    # Custom middleware
│   ├── models/        # Mongoose schemas
│   ├── routes/        # API route definitions
│   ├── services/      # Business logic & external services
│   ├── utils/         # Helper functions
│   └── validators/    # Input validation schemas
├── scripts/           # Database seeding scripts
└── logs/             # Application logs (auto-generated)

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Next Steps

Testing

Learn how to write and run tests

Deployment

Deploy to production

API Reference

Explore available endpoints

Architecture

Understand system design

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