19.1.2 Setting Up Project Infrastructure

Optimized Project Setup with Leiningen and tools.deps

Building a full-stack application in Clojure requires a solid foundation. This section provides comprehensive guidance on setting up your project’s infrastructure using popular tooling such as Leiningen and tools.deps. We will go through initializing a new project, configuring essential files, and organizing your codebase for scalability and maintainability.

Project Initialization: Choosing Between Leiningen and tools.deps

When starting a new Clojure project, you’ll typically choose between Leiningen and tools.deps. Both tools have their merits, and your choice depends on the complexity and needs of your project.

• Leiningen: Known for its ease of use and a wide ecosystem, Leiningen simplifies tasks such as dependency management and building artifacts.
• tools.deps: Offers a more flexible and modular approach, allowing developers to manage dependencies via deps.edn.

Setting Up with Leiningen

1. Install Leiningen: First, ensure Leiningen is installed on your machine by following the installation guide.

2. Create a New Project:

   lein new app my-fullstack-app
   

3. Understand project.clj: This file holds all configuration details for your project. Key sections include dependencies, repositories, and build configurations.

   (defproject my-fullstack-app "0.1.0-SNAPSHOT"
     :dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure "1.10.3"]]
     :profiles {:dev {:dependencies [[ring/ring-mock "0.4.0"]]}})
   

Setting Up with tools.deps

1. Install Clojure CLI: tools.deps is included with the Clojure CLI tools. Follow these instructions to install them.

2. Set Up Project Directory:

   mkdir my-fullstack-app && cd my-fullstack-app
   

3. Create deps.edn: Define your project dependencies and paths here.

   {:deps {org.clojure/clojure {:mvn/version "1.10.3"}}}
   

Organizing Your Codebase

Directory Structure

For a full-stack application, you can either use a monorepo approach or separate repositories for frontend and backend.

• Monorepo: Suitable for small to medium projects where backend and frontend components are closely related.

  /my-fullstack-app
    /backend
      src/
      resources/
    /frontend
      src/
      public/
  

• Separate Repositories: Use distinct repositories if you’re dealing with a large team or complex services.

Dependency Management

Regardless of how you organize your repositories, ensure dependencies are clearly defined in project.clj or deps.edn. Common libraries for full-stack Clojure applications include Ring for web applications, Compojure for routing, and Reagent or Re-frame for ClojureScript projects.

Summary

Setting up your project infrastructure correctly is crucial for successful full-stack development in Clojure. By selecting the right tools and organizing your code efficiently, you lay a strong foundation for maintainability and future growth.

Embark on your journey of building robust full-stack applications with Clojure today!