This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Raimi Dikamona Lassissi
Hey devs! 
Welcome to my second weekly update on building Treazurex, a web application I’m building with React + Vite on the front-end and Node.js + PostgreSQL on the back-end. If you missed the first week’s post, this project is all about learning through doing, building out a full-stack shopping experience while picking up best practices along the way.
Original Plan vs. Reality
At the start of the week, my plan was simple:
Build the homepage and the shop page.
But like many development journeys, I quickly realized that I had overlooked an important foundation, my back-end and database setup were still incomplete. Without a solid schema and working back-end logic, there was no way I could reliably fetch and display real product data on the front-end.
So I shifted gears. Instead of pushing forward on the UI, I decided to focus on getting the data layer right first.
Thinking Through the Data
I started by creating the missing tables in my PostgreSQL database. I took time to think carefully about:
- What each table represents
- What columns are necessary
- What valid data should look like
- How the tables should relate to each other
This exercise really helped me sharpen my understanding of relational database design. I found myself constantly thinking in terms of primary keys, foreign keys, data types, and referential integrity.
Once the tables were in place, I moved on to creating model files for each table — functions that allow common operations like inserting, updating, deleting, or querying records. This part was a bit repetitive, but it also reinforced some important patterns in working with raw SQL in Node.js.
As tedious as it felt at times, I believe that repetition builds mastery and I definitely came away with more confidence in writing data access logic.
Looking Ahead: Exploring ORMs
While writing models manually helped me understand the underlying logic of data access, it also made me curious about how to work more efficiently in the future.
I came across a concept called Object-Relational Mapping (ORM), a technique that allows you to interact with your database using object-oriented code instead of raw SQL. Tools like Sequelize, Prisma, and TypeORM promise to reduce boilerplate and make database queries easier to manage.
Though I haven’t used an ORM on Treazurex yet, it’s definitely something I want to explore in future projects. It seems like a smart way to stay productive while keeping code clean and readable.
Back to the Front-end
Once I had a more stable back-end and database schema in place, I returned to the front-end to design the look and feel of the home page.
I wanted the page to be:
- Clean and visually appealing
- Easy to navigate
- Fully responsive across devices
Using Tailwind CSS, I styled the components with flexibility in mind. Tailwind’s utility-first approach really helped me iterate quickly, experiment with layouts, and make small visual adjustments without writing custom CSS classes.
Although the front-end part was less complex than the back-end this week, it reminded me that presentation matters just as much as functionality, especially for user-facing features like a homepage.
What I Learned This Week
Week two was a mix of challenges, insights, and progress. I gained a deeper appreciation for:
Database design: carefully planning tables, columns, and relationships can save a lot of headaches later.
Repetition as a teacher: writing similar model logic manually might be repetitive, but it solidified my understanding of CRUD operations.
Tailwind CSS: how utility-first styling can make responsive design faster and more intuitive.
The importance of flexibility: it’s okay to shift plans if your foundation isn’t ready yet.
What’s Next?
In the coming week, I’ll be focusing on:
- Completing the shop page
- Building out the product details page
Both of these will involve tying the front-end to real data and ensuring that the design remains consistent and responsive.
I’m excited to see how Treazurex evolves from here. One week, one decision, and one improvement at a time.
Thanks for following along! Feel free to share your own experience building apps or any tips on working with databases or styling with Tailwind. 
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Raimi Dikamona Lassissi