From zero to $10M empire!” – Me & my future yacht!

Source: Dev.to

I built a Task Manager Empire in a day and deployed it for free. It’s a complete Task Manager API with Node.js, Express, and MySQL, live 24/7 at $0 cost. Feel free to hit GET /api/tasks – it’s server‑less and I literally pay nothing. 😎

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Why I Built This (The Quick Origin Story)

I was grinding backend with freeCodeCamp and wanted a project that checked every box:

• Real database (no fake JSON files)
• Always live on the internet
• Costs $0 forever
• Looks impressive on GitHub and a resume

So I built Task Manager Empire in a couple of crazy days and now share the full blueprint so you can clone and run your own empire in under 10 minutes.

Tech Stack (Simple, Free, Powerful)

Zero lock‑in, zero cost, 100 % production‑ready.

API Endpoints (Clean & RESTful)

Try It Live Right Now!

Create an epic task

POST https://task-manager-empire.leapcell.app/api/tasks
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "title": "Buy Lambo",
  "description": "After this post goes viral"
}

Response

{
  "id": 123,
  "title": "Buy Lambo",
  "description": "After this post goes viral",
  "status": "pending",
  "created_at": "2025-11-29T23:59:59.000Z"
}

Feel free to break it – it auto‑scales and costs me nothing!

Project Structure (No Confusion)

task-manager-empire/
├── server.js                     # Entry point
├── config/db.js                  # PlanetScale connection
├── routes/tasks.js               # All routes
├── controllers/taskController.js# Logic
├── leapcell.yml                  # Deployment config
├── .env                          # Secrets (git‑ignored)
├── package.json
└── README.md

Run Your Own Empire Locally (5 minutes)

git clone https://github.com/victorion0/task-manager-empire.git
cd task-manager-empire
npm install

Create a .env file (use free credentials from PlanetScale):

DB_HOST=xxxxxxxx.us-east.connect.psdb.cloud
DB_USER=xxxxxxxx
DB_PASSWORD=xxxxxxxx
DB_NAME=taskmanager
DB_PORT=3306

Start the server:

npm run dev

The API runs at http://localhost:5000.

Deploy in 60 Seconds on Leapcell.io (Free Forever Plan)

1. Push your code to GitHub.
2. Go to https://leapcell.io → New Project → Connect your repo.
3. Add the same PlanetScale environment variables.
4. Click Deploy.

Done. Your empire is live forever—no credit card needed.

What’s Next for the Empire?

• User authentication with JWT
• React frontend (already sketching)
• React Native mobile app
• Email/SMS reminders
• Pro plan: $5/month for unlimited tasks + golden crown badge

Final Words

This is a backend project that actually lives on the real internet, scales automatically, and costs nothing to run. If you’re learning Node.js, Express, or backend development—stop watching tutorials all day. Build your own empire today. ⭐️

Star the repo if this helped you: https://github.com/victorion0/task-manager-empire

Tags: #nodejs #beginners #webdev #api #mysql #serverless #javascript #programming