JAMStack E-Commerce Example

This is a showcase of an e-commerce website built with the JAMStack using Nuxt.js as the web application framework and Salesforce as the data storage for products and orders as well as for user authentication.

• JAMStack E-Commerce Example
  • Example Features
  • JAMStack Architecture
  • Running the Showcase
    • Prerequisites
    • Setting Up Salesforce
      • Setting Up the Test User and Profile
      • Installing the Salesforce Metadata
      • Setting Up the Integration User
      • Setting Up the Lightning Community
      • Setting Up the Connected App
    • Running the Content Update Script
    • Running the API Server
    • Running the Web Application
  • License

Example Features

• Pre-Generated Static HTML Files: All pages that make up the website are pre-generated at build time. This even includes one product detail page for each product. These static HTML files can be served by any web server or Content Delivery Network (CDN).
• Pre-fetched Product Content: Content for products is pre-fetched from Salesforce using a dedicated Node.js script. This script should be executed before the static HTML files are generated. It fetches product data via the Salesforce REST API and stores the content locally as JSON files. They can be committed to the Git repository and are used to generate the HTML files.
• Authentication via Salesforce: Visitors can authenticate with their Salesforce customer community user via the OpenID Connect protocol. This requires only a minimal Lightning Community configuration and a Connected App in Salesforce.
• Individual User Content: Once logged in the website visitors can view their own user profile which displays their Account data from Salesforce. This data is fetched via the little API server so that visitors do not communicate directly with the Salesforce REST API.
• Client-Side Shopping Cart: All items added to the shopping cart are stored client-side in the browser's local storage. No server communication required. Visitors can still close the browser and have their cart content restored when accessing the page again (with the same browser on the same device).
• Order Transmission to Salesforce: Logged in visitors can place orders by sending their shopping cart to the API server. This server transforms the cart data into a proper Salesforce order and transmits the records via the Salesforce REST API.
• Delegated Logout via Salesforce: When logging out on the website visitors can be redirected to a special logout page in the Lightning Community to log them out there as well and then return to the website.

JAMStack Architecture

Since the pages accessed by the website visitors are not generated dynamically when they are requested but pre-generated and served as static HTML files, the process of rolling out new features and content looks a little bit different than in "traditional" web applications.

1. Local Development: Development of new features can be done locally.

   Nuxt.js comes with very effective tools to support a great developer experience like a dev server with hot module replacement and live reload.

   Content for products is stored in the Git repository alongside with the source code, so developers can make use of real product data during implementation and testing.

   API endpoints should be stubbed using some mock server, e.g. WireMock or mockserver, in order to work independently from real external systems. For OpenID Connect authentication consider setting up KeyCloak locally.

   Note: This example project does not include any mock server.

2. Pre-Fetching Content: Everytime new or updated product data has to be published on the website the pre-fetched content JSON files must be updated in the Git repository before a new version of static HTML files is generated.

   The special Node.js content script will connect to Salesforce and fetch the most recent data via the Salesforce REST API. The content JSON files are updated accordingly and can be committed to the Git repository.

   It is completely up to you where and when this script is executed. For example, it can run as a GitHub Action or in a CI process on Travis CI.

   Note: Salesforce is just an example of a potential data source to acquire content from. Content files can also be created from any other data source.

3. Publishing Static HTML Files: Every commit in the Git repository represents a certain implementation and content state of the website which can potentially be published.

   The build process transforms the source code into optimized chunks and generates the static HTML files by computing all accessible routes for the implemented page components and the pre-fetched content files.

   Finally, all generated website files can be published to any web server or Content Delivery Network, e.g. Netlify.

   Note: The build process can also leverage API requests to load content which is not stored in content files in the Git repository.

4. Dynamic Enhancement via APIs: Visitors are served static HTML files when loading the website in the browser. This is extremely fast because nothing needs dynamically generated on the server.

   Once the web page has loaded the dynamic JavaScript kicks in and enhances the page with dynamic features. This can be features like the shopping cart or displaying personalized user content.

   Dynamic data can be fetched by sending API requests from the browser. Visitors can authenticate using standard protocols like OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect to allow the website to present individual content.

Running the Showcase

Prerequisites

• Node.js 12.x or higher
• Yarn package manager
• Salesforce organization, e.g free Developer Edition

Setting Up Salesforce

Setting Up the Test User and Profile

Why? It enables the login with a real customer user in the Lightning Community.

1. Open Salesforce Setup and navigate to "Communities". Make sure that communities are enabled.
2. In the Salesforce Setup navigate to "Profiles".
3. Clone the profile "Customer Community User" to create a custom profile specifically for users of the new community. For example, call it "Example Customer User".
4. Open the Sales Cloud to create an Account and Contact for testing purposes. On the Contact view select the quick action "Enable Customer User".
   • Set the "User License" to "Customer Community".
   • Assign the profile created in the previous step.
   • Enter your own e-mail address to receive the welcome e-mail message once the user is added as member to the community.

Installing the Salesforce Metadata

This step is required if you are planning to use the content update script and if you want to set up automatic logout in the Lightning Community when users log out in the website.

Why? It adds the custom object "Product Category" to your Salesforce org and installs a custom field on the Product2 object to let you define the category a product belongs to. It also installs a Lightning Web Component to be used on a special logout community page which will automatically log the user out.

1. Download and install Salesforce CLI.

2. Open a terminal in the directory salesforce.

3. Connect Salesforce CLI to your Salesforce org.

   sfdx force:auth:web:login -a MyOrg -s

4. Deploy the SFDX project to your Salesforce org.

   sfdx force:source:deploy -p force-app

Setting Up the Integration User

Why? It allows the API server and content script to connect to Salesforce with a specific technical user which allows for individual access control.

1. Open Salesforce Setup and navigate to "Users".
2. Create a new user.
   • Set the "User License" to "Salesforce"
   • Assign the profile "System Administrator".
   • Give the user some name like "Integration".
   • Enter your own e-mail address in order to receive the registration e-mail.
3. If you are planning to use the content update script please assign the permission set "Product Category Editor" to the integration user.
4. Confirm the verification e-mail and complete the user registration by entering a new password.
5. Log in to Salesforce with that integration user.
6. In the user menu next to the Setup icon select "Settings".
7. Navigate to "Reset My Security Token" and click the button "Reset Security Token". You should receive the new token via e-mail.

Setting Up the Lightning Community

Why? It is required to display the login page during the OpenID Connect authentication flow.

1. Open Salesforce Setup and navigate to "All Communities".
2. Click the button "New Community" and choose the template "Build Your Own". Give it some arbitrary name and preferrably leave the URL blank.
3. Open the "Workspace" of the new community and go to "Administration".
4. In the "Settings" section activate the community.
5. Temporarily switch back to Salesforce Setup at "All Communities" and open the "Builder" of the new community. Click the "Publish" button.
6. Back in the "Workspace" of the community go to the "Emails" section and enter your own e-mail address in the "Sender" configuration. Make sure to confirm the e-mail message which is sent to you.
7. Activate the checkbox "Send welcome email".
8. In the "Members" section assign the profile previously created for customer community users (e.g. "Example Customer User"). You should receive a welcome e-mail message for the test user created before. Complete the user registration by entering a new password.

If you want to set up automatic logout for community users when they log out on the website perform these additional steps:

1. Open the "Workspace" of the community and go to "Administration".
2. In the "Login & Registration" section enter the website's logout URL in the "Logout Page URL" field (e.g. if running the website on http://localhost:3000 enter the URL http://localhost:3000/logout)
3. Switch back to Salesforce Setup at "All Communities" and open the "Builder" of the community.
4. Create a blank standard page with an arbitrary content layout (e.g. "1 full-width column"). Give the page the name "Logout" and the URL "logout".
5. In the page settings set "Page Access" to "Requires Login".
6. Drag the custom component "JSEC Auto Logout" from the "Components" panel to the content region of the page. Do not be confused: This will immediately redirect you to an error page in Experience Builder because that component attempts to log the user out when rendered. This is just an indicator that the component works as expected.
7. Publish the changes made to the community.

Setting Up the Connected App

Why? It is required for the OpenID Connect authentication for website visitors and allows the API server and content script to connect to Salesforce in a secure way.

1. Open Salesforce Setup and navigate to the "App Manager".
2. Click the button "New Connected App" and enter the following data.
   • Connected App Name: (Choose anything you like, e.g. "Local OIDC")
   • API Name: (Choose anything you like, e.g. "Local_OIDC")
   • Contact Email: (Your e-mail address)
   • Enable OAuth Setting: Activated
   • Callback URL: http://localhost:3000/login/callback
   • Selected OAuth Scoped:
     • Access your basic information (id, profile, email, address, phone)
     • Allow access to your unique identifier (openid)
     • Perform requests on your behalf at any time (refresh_token, offline_access)
   • Require Secret for Web Server Flow: Deactivated
   • Configure ID Token: Activated
   • Token Valid for: (some reasonable session lifetime, e.g. 240 minutes)
   • ID Token Audiences: (leave empty, meaning consumer key is used)
   • Include Standard Claims: Activated
3. From the Connected App View copy the "Consumer Key" and the "Consumer Secret" for later use in configuration parameters.
4. Click the button "Manage" and then "Edit Policies".
5. Set the "Permitted Users" field to "Admin approved users are pre-authorized".
6. In the "Profiles" panel click the button "Manage Profiles" and assign both the profile previously created for customer community users (e.g. "Example Customer User") and the profile for the integration user (e.g. "System Administrator").

Running the Content Update Script

This step is optional because the Git repository already contains some example products and categories for demonstration.

You should have some records for the Product2 object in your Salesforce org which are active and have Price Book Entries in some Price Book used for the content update.

You may also create some Product Categories and assign them to your products.

Note: The script requires the Salesforce metadata to be deployed in your org.

1. Open a terminal in the directory content-scripts.

2. Set the following environment variables.

   Name	Description
   SALESFORCE_INSTANCE_URL	Base URL of the Salesforce instance (pattern https://xx##.salesforce.com )
   SALESFORCE_API_VERSION	Salesforce API version to use
   SALESFORCE_TOKEN_ENDPOINT	OAuth 2.0 token endpoint of the Salesforce instance
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_ID	Consumer Key of the Connected App (copied before from App view)
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_SECRET	Consumer Secret of the Connected App (copied before from App view)
   SALESFORCE_USERNAME	Username of the integration user
   SALESFORCE_PASSWORD	Password of the integration user + security token (simply concatenate the two)
   SALESFORCE_PRICE_BOOK_NAME	Optional. Price book to use. Default: "Standard Price Book"

   Example:

   SALESFORCE_INSTANCE_URL=https://eu25.salesforce.com
   SALESFORCE_API_VERSION=49.0
   SALESFORCE_TOKEN_ENDPOINT=https://login.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/token
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_ID=3MVG9...ru7XA
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_SECRET=17DAD...0110F
   [email protected]
   SALESFORCE_PASSWORD=abcde...KiQ9n

   Tip: You can put these variable assignments in a file called .env in the directory content-scripts for development and testing.

3. Install the Node.js dependencies.

   yarn install

4. Run the script to update the categories and products JSON files in the directory content.

   yarn start

Running the API Server

1. Open a terminal in the directory api.

2. Set the following environment variables.

   Name	Description
   PORT	Local server port to listen on. Default: 3000
   SALESFORCE_INSTANCE_URL	Base URL of the Salesforce instance (pattern https://xx##.salesforce.com )
   SALESFORCE_API_VERSION	Salesforce API version to use
   SALESFORCE_TOKEN_ENDPOINT	OAuth 2.0 token endpoint of the Salesforce instance (not community)
   SALESFORCE_JWKS_ENDPOINT	OpenID Connect JSON Web Key Set endpoint of the Salesforce Lightning Community
   SALESFORCE_ISSUER_URL	Issuer URL included in the ID token issued by Salesforce
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_ID	Consumer Key of the Connected App (copied before from App view)
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_SECRET	Consumer Secret of the Connected App (copied before from App view)
   SALESFORCE_USERNAME	Username of the integration user
   SALESFORCE_PASSWORD	Password of the integration user + security token (simply concat the two)
   SALESFORCE_PRICE_BOOK_NAME	Optional. Price book to use. Default: "Standard Price Book"
   SECURITY_CORS_ORIGIN	Base URL of the web application allowed to access the server.

   Example:

   PORT=4000
   SALESFORCE_INSTANCE_URL=https://eu25.salesforce.com
   SALESFORCE_API_VERSION=49.0
   SALESFORCE_TOKEN_ENDPOINT=https://login.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/token
   SALESFORCE_JWKS_ENDPOINT=https://georgwittberger-developer-edition.eu25.force.com/id/keys
   SALESFORCE_ISSUER_URL=https://georgwittberger-developer-edition.eu25.force.com
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_ID=3MVG9...ru7XA
   SALESFORCE_CLIENT_SECRET=17DAD...0110F
   [email protected]
   SALESFORCE_PASSWORD=abcde...KiQ9n
   SECURITY_CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:3000

   Tip: You can put these variable assignments in a file called .env in the directory api for development and testing.

3. Install the Node.js dependencies.

   yarn install

4. Run the server.

   yarn start

Running the Web Application

1. Open a terminal in the project root directory.

2. Set the following environment variables.

   Name	Description
   API_URL	Base URL of the API server
   LOGOUT_URL	Optional. Logout page URL of the Salesforce Lightning Community
   OAUTH2_AUTHORIZE_ENDPOINT	OAuth 2.0 authorization endpoint of the Salesforce Lightning Community
   OAUTH2_USERINFO_ENDPOINT	User info endpoint of the API server
   OAUTH2_CLIENT_ID	Consumer Key of the Connected App (copied before from App view)
   OAUTH2_SCOPES	OAuth 2.0 scopes to request during authentication, comma-separated

   Example:

   API_URL=http://localhost:4000
   LOGOUT_URL=https://georgwittberger-developer-edition.eu25.force.com/s/logout
   OAUTH2_AUTHORIZE_ENDPOINT=https://georgwittberger-developer-edition.eu25.force.com/services/oauth2/authorize
   OAUTH2_USERINFO_ENDPOINT=http://localhost:4000/userinfo
   OAUTH2_CLIENT_ID=3MVG9...ru7XA
   OAUTH2_SCOPES=openid,id

   Tip: You can put these variable assignments in a file called .env in the project root directory for development and testing.

   Note: If the variable LOGOUT_URL is not provided users will be redirected to the website's logout page immediately without external roundtrip.

3. Install the Node.js dependencies.

   yarn install

4. Either launch the development server which offers live reload ...

   yarn dev

5. ... or generate the static HTML files first and then serve these files from the dist directory.

   yarn generate
   yarn start

6. Open your browser on http://localhost:3000

License

MIT License