In this quickstart we’ll show you how to get set up with Modus and its CLI and build a simple app that fetches a random quote from an external API. You’ll learn how to use the basic components of a Modus app and how to run it locally.

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Prerequisites

  • Node.js - v22 or higher
  • Text editor - we recommend VS Code
  • Terminal - access Modus through a command-line interface (CLI)

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Building your first Modus app

1

Install the Modus CLI

The Modus CLI provides a set of commands to help you create, build, and run your Modus apps. You can install the CLI using cURL or npm.

curl install.hypermode.com/modus.sh -sSfL | bash

or

npm install -g @hypermode/modus-cli
2

Initialize your Modus app

To create a new Modus app, run the following command in your terminal:

modus new

This command prompts you to choose between Go and AssemblyScript as the language for your app. It then creates a new directory with the necessary files and folders for your app.

3

Build and run your app

To build and run your app, navigate to the app directory and run the following command:

modus dev

This command runs your app locally in a development mode and provides you with a URL to access your app’s generated API.

4

Add a connection

Modus is a secure-by-default framework. To connect to external services, you need to add a connection in your app manifest.

Add the following code into your modus.json manifest file:

modus.json
{
  "connections": {
    "zenquotes": {
      "type": "http",
      "baseUrl": "https://zenquotes.io/"
    }
  }
}
5

Add a function

Functions are the building blocks of your app. Let’s add a function that fetches a random quote from the ZenQuotes connection you just created.

To add a function, create a new file in the root directory with the following code:

quotes.go
package main

import (
  "errors"
  "fmt"

  "github.com/hypermodeinc/modus/sdk/go/pkg/http"
)

type Quote struct {
  Quote  string `json:"q"`
  Author string `json:"a"`
}

// this function makes a request to an API that returns data in JSON format, and
// returns an object representing the data
func GetRandomQuote() (*Quote, error) {
  request := http.NewRequest("https://zenquotes.io/api/random")

  response, err := http.Fetch(request)
  if err != nil {
    return nil, err
  }
  if !response.Ok() {
    return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to fetch quote. Received: %d %s", response.Status, response.StatusText)
  }

  // the API returns an array of quotes, but we only want the first one
  var quotes []Quote
  response.JSON(&quotes)
  if len(quotes) == 0 {
    return nil, errors.New("expected at least one quote in the response, but none were found")
  }
  return &quotes[0], nil
}

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