Everything you need out of the box

Kaelum wraps Express with sensible defaults so you can focus on logic, not boilerplate.

Zero-Config Start

JSON parsing, static files, EJS views — all pre-configured. Just write routes and go.

Tree Routing

Recursive nested routes with addRoute and apiRoute. Define deep API trees in a single object.

Security Built-in

One-toggle CORS, Helmet, and XSS protection. Security shouldn’t be an afterthought.

CLI Scaffolding

npx kaelum create with Web and API templates. Full project structure in seconds.

Get started in 3 simple steps

From zero to running server in under a minute.

1

Install Kaelum

Scaffold a project with the interactive CLI.

$ npx kaelum create

? Project name: my-app
? Select template: web

✅ Project "my-app" created!

$ cd my-app
$ npm install

2

Configure your app

Set up CORS, security, logging — one config object.

const app = require("kaelum")();

app.setConfig({
cors: true,
helmet: true,
logs: "dev",
static: "public",
port: 3000,
views: { engine: "ejs", path: "./views" }
});

3

Start building

Add routes, API resources, and launch your server.

app.apiRoute("users", {
get: (req, res) => res.json([]),
post: (req, res) => res.status(201).json(req.body),
"/:id": {
  get: (req, res) => res.json({ id: req.params.id }),
  put: (req, res) => res.json({ updated: true }),
  delete: (req, res) => res.status(204).send()
}
});

app.healthCheck();
app.useErrorHandler();
app.start();

Explore the documentation

Dive into guides, API reference, and examples.

Core Functions

7 Articles

• addRoute()
• apiRoute()
• setConfig()
• start()
• healthCheck()
• setMiddleware()

View API reference

Guides

6 Articles

• Getting Started
• Environment Variables
• CLI Reference
• Middleware
• Error Handling
• Redirects

View all guides

Examples

2 Articles

• Web Application
• REST API

View examples

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Kaelum answered.

Getting Started

Questions about installation and setup.

Configuration

How to configure your Kaelum app.

Help & Support

Where to get help.

What is Kaelum?

Kaelum is a minimalist Node.js framework built on top of Express.js. It reduces boilerplate setup like body parsing, CORS, Helmet, and route registration so you can focus on business logic.

Do I need to know Express?

Not necessarily. Kaelum simplifies common Express patterns. However, since it's built on Express, any Express knowledge directly applies. You can mix Kaelum helpers with raw Express middleware.

How do I install Kaelum?

Run 'npx kaelum create my-app' to scaffold a new project, or 'npm install kaelum' to add it to an existing project. Node.js 18+ is required.

Is Kaelum production-ready?

Yes. Kaelum is a thin layer over Express — one of the most battle-tested Node.js frameworks. Once running, it's pure Express with zero runtime overhead.

How do I enable CORS and security headers?

Just pass them in setConfig: app.setConfig({ cors: true, helmet: true }). Kaelum toggles these features with simple boolean flags.

Can I use my own Express middleware?

Absolutely. The Kaelum app instance is a standard Express app. Use app.use(), app.get(), or any Express-compatible middleware alongside Kaelum helpers.

How does routing work?

Use addRoute() for page routes and apiRoute() for REST resources. Both support nested paths, middleware chains, and all HTTP methods in a single declaration.

Where can I get help?

Open an issue on our GitHub repository at github.com/kaelumjs/kaelum. Check the docs for troubleshooting tips.

How do I report a bug?

Please open an issue on our GitHub repository with a minimal reproduction, your Node.js version, and the Kaelum version you're using.

Can I contribute?

Yes! We welcome contributions. Check CONTRIBUTING.md in the repository for guidelines on how to submit pull requests and report issues.