Build Node.js RESTful API

For this project I need a clean, well-structured RESTful API built with Node.js. The service will expose standard CRUD endpoints, follow REST conventions, and return JSON responses. I already have the high-level business logic and endpoint outline; your role is to translate that into production-ready code, wire up any required middleware, and ensure the API is secure, scalable, and fully documented.

Key expectations
• Code in modern Node.js with Express (or a comparable lightweight framework)
• Modular folder structure, clear separation of concerns, and environment-based config
• Robust validation, error handling, and basic auth/token support
• Unit tests for critical paths and a Postman (or similar) collection for quick checks
• A concise README covering setup, env variables, and run scripts

Acceptance criteria
1. All specified endpoints respond with correct status codes and payloads.
2. Tests pass with npm test and achieve at least 80 % coverage.
3. Linting shows no critical issues and the API boots via a single command on a fresh machine.
4. Documentation is complete enough for another developer to extend the service without guidance.

Push the code to a Git repo at each milestone so I can review progress and run CI. Let me know early if a requirement isn’t clear so we keep momentum.