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Guide · Open source

How to use litemall: setup, modules and what to expect

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

litemall is an open-source small shop system made of a Java Spring Boot backend, a Vue admin panel, a WeChat mini-program storefront and a Vue mobile storefront. This guide walks through the prerequisites, the database import and how to start each part. By the end you will know what each piece does and how they connect when you run them locally.

litemalllinlinjava/litemall · ★ 20.4k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install prerequisites. Install MySQL, JDK 1.8 or higher, Maven, Node.js and WeChat developer tools.
  2. 2Import the database. Import litemall_schema.sql, litemall_table.sql and litemall_data.sql from litemall-db/sql in that order.
  3. 3Build and start the backend. Clone the repo, run mvn install and mvn clean package, then start the litemall-all exec jar.
  4. 4Start the admin panel. Run npm install and npm run dev in litemall-admin, then open localhost:9527.
  5. 5Open the mini-program. Import litemall-wx into WeChat developer tools and compile it.
  6. 6Start the mobile storefront. Run npm install and npm run dev in litemall-vue, then open localhost:6255 in Chrome mobile mode.

What litemall includes

litemall is split into four parts: a Spring Boot backend, a Vue admin panel for managing the shop, a WeChat mini-program storefront for shoppers, and a Vue mobile shop frontend.

The README lists storefront features such as home page, categories, brands, coupons, group buying, search, product pages, cart, ordering, order aftersales, and customer service. The admin side covers member, mall, product, promotion, system, configuration and statistics management.

  • Backend: Spring Boot
  • Admin panel: Vue
  • Shopper storefront: WeChat mini-program (litemall-wx)
  • Mobile storefront: Vue (litemall-vue)

Install the prerequisites

The README lists the minimum development environment. You need all of these before you start the services.

The project is a clone-and-build setup, so you run the commands yourself rather than installing a packaged app.

  • MySQL
  • JDK 1.8 or higher
  • Maven
  • Node.js
  • WeChat developer tools

Import the database and build the backend

Import the SQL files from litemall-db/sql into MySQL in this order: litemall_schema.sql, litemall_table.sql, then litemall_data.sql.

Clone the repository, then build the backend from the project root and start the server jar.

  • Import order: litemall_schema.sql, litemall_table.sql, litemall_data.sql
git clone https://github.com/linlinjava/litemall cd litemall mvn install mvn clean package java -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 -jar litemall-all/target/litemall-all-0.1.0-exec.jar

Run the Vue admin panel

Install dependencies in the admin folder and start the dev server. The README says to open http://localhost:9527 in your browser to reach the admin login page.

cd litemall/litemall-admin npm install --registry=https://registry.npm.taobao.org npm run dev

Run the WeChat mini-program storefront

Open the litemall-wx project in WeChat developer tools. The README says to enable the option that skips legal domain, web-view business domain, TLS version and HTTPS certificate checks, then click compile to preview.

The README notes that WeChat login and WeChat payment need extra developer setup. It points to the project documentation for those details.

  • Import the litemall-wx project into WeChat developer tools
  • Enable the option to skip domain, TLS and HTTPS certificate checks
  • Click compile to preview, or preview and scan with a phone that has debugging enabled

Run the Vue mobile storefront

Install dependencies in litemall-vue and start it. The README suggests opening http://localhost:6255 in Chrome using mobile mode. It also warns that this frontend is very unstable and still in development.

cd litemall/litemall-vue npm install --registry=https://registry.npm.taobao.org npm run dev

What people use it for

  • Studying how a Spring Boot shop backend is structured
  • Learning how an admin panel talks to a server
  • Using the WeChat mini-program frontend as a reference for a mini-program store
  • Comparing Vue admin and mobile front-end setups

Frequently asked questions

Is litemall free to use?

Yes. The code is released under the MIT licence, according to the README. The documentation uses a separate CC BY-ND 4.0 licence, so check the LICENSE file before reuse.

What do I need to install litemall?

The README lists MySQL, JDK 1.8 or higher, Maven, Node.js and WeChat developer tools. You also need to import the SQL files from litemall-db/sql.

Can I use litemall for a production online shop?

The README says it is for learning and practice, is still in development, and the author takes no responsibility for consequences of use. It is not presented as production-ready.

Why does the mobile storefront not work well?

The README warns that the Vue mobile storefront is very unstable and still under development. Expect bugs and missing polish.

Do I need coding skills to run litemall?

Yes. Setup uses command lines for Maven and npm, database imports and WeChat developer tools. It is not a no-code shop builder.

What are alternatives to litemall?

The README and project notes mention nideshop-mini-program, mall-admin-web, Taro_Mall and Flutter_Mall as related projects. Taro_Mall is described as built on litemall with a Taro front end.

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Our verdict

litemall suits Java developers, students and WeChat mini-program developers who want a readable reference shop codebase to study or learn from. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs a stable, production-ready store or a no-code solution, since the README itself says the project is still in development and the mobile storefront is unstable.

Install options & downloads