ConvoSphere (Backend)

A secure and scalable backend service for the ConvoSphere chat application, built with Node.js, Express, bcrypt, jsonwebtoken, and PostgreSQL.

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Features
• Tech Stack
• Setup Instructions
• Project Structure
• API Endpoints
• Contributing
• License

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Introduction

ConvoSphere(Backend) is the backend service for the ConvoSphere chat application. It handles authentication, user management, and database interactions, ensuring a secure and efficient chat experience.

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Features

• User Authentication: Secure login and registration using bcrypt and JWT.
• Real-Time Communication: Provides APIs for real-time messaging.
• PostgreSQL Integration: A robust and scalable relational database.
• Middleware: Efficient request handling with Express middleware.
• Development Convenience: Nodemon for automatic server restarts during development.

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Tech Stack

• Node.js: JavaScript runtime for server-side development.
• Express.js: Fast and minimal web framework.
• bcrypt: Password hashing library.
• jsonwebtoken: For secure token-based authentication.
• PostgreSQL: Reliable and scalable database.
• Nodemon: For seamless development experience.

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Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Node.js
• PostgreSQL
• A code editor (e.g., VS Code)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/FluttX/convo_sphere-app-backend.git

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd convo_sphere-app-backend

3. Install dependencies:

   npm install

4. Create a .env file in the root directory and configure the following variables:

   PORT=5000
   DB_HOST=localhost
   DB_USER=your_pg_user
   DB_PASSWORD=your_pg_password
   DB_NAME=convosphere
   JWT_SECRET=your_secret_key

5. Start the PostgreSQL server and create the database and tables:

   CREATE DATABASE convo_sphere;

   and other sql tables that is on project_sql_file.sql.

6. Run the server in development mode:

   npm run dev

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Project Structure

convo_sphere-app-backend/
├── controllers/    # Request handling logic
├── middleware/     # Custom middleware
├── models/         # Database models
├── routes/         # API routes
├── utils/          # Utility functions
├── .env            # Environment variables
├── server.js       # Entry point of the application
└── package.json    # Dependencies and scripts

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API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /api/auth/register: Register a new user.
• POST /api/auth/login: Login and receive a JWT.

Users

• GET /api/users: Retrieve a list of users.
• GET /api/users/:id: Retrieve user details by ID.

Messages

• POST /api/messages: Send a new message.
• GET /api/messages/:conversationId: Retrieve messages by conversation ID.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! Follow these steps to contribute:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch:

   git checkout -b feature-name

3. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m "Add feature name"

4. Push your branch:

   git push origin feature-name

5. Submit a pull request.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.