Real-Time Chat Application

A full-stack real-time chat application built with modern web technologies.

Technology Stack

• Frontend: React.js, TailwindCSS, Daisy UI
• Backend: Node.js, Express.js
• Database: MongoDB
• Real-time Communication: Socket.io
• State Management: Zustand
• Authentication: JWT (JSON Web Token)

Features

• 🔐 Secure user authentication and authorization
• 💬 Real-time messaging functionality
• 🟢 Online user status indicators
• 📱 Responsive design for all devices
• ⚡ Efficient state management with Zustand
• 🛡️ Comprehensive error handling (client and server)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• MongoDB
• Cloudinary account (for image uploads)

Setup

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/chat-application.git
   cd chat-application

2. Install dependencies

   # Install backend dependencies
   npm install
   
   # Install frontend dependencies
   cd frontend
   npm install

Development

1. Start the backend server

   npm run dev

2. Start the frontend development server

   cd frontend
   npm run dev

Production

1. Build the application

   npm run build

2. Start the production server

   npm start

## API Endpoints

- `POST /api/auth/signup` - Register a new user
- `POST /api/auth/login` - Authenticate a user
- `GET /api/users` - Get all users
- `GET /api/messages/:id` - Get messages for a specific chat
- `POST /api/messages` - Send a new message

## Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)
3. Commit your changes (`git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature'`)
4. Push to the branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)
5. Open a Pull Request