Near-Me Application

Overview

The Near-Me application is a real-time, location-sharing platform that enables users to view each other's positions on an interactive map using Leaflet. The app offers secure user authentication with JWT tokens, data protection using bcryptjs, and real-time communication via Socket.IO. This application is built with the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, Node.js), and it features an offline mode for map viewing, powered by Leaflet.

Features

• User Authentication: Register and login with username, email, name, and password, securely stored in MongoDB with bcryptjs encryption.
• JWT Token Authentication: Secure token-based authentication using jsonwebtoken (JWT).
• Real-Time Location Sharing: See real-time updates of user locations via Socket.IO and the Leaflet map.
• Offline Map Mode: Map still works without an internet connection after initial load.
• Multiple User Support: Real-time updates and location management for multiple users.
• Security Focused: Passwords are hashed, and sensitive information is stored securely.
• Environment Variables: Uses a .env file to manage sensitive data such as PORT, MongoDB URI, and JWT secret.

Technologies

• JavaScript (Node.js): Main programming language.
• Express: Backend framework.
• MongoDB: Database to store user information.
• Socket.IO: Real-time communication between users.
• Leaflet: JavaScript library for interactive maps.
• bcryptjs: For password encryption.
• dotenv: To handle environment variables.
• jsonwebtoken (JWT): Token-based authentication.
• Nodemon: Development tool to automatically restart the server on changes.

Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js installed on your machine.
• MongoDB installed or access to MongoDB Atlas.

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/mahmud-r-farhan/near-me
   cd near-me
   
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Create a .env file in the root directory and add the following environment variables:

   PORT=your_port_number MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_uri JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret

4. Start the application:

   • For production: npm start
   • For development (with nodemon): nodemon app.js

   How it Works

   • User Authentication: Users register with an email, username, name, and password. The password is encrypted using bcryptjs before saving to the database. On login, a JWT token is issued, which is used to authenticate the user on each request.

   • Real-Time Location Sharing: After logging in, the user's real-time location is shared with others on the map using Socket.IO. When a user moves, their location is updated for all other users on the map in real-time.

   • Offline Mode: The Leaflet map supports offline usage. Once loaded, the map tiles are cached, allowing users to view the map without an active internet connection.

   • Security: Passwords are hashed using bcryptjs for secure storage. JWT tokens are used for stateless authentication, protecting routes from unauthorized access. Sensitive data such as the MongoDB URI and JWT secret are stored in environment variables.

Scripts

• npm start: Starts the server.
• nodemon app.js: Starts the server in development mode with auto-reloading.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Contribution

Feel free to contribute by submitting a pull request. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.

Contact

For any inquiries or suggestions, please reach out to [email protected].