NexusChat

A real-time chat application built with Express.js, Node.js, React, Socket.io, and MongoDB.

Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js
• npm
• MongoDB (local or Atlas)
• Git
• Cloudinary account
• Email account for notifications

Environment Variables

1. Create a .env file in the backend directory with:

   DB_URL=your_mongodb_connection_string
   EMAIL_USER=your_email_address
   EMAIL_PASS=your_email_app_password
   FRONTEND_URL=the_frontend_url
   JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
   CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=your_cloudinary_cloud_name
   CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=your_cloudinary_api_key
   CLOUDINARY_SECRET=your_cloudinary_api_secret
   

2. Create a .env file in the frontend directory with:

   VITE_BACKEND_URL=the_backend_url
   

Option 1: Running Without Docker

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/eswar-7116/NexusChat.git
   cd NexusChat
   

2. Create environment file: Create a .env file in the project's backend and frontend directories with the environment variables listed above.

3. Install dependencies and build the project:

   npm run setup
   

4. Start the server:

   npm run dev
   

5. Access the application:

   • Frontend: http://localhost:5173

Option 2: Running With Docker

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/eswar-7116/NexusChat.git
   cd NexusChat
   

2. Create environment file: Create a .env file in the project's backend and frontend directories with the environment variables listed above.

3. Build and run with Docker:

   docker build -t nexuschat .
   docker run -p 10000:10000 --env-file ./backend/.env nexuschat
   

4. Access the application:

   • Application: http://localhost:10000