Chat App

A simple and interactive chat application designed to make online communication easier and more engaging. With features like real-time messaging, group chat management, and an admin dashboard, Chat App brings people closer together.

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Features

1. User Registration/Login:

   • Secure registration and login using unique usernames.

2. Search Users:

   • Quickly find and connect with other registered users.

3. Friend Requests:

   • Send and receive friend requests, with notifications for incoming requests.

4. Friend Management:

   • Accept or decline friend requests to manage your social circle.

5. Chat List:

   • View a list of active friends and conversations.

6. Real-Time Messaging:

   • Exchange messages and attachments using a responsive chat interface.

7. Group Chats:

   • Create group chats with 3 to 100 members.
   • Group admins can rename the group, manage members, and delete the group if necessary.

8. Admin Dashboard:

   • A secure admin dashboard to monitor users, messages, and chats (accessible with a secret key).

9. Unfriend/Delete Chat:

   • Remove a chat or unfriend a user directly from the chat list.

10. Flexible Group Management:

    • Members can leave groups. Admins can assign new leadership automatically if the admin leaves.

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Installation and Setup

Prerequisites

1. Node.js: Ensure you have Node.js installed (version 16+ recommended). Download Node.js
2. Package Manager: Use npm (comes with Node.js) or yarn.

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Step 1: Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Jamil255/Chat_App.git
cd chat-app

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Step 2: Install Dependencies

2.1 Client-Side Setup

Navigate to the client directory and install dependencies:

cd client
npm install

2.2 Server-Side Setup

Navigate to the server directory and install dependencies:

cd ../server
npm install

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Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

3.1 Client-Side

1. Navigate to the client folder.

2. Create a .env file and define any necessary variables.

   Example:

   VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:5000

3.2 Server-Side

1. Navigate to the server folder.
2. Create a .env file and set up the required variables:

   PORT=5000
   SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key
   MONGO_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/chatapp
   CLOUDINARY_NAME=your_cloudinary_name
   CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=your_cloudinary_api_key
   CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=your_cloudinary_api_secret

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Step 4: Run the Application

4.1 Start the Server

Navigate to the server directory and run the server:

npm start

The server will start on http://localhost:5000 (or the port defined in .env).

4.2 Start the Client

Navigate to the client directory and run the client:

npm run dev

The client will start on http://localhost:5173 (or the port defined by Vite).

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Step 5: Open in Browser

1. Open your browser and visit the client URL, typically:

   http://localhost:5173
   

2. Interact with the application.

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Additional Notes

1. Client Build for Production: To build the client for production:

   npm run build

   The build output will be located in the dist folder.

2. Server in Production: For production, consider using a process manager like PM2 to run your Node.js server:

   npm install -g pm2
   pm2 start server.js

3. Database: Ensure MongoDB is running locally or remotely accessible through the URI defined in .env.

4. Socket.IO: The client and server communicate in real-time using Socket.IO. Ensure the server URL is properly configured in the client.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here’s how you can get started:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Clone your forked repository.
3. Create a new branch (git checkout -b feature-name).
4. Make your changes and commit them (git commit -m "Add feature").
5. Push your changes to the forked repository.
6. Submit a pull request.

Please ensure your changes are well-documented and tested.

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Feel free to reach out with any questions or ideas to improve this project!