Chat Management Application

This project is a Chat Management Application built using Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB, and EJS templating. The application allows users to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on chat records stored in a MongoDB database.

Table of Contents

• Project Overview
• Features
• Technologies Used
• Installation
• Usage
• Project Structure
• License

Project Overview

This application mimics basic chat management functionality. It connects to a MongoDB database to store chat details such as sender, recipient, message, and timestamp. It allows users to:

• View all chat records
• View details of individual chats
• Create new chat records
• Edit existing chat messages
• Delete chat records

Features

• CRUD Operations: Provides full support for creating, reading, updating, and deleting chat records.
• MongoDB Integration: Uses MongoDB for storing and managing chat data.
• Templating Engine: Utilizes EJS for rendering server-side HTML templates.
• Routing and Middleware: Express.js is used for handling HTTP requests and routing.

Technologies Used

• Node.js: JavaScript runtime for the server
• Express.js: Web framework for Node.js
• MongoDB: NoSQL database for storing chat data
• EJS: Templating engine for rendering HTML
• Method-Override: Middleware to support HTTP verbs like PUT and DELETE
• Mongoose: ODM (Object Data Modeling) library for MongoDB and Node.js

Installation

To run this project locally, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Anshuman-Jha-01/RESTful-API-MongoDB.git

2. Navigate into the project directory:

   cd RESTful-API-MongoDB

3. Install dependencies: Ensure you have Node.js and MongoDB installed on your system. Then run:

   npm install 

4. Run MongoDB: Start MongoDB on your local machine or provide a remote MongoDB connection string.

5. Run the application: Start the Node.js server:

   node index.js

6. Insert initial data: Run the init.js file to populate the database with mock chat data:

   node init.js

7. Access the application: Open your browser and go to:

   http://localhost:3000/chats
   

Usage

• The /chats route displays all the chat records.
• Use /chats/new to create a new chat.
• View individual chats by navigating to /chats/:id.
• Edit chat messages via /chats/:id/edit.
• Delete chat records through /chats/:id.
  • You will be asked to confirm your choice before proceeding.

Routes

• GET /chats: View all chats
• POST /chats: Create a new chat
• GET /chats/:id: View a specific chat
• PATCH /chats/:id: Edit a chat
• DELETE /chats/:id: Delete a chat

Project Structure

/views         # EJS templates for rendering UI
/public        # Static files (CSS, JS, images)
index.js       # Main server file
init.js        # Script to populate database with mock chat data
package.json   # Project metadata and dependencies

License

This project is licensed under the ISC License.