Converse - Full Stack Realtime Chat Application

Overview

Converse is a full-stack real-time chat application that provides seamless communication with a modern and responsive design. It supports features like user authentication, real-time messaging, AI-powered responses, and video/audio calling.

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Features

Client-Side Features

1. User Authentication:

   • Login and Signup with email and password.
   • Email verification using OTP.

2. Real-Time Messaging:

   • Send and receive text messages.
   • Support for multimedia (images, audio).

3. AI-Powered Responses:

   • Integration with AI to generate responses.

4. Video/Audio Calling:

   • Initiate and receive video/audio calls.
   • Call management (accept, reject, end).

5. User Profile Management:

   • Update profile details (name, about, profile picture).

6. Responsive Design:

   • Optimized for both desktop and mobile devices.

7. Dark Mode:

   • Toggle between light and dark themes.

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Server-Side Features

1. Authentication:

   • JWT-based authentication.
   • Secure password hashing with bcrypt.

2. Database:

   • MongoDB for storing user and message data.

3. File Uploads:

   • Cloudinary integration for storing images and audio files.

4. WebSocket Communication:

   • Real-time communication using socket.io.

5. RESTful APIs:

   • Endpoints for user authentication, messaging, and calling.

6. Environment Configuration:

   • Secure environment variables for sensitive data.

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Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• MongoDB
• Cloudinary account
• Email service credentials (e.g., Gmail)

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-repo/converse.git
   cd converse

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install --prefix Client
   npm install --prefix Server

3. Build the client:

   npm run build --prefix Client

4. Set up environment variables:

   • Create .env files in both Client and Server directories.
   • Add the following variables:

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Environment Variables

Server .env

MONGODB_URI=<your-mongodb-uri>
PORT=3000
JWT_SECRET=<your-jwt-secret>
NODE_ENV=production
CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=<your-cloudinary-cloud-name>
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=<your-cloudinary-api-key>
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=<your-cloudinary-api-secret>
CLIENT_KEY=http://localhost:5173
EMAIL_USER=<your-email-address>
EMAIL_PASS=<your-email-password>
GEMINI_API_KEY=<your-gemini-api-key>

Client .env

VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:3000/api
VITE_SOCKET_URL=http://localhost:3000

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Running the Application

1. Start the server:

   npm run start --prefix Server

2. Start the client (for development):

   npm run dev --prefix Client

3. Access the application:

   • Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5173.

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Folder Structure

Client

• src/: Contains React components, hooks, pages, and assets.
• public/: Static assets like icons and images.
• tailwind.config.js: Tailwind CSS configuration.
• vite.config.js: Vite configuration for the client.

Server

• src/: Contains controllers, routes, middleware, and utility functions.
• models/: Mongoose models for MongoDB.
• lib/: Utility libraries (e.g., Cloudinary, Socket.io).
• routes/: API route definitions.

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API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /auth/signup: Register a new user.
• POST /auth/login: Login a user.
• POST /auth/logout: Logout a user.

Messaging

• GET /message/users: Fetch users for the sidebar.
• GET /message/:id: Fetch messages with a specific user.
• POST /message/send-message/:id: Send a message.
• DELETE /message/delete-message: Delete a message.

Calling

• POST /message/generateCall: Initiate a call.
• POST /message/acceptCall: Accept a call.
• POST /message/rejectCall: Reject a call.
• POST /message/endCall: End a call.

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Technologies Used

Frontend

• React.js
• Tailwind CSS
• Vite
• Redux Toolkit
• Simple-Peer (WebRTC)

Backend

• Node.js
• Express.js
• MongoDB
• Socket.io
• Cloudinary

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Contributing

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch:

   git checkout -b feature-name

3. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m "Add feature-name"

4. Push to the branch:

   git push origin feature-name

5. Open a pull request.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.