Backend Silent-desk

The backend of Silent Desk is built with Node.js, Express.js, and MongoDB.

It provides APIs for class management, anonymous messaging, authentication, and admin controls.

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Features

• Authentication with JWT and bcrypt
• Class Management: create, join, and manage classes
• Anonymous Messaging with reply support
• Admin Controls: approve/block requests, promote users, manage settings
• Announcements to class members

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Tech Stack

• Core: Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB, Mongoose
• Security & Auth: bcrypt, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), cookie-parser, dotenv
• Utilities: cors, date-fns
• Dev Tools: nodemon

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Installation & Setup

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/madihamalghani/backend-silent-desk.git
cd backend-silent-desk

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2. Install dependencies

npm install 

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3. Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the backend root:

PORT=5000
MONGO_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
JWT_EXPIRE=7d
COOKIE_EXPIRE=5

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4. Run the Server

npm run dev

The backend will run at:

👉 http://localhost:5000/

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Development Notes

• Use MongoDB Atlas or local MongoDB instance for the database.
• JWT secret must be kept safe (do not commit .env).
• Can be combined with frontend (React + Vite) using concurrently to run both.

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.