Real-Time Chat Application

Description

This is a real-time chat application built using React for the front end, Node.js and Express for the back end, and Socket.IO for real-time communication between clients and the server.

Features

• Real-time Communication: Utilizes Socket.IO for real-time bidirectional event-based communication.
• User Authentication: Supports user authentication using JSON Web Tokens (JWT).
• Responsive Design: Built with a responsive design to ensure usability across various devices.
• Message History: Keeps track of chat history, allowing users to view past messages.
• User Typing Indicator: Displays typing indicators to notify users when someone is typing a message.

Installation

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/your-username/chat-application.git

2. Navigate to the project directory: cd chat-application

3. Install dependencies:

   • For the client:

     cd frontend
     npm install

   • For the server:

     npm install

4. Create a .env file in the server directory and set the following environment variables: PORT=5000 MONGO_DB_URL=your_MongoDb_url JWT_secret=your_JWT_Secret

5. Start the server:

     npm run server

6.Start the client:

cd frontend
npm run dev

Usage

Open the application in your web browser.

Sign up for a new account or log in if you already have an account.

Start chatting with other users in real-time.

Technologies Used

React.

Node.js.

Express.

Socket.IO.

JSON Web Tokens (JWT).

Zustand

Acknowledgements

The project structure and setup was inspired by @AS a Programmer on Youtube.

Contact

For any inquiries or feedback, please contact Suvidh Kaushik.