SciAstra - Academic & Research Preparation Platform

SciAstra is a web application designed to help students prepare for admissions to prestigious research institutions like IISc, IISER, NISER, and ISI. The platform offers a range of courses and blog posts that provide guidance and resources to aspiring researchers.

Project Demo Video

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Table of Contents

• Features
• Tech Stack
• Installation
• Environment Variables
• Database Setup
• Usage
• Folder Structure
• License

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Features

• Course Management: Users can browse through courses, view discounted prices, and enroll.
• Two-Step Payment Verification: A secure two-step verification process ensures reliable course payments.
• Blog Management: Admins can add, edit, schedule, and delete blog posts. Users can read and explore blog articles.
• User Authentication & Role-Based Access: Separate login for admins and users, with restricted access based on roles.
• Responsive Design: Optimized UI for seamless usage on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.

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Tech Stack

• Frontend: HTML, CSS (Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS), JavaScript, EJS
• Backend: Node.js, Express
• Database: MySQL
• Authentication: bcrypt for password hashing
• Payments: Mock Razorpay integration for demonstration (customizable for actual gateways)

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Installation

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/sciastra.git
   cd sciastra
   

2. Install Dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Configure Environment Variables: Create a .env file in the root directory and add the following:

    PORT=3000
    DB_HOST=your_database_host
    DB_USER=your_database_username
    DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password
    DB_NAME=your_database_name
    SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key
   
   

4. Run the Application:

   npm start
   

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Environment Variables

To run this project, you’ll need to add the following environment variables in your .env file:

• PORT: The port number the app will run on (e.g., 3000).
• DB_HOST: Database host (usually localhost for local setup).
• DB_USER: Your MySQL username.
• DB_PASSWORD: Your MySQL password.
• DB_NAME: The name of your MySQL database.
• SECRET_KEY: A secret key for session management.

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Database Setup

1. Create Database: Create a new database in MySQL for the project.

2. Run the SQL Script:
   Use the schema.sql file provided to set up the database tables and sample data:

   mysql -u [username] -p [database_name] < schema.sql
   

3. Connect Database: Update the .env file with your database credentials as mentioned in the Environment Variables section.

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Usage

Admin Dashboard

• Admins can manage blog posts, create new courses, view transaction history, and monitor user enrollments.
• Access the dashboard by logging in as an admin through the /admin-login route.

Course Purchase Flow

1. Users browse available courses on the platform.
2. After selecting a course, users proceed to a mock two-step payment verification.
3. A mock payment gateway is shown, allowing users to confirm their transaction and enroll in a course.

Blog Section

• Users can read blog posts related to admission guidance, preparation tips, and research institute information.
• Admins can create, edit, and schedule posts for publication.

Folder Structure

sciastra/
├── public/                # Static files (CSS, images)
├── views/                 # EJS templates for frontend rendering
├── routes/                # Express route handlers
├── models/                # Database models (if applicable)
├── controllers/           # Controller files for business logic
├── .env                   # Environment configuration
├── app.js                 # Main server file
├── queries.sql             # Database setup script
└── README.md              # Project documentation

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.