MERN Chat Application

ChitChat is a real-time messaging platform built using the MERN stack (MongoDB, ExpressJS, ReactJS, NodeJS) and WebSockets. It allows users to register, login, and engage in instant messaging with other users.

Features

• User Authentication: Secure registration and login using JWT and bcrypt.js.
• Real-time Messaging: Instant messaging with WebSockets.
• User Management: Add and manage contacts.
• Responsive UI: Built with ReactJS and styled with TailwindCSS for a modern user interface.

Live Demo

Check out the live application here.

GitHub Repository

You can find the source code on GitHub here.

Installation and Setup

To run this project locally, follow these steps:

Prerequisites

• Node.js
• npm or yarn
• MongoDB

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Atul-me/Chitchat.git
cd mern-chat-application

Backend Setup

1. Navigate to the backend directory.

   cd backend

2. Install dependencies.

   npm install

3. Create a .env file in the backend directory and add the following environment variables:

   NODE_ENV=development
   PORT=5000
   MONGO_URI=your_mongo_connection_string
   JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
   

4. Start the backend server.

   npm run dev

Frontend Setup

1. Navigate to the frontend directory.

   cd frontend

2. Install dependencies.

   npm install

3. Start the frontend server.

   npm start

WebSocket Server Setup

1. WebSockets are integrated within the backend server. Make sure your backend server is running to enable real-time messaging.

Deployment

The application is deployed on Vercel. To deploy your own instance, follow Vercel's deployment documentation and connect it to your GitHub repository.

Technologies Used

• Frontend: ReactJS, TailwindCSS
• Backend: NodeJS, ExpressJS
• Database: MongoDB
• Authentication: bcrypt.js, JWT
• Real-time Communication: WebSockets (Socket.IO)
• Deployment: Vercel

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please fork the repository and create a pull request with your changes.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.