NodeTalk Chat Application

NodeTalk is a chat application built using Node.js, Express, MongoDB, and Socket.io. This application allows users to create chat rooms, join public and private chat rooms, and send messages in real-time.

Features

• User authentication (login/logout)
• Public and private chat rooms
• Real-time messaging using Socket.io
• Search messages
• User and room management

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have met the following requirements:

• You have installed Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager).
• You have installed MongoDB and it's running on your local machine or a remote server.
• You have a modern web browser.

Getting Started

To get a local copy up and running, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/El-Moatasem/VOIS_NodeJS_Assessment.git
cd VOIS_NodeJS_Assessment

2. Install dependencies

yarn install

3. Set up environment variables

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

PORT=3000
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/nodetalk
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379

Start the Application

yarn start

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000.

Configuring MongoDB

1. Download MongoDB: Visit the MongoDB Download Center and download the appropriate version for your operating system.

2. Install MongoDB: Follow the installation instructions for your operating system:

   • Windows: Run the downloaded .msi file and follow the installation wizard.
   • macOS: Use Homebrew to install MongoDB:

     brew tap mongodb/brew
     brew install [email protected]

   • Linux: Follow the instructions for your specific distribution from the MongoDB documentation.

3. Run MongoDB: After installation, start the MongoDB server:

   • Windows: Run mongod in the Command Prompt.
   • macOS: Use Homebrew services to start MongoDB:

     brew services start [email protected]

   • Linux: Start the MongoDB service:

     sudo systemctl start mongod

4. Verify MongoDB Installation: Open a new terminal window and run:

   mongo
   
   
   
   

This should open the MongoDB shell. If you see a prompt starting with >, MongoDB is running correctly.

Configuring Redis

1. Download Redis: Visit the Redis Download Page and download the appropriate version for your operating system.

2. Install Redis: Follow the installation instructions for your operating system:

   • Windows: Use the Memurai or Redis for Windows port.
   • macOS: Use Homebrew to install Redis:

     brew install redis

   • Linux: Follow the instructions for your specific distribution from the Redis documentation.

3. Run Redis: After installation, start the Redis server:

   • Windows: Run redis-server in the Command Prompt.
   • macOS: Use Homebrew services to start Redis:

     brew services start redis

   • Linux: Start the Redis service:

     sudo systemctl start redis

4. Verify Redis Installation: Open a new terminal window and run:

   redis-cli ping
   

Project Structure

• src/
  • controllers/: Contains the controller logic for handling HTTP requests.
  • models/: Contains Mongoose models for MongoDB.
  • services/: Contains the business logic and integrates with models and other services.
  • routes/: Defines the routes for the application.
  • utils/: Utility functions and middleware.
  • app.js: The main application setup.
  • server.js: The server setup and Socket.IO configuration.

API Endpoints

Auth

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

Users

• GET /api/users: Get all users.
• GET /api/users/:id: Get a user by ID.

Chat

• POST /api/chat/create-room: Create a new chat room.
• POST /api/chat/join-room: Join a chat room.
• POST /api/chat/leave-room: Leave a chat room.
• GET /api/chat/messages/:roomId: Get messages for a room.
• POST /api/chat/send-message: Send a message to a room.

Socket.IO Events

• joinRoom: Join a chat room.
• leaveRoom: Leave a chat room.
• sendMessage: Send a message to a chat room.
• message: Receive a message from a chat room.

Caching

The application uses Redis for caching frequently accessed data to improve performance.

Event Bus

An event bus is implemented using Redis Pub/Sub to facilitate communication between different components of the chat application. Events are published for actions such as:

• User registration
• User login
• Sending messages
• Other relevant actions

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.