Chat App Project Setup Guide

Backend Setup

Follow these steps to set up and run the backend server:

1. Configure Environment Variables

Copy the .env.example file to .env and update the MongoDB URI:

cp .env.example .env

Open .env in a text editor and update the MONGODB_URI variable accordingly.

2. Navigate to the Server Directory

Change into the server directory:

cd server

3. Install Dependencies

Run the following command to install the required dependencies:

npm install

4. Start the Backend Server

Launch the backend in development mode:

npm run dev

5. Connect Frontend to Backend

Copy the provided backend URL and update the BACKEND_URI variable in the frontend .env file accordingly.

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Frontend Setup

Follow these steps to set up and run the React project:

1. Configure Environment Variables

Copy the .env.example file to .env and update the backend URI as needed:

cp .env.example .env

Open .env in a text editor and update the BACKEND_URI variable accordingly.

2. Navigate to the Client Directory

Change into the client directory:

cd client

3. Install Dependencies

Run the following command to install the required dependencies:

npm install

4. Start the Development Server

Launch the project in development mode:

npm run dev

Your Frontend project should now be running. Open the provided URL in your browser to see the application.

System Design