Welcome to the Chat Application! This is a modern, real-time chat platform built with React, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, and Socket.IO. It allows users to engage in private and group chats, share files, and manage groups with an intuitive interface.

• Features
• Installation
• Usage
• Project Structure
• Technologies Used
• Contributing
• License
• Contact

• Real-time private and group messaging using Socket.IO.
• User authentication and profile management.
• File sharing within chats.
• Group creation, member addition, and deletion.
• Responsive design for desktop and mobile devices.
• Modern UI with a cohesive color scheme (root color: #2E7D32).
• Message deletion for senders.
• Auto-scrolling chat interface.

• Node.js (v14.x or later)
• MongoDB (local or remote instance)
• npm or yarn

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/sarthak03dot/chat-app.git
   cd chat-app
   

2. Install server dependencies:

   cd server
   npm install

3. Install client dependencies:

   cd ../client
   npm install

4. Set up environment variables:

   Create a .env file in the server directory with the following: text

   • PORT=5000
   • MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/chatapp
   • JWT_SECRET=your-secret-key

   ---

• Sign Up/Login: Register a new account or log in with existing credentials.
• Chat: Navigate to /chat/:userId for private chats or /chat/group/:groupId for group chats.
• Groups: Create or join groups via the Groups page (/groups).
• Profile: Manage your profile settings on the Profile page (/profile).
• Logout: Use the logout button in the navbar.

chat-application/ ├── client/ # React frontend │ ├── src/ │ │ ├── components/ # React components (e.g., Navbar, Chat, Footer) │ │ ├── styles/ # CSS files │ │ ├── App.js # Main React app │ │ └── ... │ ├── package.json ├── server/ # Node.js backend │ ├── models/ # Mongoose schemas │ ├── routes/ # API routes │ ├── middleware/ # Authentication middleware │ ├── .env # Environment variables │ ├── index.js # Server entry point │ └── package.json ├── README.md # This file └── ...

• Frontend: React, React Router, Axios
• Backend: Node.js, Express, MongoDB, Mongoose
• Real-Time: Socket.IO
• Styling: CSS with custom variables
• Authentication: JWT (JSON Web Tokens)

1. Fork the repository.

2. Create a new branch:

   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
   

3. Make your changes and commit:

   git commit -m "Add your feature or fix"
   

4. Push to the branch:

   git push origin feature/your-feature-name
   

5. Open a Pull Request with a clear description of your changes.

   • Please ensure your code follows the project's style guidelines and includes tests where applicable.

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

• Author: [Sarthak Singh] (sarthak03december@gmail.com)
• GitHub: https://github.com/sarthak03dot
• Issues: Report bugs or suggest features here.

• If you like this project, give it a ⭐ on GitHub and share it with others!