MiniChat

A simple real-time chat application with user registration, login, online status, and a shared chat room.

Technologies Used

• Frontend: React, Socket.IO Client, Axios
• Backend: Node.js, Express, Socket.IO, MongoDB (Mongoose), JWT, bcryptjs, CORS
• Database: MongoDB

Project Structure

minichat/
├── backend/
│   ├── models/
│   ├── routes/
│   ├── middleware/
│   └── server.js
├── frontend/
│   └── src/
│       ├── components/
│       └── services/
├── .gitignore
└── README.md

How to Run the Project

1. Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16+ recommended)
• npm
• MongoDB (running locally on default port 27017)

2. Clone the repository

git clone <your-repo-url>
cd minichat

3. Start MongoDB

Make sure MongoDB is running. On Windows, open a new terminal and run:

mongod

4. Start the Backend

cd backend
npm install
node server.js

The backend will run on http://localhost:5000

5. Start the Frontend

Open a new terminal:

cd frontend
npm install
npm start

The frontend will run on http://localhost:3000

6. Open the App

Go to http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Features

• User registration and login (username & password)
• JWT authentication
• Shared chat room for all users
• Online users list
• Real-time messaging (Socket.IO)
• Messages and users stored in MongoDB

Notes

• For development, both frontend and backend run locally.
• You can open multiple browser windows to test real-time chat and online status.

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Enjoy chatting!