🚀 DailyPulse Backend API

A robust RESTful API backend for the DailyPulse habit tracking application. Built with Node.js, Express, MongoDB, and JWT authentication, this API provides comprehensive endpoints for user management, habit tracking, mood logging, and analytics.

🌐 Live API

API Base URL: https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api

Health Check: https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api/health

✨ Features

Core Functionality

• 🔐 JWT Authentication: Secure user registration and login
• 📊 Habit Management: Create, read, update, and delete habits with categories
• 📝 Progress Tracking: Log daily habit completion with notes
• 😊 Mood Tracking: Daily mood logging with emoji-based interface
• 🔥 Streak Calculation: Automatic streak tracking and updates
• 📈 Analytics: Comprehensive statistics and trend analysis
• 🎯 Category Breakdown: Organize habits by categories
• 💡 Motivational Content: Random quotes and habit-building tips

Advanced Features

• ⚡ Real-time Streak Updates: Automatic recalculation on progress logs
• 🔒 Protected Routes: JWT middleware for secure endpoints
• 📅 Date Range Queries: Flexible date-based data retrieval
• 🎨 Customizable Habits: Support for boolean and countable habit types
• 🌓 User Preferences: Theme and notification settings
• 📊 Performance Analytics: Best performing habits tracking

🛠️ Tech Stack

Technology	Version	Purpose
Node.js	v18+	Runtime Environment
Express.js	v4.18.2	Web Framework
MongoDB Atlas	Cloud	Database (Production)
Mongoose	v8.0.0	ODM for MongoDB
JWT	v9.0.2	Authentication
bcryptjs	v2.4.3	Password Hashing
Helmet	v7.1.0	Security Headers
CORS	v2.8.5	Cross-Origin Resource Sharing
Morgan	v1.10.0	HTTP Request Logger
Express Validator	v7.0.1	Input Validation

📦 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js: v18.0.0 or higher
• npm: v9.0.0 or higher
• MongoDB: v6.0+ (local) or MongoDB Atlas account (production)
• Git: For cloning the repository

Check your versions:

node --version
npm --version
mongod --version

🚀 Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/mrpawarGit/DailyPulse-Backend.git
cd DailyPulse-Backend

2. Install Dependencies

npm install

3. Set Up MongoDB

Option A: Local MongoDB

# Start MongoDB service
mongod

Option B: MongoDB Atlas (Cloud - Recommended for Production)

1. Create a free account at MongoDB Atlas
2. Create a new cluster
3. Create a database user
4. Get your connection string
5. Replace <username>, <password>, and database name

⚙️ Configuration

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory:

# Server Configuration
PORT=3000
NODE_ENV=development

# Database Configuration (Local)
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/dailypulse

# Database Configuration (Production - MongoDB Atlas)
# MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://<username>:<password>@cluster0.xxxxx.mongodb.net/dailypulse?retryWrites=true&w=majority

# JWT Configuration
JWT_SECRET=your_super_secret_jwt_key_change_this_in_production_min_32_chars
JWT_EXPIRE=7d

# CORS Configuration
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:5000
# CORS_ORIGIN=https://daily-pulse-app.vercel.app (for production)

Security Notes

⚠️ Important:

• Never commit your .env file to version control
• Use a strong, random JWT_SECRET (at least 32 characters)
• Change all default credentials in production
• Use environment-specific CORS origins

🏃‍♂️ Running the Application

Development Mode

Start the server with auto-reload using nodemon:

npm run dev

The API will be available at: http://localhost:3000

Production Mode

npm start

Health Check

Verify the server is running:

curl http://localhost:3000/api/health

Or for production:

curl https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api/health

Expected response:

{
  "status": "OK",
  "message": "DailyPulse API is running",
  "timestamp": "2025-10-25T12:00:00.000Z"
}

📚 API Documentation

Base URLs

Local Development: http://localhost:3000/api

Production: https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api

Authentication Endpoints

Register User

POST /api/auth/signup
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john@example.com",
  "password": "password123"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "user": {
      "id": "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011",
      "name": "John Doe",
      "email": "john@example.com",
      "currentStreak": 0,
      "longestStreak": 0
    },
    "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
  }
}

Login

POST /api/auth/login
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "email": "john@example.com",
  "password": "password123"
}

Get Current User

GET /api/auth/me
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Update Profile

PUT /api/auth/profile
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "John Updated",
  "settings": {
    "theme": "dark",
    "notificationsEnabled": true
  }
}

Habit Endpoints

Get All Habits

GET /api/habits
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Create Habit

POST /api/habits
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Drink Water",
  "icon": "💧",
  "category": "Health",
  "type": "countable",
  "target": 8,
  "color": "blue"
}

Update Habit

PUT /api/habits/:id
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Drink More Water",
  "target": 10
}

Delete Habit

DELETE /api/habits/:id
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "message": "Habit and associated logs deleted successfully",
  "data": {
    "id": "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011"
  }
}

Archive/Unarchive Habit

PATCH /api/habits/:id/archive
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Log Endpoints

Create/Update Log

POST /api/logs
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "habitId": "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011",
  "date": "2025-10-25",
  "progress": 8,
  "notes": "Feeling great!"
}

Get Today's Logs

GET /api/logs/today
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Logs by Date

GET /api/logs/date/2025-10-25
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Logs by Habit

GET /api/logs/habit/:habitId
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Logs by Date Range

GET /api/logs/range?startDate=2025-10-01&endDate=2025-10-25
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Mood Endpoints

Log Mood

POST /api/moods
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "date": "2025-10-25",
  "mood": "😊",
  "notes": "Had a productive day!"
}

Get Today's Mood

GET /api/moods/today
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Moods by Date Range

GET /api/moods/range?startDate=2025-10-01&endDate=2025-10-25
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Analytics Endpoints

Get Dashboard Overview

GET /api/analytics/overview
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "totalHabits": 5,
    "completedToday": 3,
    "completionRate": 60,
    "totalCompletions": 150,
    "currentStreak": 7,
    "longestStreak": 15
  }
}

Get Trends

GET /api/analytics/trends?days=7
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Category Breakdown

GET /api/analytics/category-breakdown
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Mood Statistics

GET /api/analytics/mood-stats?days=30
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Get Best Habits

GET /api/analytics/best-habits?days=30
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Motivation Endpoints (Public)

Get Random Quote

GET /api/motivation/quote

Get Habit Tips

GET /api/motivation/tips

🗄️ Database Schema

User Model

{
  name: String,
  email: String (unique, required),
  password: String (hashed),
  currentStreak: Number,
  longestStreak: Number,
  lastCompletionDate: Date,
  settings: {
    theme: String (light/dark),
    notificationsEnabled: Boolean
  },
  createdAt: Date,
  updatedAt: Date
}

Habit Model

{
  userId: ObjectId (ref: User),
  name: String,
  icon: String,
  category: String (Health/Productivity/Mindfulness/Fitness/Learning/Other),
  type: String (boolean/countable),
  target: Number,
  color: String,
  isArchived: Boolean,
  createdAt: Date,
  updatedAt: Date
}

HabitLog Model

{
  userId: ObjectId (ref: User),
  habitId: ObjectId (ref: Habit),
  date: String (YYYY-MM-DD),
  progress: Number,
  completed: Boolean,
  notes: String,
  createdAt: Date,
  updatedAt: Date
}

Mood Model

{
  userId: ObjectId (ref: User),
  date: String (YYYY-MM-DD),
  mood: String (😊/😐/😔/😡/😴),
  notes: String,
  createdAt: Date,
  updatedAt: Date
}

📁 Project Structure

dailypulse-backend/
├── config/
│   ├── db.js                 # MongoDB connection
│   └── jwt.js                # JWT token utilities
├── models/
│   ├── User.js               # User model & schema
│   ├── Habit.js              # Habit model & schema
│   ├── HabitLog.js           # Habit log model & schema
│   └── Mood.js               # Mood model & schema
├── controllers/
│   ├── authController.js     # Authentication logic
│   ├── habitController.js    # Habit CRUD operations
│   ├── logController.js      # Log management
│   ├── analyticsController.js # Analytics calculations
│   └── motivationController.js # Motivational content
├── routes/
│   ├── auth.routes.js        # Auth endpoints
│   ├── habit.routes.js       # Habit endpoints
│   ├── log.routes.js         # Log endpoints
│   ├── mood.routes.js        # Mood endpoints
│   ├── analytics.routes.js   # Analytics endpoints
│   └── motivation.routes.js  # Motivation endpoints
├── middleware/
│   ├── authMiddleware.js     # JWT verification
│   ├── errorHandler.js       # Global error handler
│   └── validateRequest.js    # Input validation
├── utils/
│   └── streakCalculator.js   # Streak calculation logic
├── .env                      # Environment variables (not in repo)
├── .gitignore
├── package.json
├── server.js                 # Application entry point
└── README.md

🔒 Security

This API implements multiple security measures:

• JWT Authentication: Secure token-based authentication with 7-day expiry
• Password Hashing: bcrypt with 10 salt rounds
• Helmet.js: Security headers (XSS, CSP, HSTS, etc.)
• CORS: Configured for specific frontend origins
• Input Validation: Express-validator for request validation
• Environment Variables: Sensitive data stored securely
• MongoDB Injection Protection: Mongoose built-in sanitization
• Rate Limiting: Protection against brute force attacks

🧪 Testing

Manual Testing with cURL

# Health check (Production)
curl https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api/health

# Register user
curl -X POST https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api/auth/signup \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name":"Test User","email":"test@example.com","password":"password123"}'

# Login
curl -X POST https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api/auth/login \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"test@example.com","password":"password123"}'

Testing with Postman

1. Import the API endpoints into Postman
2. Set up an environment variable for authToken
3. Set base URL: https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com/api
4. Test all endpoints systematically

Example Postman Collection

{
  "info": {
    "name": "DailyPulse API",
    "schema": "https://schema.getpostman.com/json/collection/v2.1.0/collection.json"
  },
  "item": [
    {
      "name": "Health Check",
      "request": {
        "method": "GET",
        "url": "{{baseUrl}}/health"
      }
    }
  ]
}

🚢 Deployment

Deployed on Render

The API is live and deployed at: https://dailypulse-backend.onrender.com

Deploy Your Own

Steps to deploy on Render:

1. Create a Render account at render.com

2. Create a new Web Service

   • Click "New +" → "Web Service"
   • Connect your GitHub repository
   • Choose "Node" as environment
   • Build command: npm install
   • Start command: npm start
   • Choose free plan or paid plan

3. Add Environment Variables in Render dashboard:

   MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://<username>:<password>@cluster.mongodb.net/dailypulse
   JWT_SECRET=your_production_secret_key_at_least_32_characters_long
   NODE_ENV=production
   CORS_ORIGIN=https://daily-pulse-app.vercel.app
   PORT=3000
   

4. Deploy

   • Click "Create Web Service"
   • Render will automatically deploy your app
   • Get your API URL: https://your-app-name.onrender.com

5. Update Frontend

   • Update VITE_API_URL in frontend .env to your Render URL

MongoDB Atlas Setup (Required for Production)

1. Create MongoDB Atlas Account

   • Visit MongoDB Atlas
   • Sign up for free

2. Create a Cluster

   • Choose Free Tier (M0)
   • Select region (closest to your Render deployment)
   • Create cluster

3. Create Database User

   • Database Access → Add New Database User
   • Set username and strong password
   • Grant "Read and write to any database" role

4. Whitelist IP Address

   • Network Access → Add IP Address
   • Click "Allow Access from Anywhere" (0.0.0.0/0)
   • For production, whitelist specific IPs

5. Get Connection String

   • Click "Connect" on your cluster
   • Choose "Connect your application"
   • Copy connection string
   • Replace <username>, <password>, and database name

Render Configuration Tips

• Auto-Deploy: Enable auto-deploy from GitHub for automatic updates
• Health Checks: Render automatically pings /api/health
• Environment Variables: Never commit .env to GitHub
• Logs: View real-time logs in Render dashboard
• Cold Starts: Free tier apps sleep after inactivity (takes ~30s to wake)

Coding Standards

• Use CommonJS module pattern (require/module.exports)
• Add JSDoc comments for functions
• Handle errors properly with try-catch blocks
• Use async/await for asynchronous operations
• Follow REST API naming conventions
• Write meaningful commit messages

🐛 Known Issues

• Free tier on Render experiences cold starts (~30 seconds)
• Rate limiting not yet implemented (coming soon)

For more issues, check GitHub Issues.

👥 Authors

Mayur Pawar - @mrpawarGit

Akash Pandit - @Akashpandit01

🔗 Related Projects

Frontend: DailyPulse-Frontend

Live Demo: https://daily-pulse-app.vercel.app

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Express.js team for the excellent framework
• MongoDB team for the powerful database
• Render for reliable hosting
• All contributors who help improve this project

🗺️ Roadmap

• Core API endpoints
• JWT authentication
• MongoDB integration
• Habit CRUD operations
• Mood tracking
• Analytics endpoints
• Deployment to Render
• Implement rate limiting for API endpoints
• Add WebSocket support for real-time updates
• Implement email notifications
• Add social features (friends, leaderboards)
• Add data export functionality

📊 API Status

---

Built with ❤️ using Node.js + Express + MongoDB 12. ✅ Updated testing examples for production

Your Backend README is now complete and professional! 🚀✨