Social Media App (MERN Stack)

This is a social media application built using the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js). It allows users to create accounts, log in, update their profiles with a bio and profile photo, search for other users, follow/unfollow users, see posts from followed users, create posts (text, image, and video), like/unlike/comment on posts, and chat with other registered users.

Features

• User Authentication: Create an account, log in, and log out.
• User Profiles: Update profile information including bio and profile photo.
• User Search: Find and follow/unfollow other users.
• Posts: Create, view, and interact with posts (like, unlike, comment). Supports text, images, and videos.
• Feed: View posts from users you follow.
• Real-time Chat: Chat with other registered users.

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed on your system:

• Node.js
• npm (Node Package Manager)
• MongoDB (running locally or accessible remotely)

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root of the project and add the following:

PORT=...
MONGO_URL=...
JWT_SECRET=...
CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=...
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=...
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=...

Steps to Setup

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/AdityaLohar/ArIES-open-project

2. Install frontend dependencies:

cd your-repo/frontend
npm install

3. Install backend dependencies:

cd ../backend
npm install

4. Start the backend server:

node server.js

5. Start the frontend development server:

cd ../frontend/src
npm run dev

This will start the project locally. You can access the application in your browser.