Chat App

A full-stack chat application with real-time messaging, image sharing, and online user tracking, built with React, Node.js, and MongoDB.

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📝 Features

• User Authentication

  • Signup and Login with JWT authentication
  • Passwords securely hashed

• Real-Time Messaging

  • Instant chat between users using Socket.IO
  • Supports text messages and image attachments

• Online User Tracking

  • See which users are online in real-time
  • Uses userId → socketId mapping

• Frontend Features

  • Built with React and Zustand for global state management
  • Skeleton UI while messages are loading
  • Clean error handling with pop-up alerts/toasts

• Backend Features

  • Node.js + Express API
  • MongoDB database for storing users and messages
  • Cloudinary integration for image uploads
  • Secure routes protected with ProtectRoute middleware

• Planned Enhancements

  • Delete messages (for self / everyone)
  • Chat header shows user info
  • Typing indicators and read receipts

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🛠 Tech Stack

Layer	Technology
Frontend	React, Zustand, Tailwind CSS
Backend	Node.js, Express
Database	MongoDB
Realtime	Socket.IO
Storage	Cloudinary
Authentication	JWT (JSON Web Tokens)

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💻 Installation

1. Clone the repository

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