Project Setup and Management

This project consists of a Flask backend and a Node.js collaborative form frontend, both using Redis for data storage and communication.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu/Debian-based Linux system
• Python 3.x
• Node.js and npm
• sudo privileges (for Redis installation)

Project Structure

.
├── app.py                 # Flask application
├── front-app/
│   ├── server.js         # Node.js server with Socket.io
│   └── ...               # Frontend files
├── Makefile              # Build and run automation
└── README.md             # This file

Quick Start

Complete Setup (First Time)

Install all dependencies and start Redis:

make setup

This command will:

• Install Redis server
• Install Python dependencies (Flask, redis)
• Install Node.js dependencies (express, socket.io, redis)
• Start Redis server

Run All Services

Launch Redis, Flask, and Node.js servers simultaneously:

make run-all

Individual Commands

Redis Management

# Install Redis
make install-redis

# Start Redis server
make start-redis

# Stop Redis server
make stop-redis

# Restart Redis server
make restart-redis

# Check Redis status
make status-redis

# Test Redis connection
make test-redis

Python/Flask

# Install Python dependencies
make install-python-deps

# Run Flask application (background)
make run-flask

The Flask app will be available at http://localhost:5000

Node.js Server

# Install Node.js dependencies
make install-node-deps

# Run Node.js server (background)
make run-node

The Node.js server configuration depends on your server.js file.

Stop All Services

Stop all running servers (Flask, Node.js, and Redis):

make stop-all

Troubleshooting

Port Already in Use

If you get a "port already in use" error, stop all services first:

make stop-all

Then restart the services you need.

Redis Connection Issues

Check if Redis is running:

make status-redis

Test the connection:

make test-redis

Expected output: PONG

Services Not Starting

Make sure all dependencies are installed:

make setup

Check for error messages in the terminal output.

Development

• Flask app: Edit app.py and restart with make run-flask
• Node.js server: Edit files in front-app/ and restart with make run-node
• Dependencies: Add new dependencies to the appropriate install-*-deps target in the Makefile

Notes

• Services run in the background (& at the end of commands)
• Redis requires sudo privileges for installation and service management
• Use make stop-all before closing your terminal to ensure clean shutdown

License

[Add your license information here]