⚡ EventHub — College Event Online Ticket Booking System

A modern, full-stack event marketplace built for college campuses. Students browse and book events; hosts create and manage them; admins moderate the platform.

📋 Table of Contents

Project Overview
Tools & Accounts Required
Folder & File Structure
Detailed Directory Breakdown
Step-by-Step Website Creation
How to Run Website on Computer
How to Upload Code (GitHub)
How to Deploy on Google (Hosting)
Common Errors & Solutions
Final Website Link
Rebuild Checklist
Database Schema
API / Routes Reference
Best Practices for Contributing

1. Project Overview

Item	Details
Website Name	EventHub — College Event Online Ticket Booking System
Purpose	This website is made for college students and campus clubs to discover, browse, and book tickets for college events like hackathons, music festivals, art exhibitions, sports days, and more. Hosts can create and manage events with multiple ticket types, and admins can moderate the entire platform.
Who Will Use It	Students (browse and book events), Event Hosts/Organizers (create and manage events), Administrators (moderate and manage the platform)

Key Features

🎫 Browse and book tickets for college events
🔍 Search events by name, category, price, and date
👤 4 User Roles: Guest, Student, Host, Admin
🎤 Host Dashboard — create events with multiple ticket types (Early Bird, General, VIP)
📊 Analytics dashboard with revenue and booking stats
📱 QR Code tickets generated on every booking
⭐ Event reviews and ratings (1–5 stars)
💬 Event discussion/Q&A section with threaded replies
📋 Waitlist system for sold-out events
📅 Google Calendar integration
🛡️ Admin panel — manage users, verify hosts, approve/reject events
🎨 Modern dark-themed UI with Stitch design system (no external animation libraries)

2. Tools & Accounts Required

Software You Must Install

Tool	What It Does	Download Link
VS Code	Code editor to write and edit files	https://code.visualstudio.com/
Node.js (v18 or higher)	Runs the server-side JavaScript code	https://nodejs.org/
MySQL (v8.0 or higher)	Database to store users, events, bookings	https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/
Google Chrome	Web browser to view and test the website	https://www.google.com/chrome/
Git (optional)	Version control for uploading to GitHub	https://git-scm.com/

Accounts You Need

Account	Why You Need It
GitHub (optional)	To upload and share your code online
Google Account	For deploying the website to Google Cloud
MySQL root access	To create the database on your computer

How to Check If Node.js Is Installed

Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) and type:

node --version

If you see a version number like v18.17.0, it is installed. If not, download and install it.

How to Check If MySQL Is Installed

mysql --version

3. Folder & File Structure

Complete Tree Diagram

College Event Online Ticket Booking System/
│
├── 📄 server.js                  ← Main entry point — starts Express server
├── 📄 package.json               ← NPM dependencies and scripts
├── 📄 package-lock.json          ← Locked dependency versions
├── 📄 .env                       ← Environment secrets (DB password, JWT key)
├── 📄 .gitignore                 ← Files excluded from Git
├── 📄 seed.js                    ← Legacy seed script (root level)
├── 📄 README.md                  ← This documentation file
│
├── 📁 config/                         [1 file]
│   └── 📄 database.js            ← MySQL connection pool configuration
│
├── 📁 controllers/                    [5 files]
│   ├── 📄 adminController.js     ← Admin dashboard, user/event management
│   ├── 📄 authController.js      ← Login, register, logout, profile
│   ├── 📄 bookingController.js   ← Booking flow, reviews, waitlist, discussions
│   ├── 📄 eventController.js     ← Homepage, event listing, event details
│   └── 📄 hostController.js      ← Host dashboard, event CRUD, analytics, scanner
│
├── 📁 db/                             [4 files]
│   ├── 📄 schema.sql             ← Full database schema (9 tables) with seed data
│   ├── 📄 migrate.js             ← Auto-migration script (runs on server start)
│   ├── 📄 migrate.sql            ← Manual SQL migration for existing databases
│   └── 📄 seed.js                ← Creates test users (admin, host, student)
│
├── 📁 middleware/                      [2 files]
│   ├── 📄 authMiddleware.js      ← isAuthenticated, isHost, isAdmin, hasRole
│   └── 📄 adminMiddleware.js     ← Admin-specific route protection
│
├── 📁 models/                         [8 files]
│   ├── 📄 userModel.js           ← User CRUD, host verification, block/unblock
│   ├── 📄 eventModel.js          ← Event CRUD, search, featured, trending
│   ├── 📄 bookingModel.js        ← Booking CRUD, revenue aggregation
│   ├── 📄 ticketTypeModel.js     ← Multi-ticket types per event (VIP, General, etc.)
│   ├── 📄 reviewModel.js         ← Star ratings and review comments
│   ├── 📄 waitlistModel.js       ← Waitlist for sold-out events
│   ├── 📄 discussionModel.js     ← Threaded event discussions/Q&A
│   └── 📄 notificationModel.js   ← User notification system
│
├── 📁 routes/                         [5 files]
│   ├── 📄 authRoutes.js          ← /login, /register, /logout, /profile
│   ├── 📄 eventRoutes.js         ← /, /events, /events/:id, /categories
│   ├── 📄 bookingRoutes.js       ← /book/:id, /my-bookings, /review, /discussion
│   ├── 📄 hostRoutes.js          ← /host/dashboard, /host/create-event, etc.
│   └── 📄 adminRoutes.js         ← /admin/dashboard, /admin/manage-users, etc.
│
├── 📁 utils/                          [3 files]
│   ├── 📄 qrGenerator.js         ← Generates QR code Data URLs for tickets
│   ├── 📄 emailService.js        ← Email notifications (dummy/console logger)
│   └── 📄 helpers.js             ← Calendar links, booking reference generator
│
├── 📁 public/                         [3 subdirs]
│   ├── 📁 css/
│   │   └── 📄 style.css          ← Complete Stitch design system (~1800 lines)
│   ├── 📁 js/
│   │   └── 📄 main.js            ← Frontend JS (IntersectionObserver, ticket logic)
│   └── 📁 uploads/               ← Uploaded event banner images (user content)
│
└── 📁 views/                          [12 files + 3 subdirs]
    ├── 📁 partials/                   [2 files]
    │   ├── 📄 header.ejs          ← <head>, navbar with role-based links
    │   └── 📄 footer.ejs          ← Footer, closing tags, <script> load
    ├── 📄 homepage.ejs            ← Landing page: hero, trending, categories, upcoming
    ├── 📄 events.ejs              ← Events listing with search bar and filters
    ├── 📄 eventDetails.ejs        ← Event page: booking, reviews, discussions, similar
    ├── 📄 login.ejs               ← Login form
    ├── 📄 register.ejs            ← Register with Student/Host role switcher
    ├── 📄 booking.ejs             ← Ticket booking with type selector + price calc
    ├── 📄 bookingSuccess.ejs      ← Booking confirmation with QR code display
    ├── 📄 myBookings.ejs          ← User's tickets (boarding-pass card style)
    ├── 📄 profile.ejs             ← Edit user profile with avatar upload
    ├── 📄 categories.ejs          ← Browse events by category
    ├── 📄 404.ejs                 ← Page not found
    ├── 📄 error.ejs               ← Generic error page
    ├── 📁 host/                       [7 files]
    │   ├── 📄 dashboard.ejs       ← Host stats, upcoming events, quick actions
    │   ├── 📄 createEvent.ejs     ← Create event form with ticket type builder
    │   ├── 📄 manageEvents.ejs    ← Table of host's events with edit/delete
    │   ├── 📄 editEvent.ejs       ← Edit event form (pre-filled)
    │   ├── 📄 bookings.ejs        ← Bookings table for host's events
    │   ├── 📄 analytics.ejs       ← Revenue stats + per-event breakdown table
    │   └── 📄 scanTicket.ejs      ← QR ticket verification (enter booking ref)
    └── 📁 admin/                      [8 files]
        ├── 📄 login.ejs           ← Admin login page
        ├── 📄 dashboard.ejs       ← Platform-wide stats + recent bookings
        ├── 📄 manageUsers.ejs     ← User table: block/unblock, verify hosts
        ├── 📄 manageEvents.ejs    ← Event table (legacy admin event management)
        ├── 📄 moderateEvents.ejs  ← Approve/reject pending events
        ├── 📄 bookings.ejs        ← All-platform bookings table
        ├── 📄 addEvent.ejs        ← Admin add event form (legacy)
        └── 📄 editEvent.ejs       ← Admin edit event form (legacy)

Total: 10 directories, 69 files (excluding node_modules/ and .git/)

4. Detailed Directory Breakdown

4.1 📁 `config/` — Database Configuration

Property	Details
Purpose	Establishes and exports the MySQL connection pool
Files	1 file
Used By	All models (`models/*.js`), migration (`db/migrate.js`), seed (`db/seed.js`)
Depends On	`.env` file (for `DB_HOST`, `DB_USER`, `DB_PASSWORD`, `DB_NAME`)

File	Size	Description
`database.js`	404 B	Creates a `mysql2/promise` connection pool with 10 max connections. Uses environment variables from `.env`. All database queries throughout the app use this shared pool.

Usage Notes:

Change database credentials in the .env file, NOT in this file
The pool automatically handles connection reuse and cleanup
If MySQL is not running, the server will crash on first database query

4.2 📁 `controllers/` — Business Logic (MVC Controller Layer)

Property	Details
Purpose	Contains all request handlers — the "brain" that processes user actions
Files	5 files
Used By	Route files (`routes/*.js`) map URLs to these controller functions
Depends On	Models (`models/.js`), utilities (`utils/.js`), middleware

File	Size	Key Functions	Description
`authController.js`	~108 lines	`showLogin`, `login`, `showRegister`, `register`, `logout`, `showProfile`, `updateProfile`	Handles all authentication: password hashing with bcrypt, session management, role-based registration (student vs host), profile updates with avatar upload
`eventController.js`	~104 lines	`homepage`, `listEvents`, `showEvent`, `showCategories`	Renders the homepage (featured, trending, categories, upcoming), event listings with multi-filter search, event detail pages with reviews/discussions/ticket types/calendar links
`bookingController.js`	~131 lines	`showBooking`, `processBooking`, `myBookings`, `addReview`, `joinWaitlist`, `addDiscussion`	Handles the full booking flow: ticket type selection, QR code generation, booking reference creation, plus reviews, waitlist, and discussions
`hostController.js`	~150 lines	`dashboard`, `createEvent`, `manageEvents`, `editEvent`, `deleteEvent`, `analytics`, `bookings`, `scanTicket`	Complete host module: stats dashboard, event CRUD with image upload, per-event analytics, booking list, and QR ticket verification
`adminController.js`	~120 lines	`dashboard`, `manageUsers`, `blockUser`, `unblockUser`, `verifyHost`, `moderateEvents`, `approveEvent`, `rejectEvent`	Platform administration: user management, host verification workflow, event moderation (approve/reject), platform-wide analytics

Dependency Flow:

routes/*.js  →  controllers/*.js  →  models/*.js  →  config/database.js  →  MySQL
                                  →  utils/*.js

4.3 📁 `db/` — Database Scripts

Property	Details
Purpose	Database schema definition, auto-migration, manual migration, and seeding
Files	4 files
Used By	`server.js` calls `migrate.js` on startup; `seed.js` is run manually
Depends On	`config/database.js`

File	Size	Description
`schema.sql`	~276 lines	Complete SQL schema for all 9 tables with `CREATE TABLE`, indexes, foreign keys, and seed data for categories, admin user, host user, and sample events. Use this for a fresh database setup.
`migrate.js`	~100 lines	Auto-migration that runs on every server start. Checks `INFORMATION_SCHEMA` for missing columns, adds them with `ALTER TABLE`, creates new tables with `CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS`, and seeds categories. Safe to run multiple times (idempotent).
`migrate.sql`	~100 lines	Manual SQL migration script — same logic as `migrate.js` but in pure SQL. Run this directly in MySQL Workbench if you prefer manual migration.
`seed.js`	~50 lines	Creates or updates 3 test users (admin, host, student) with bcrypt-hashed passwords. Also fixes the `role` ENUM to include `'host'` if it was missing. Run with `node db/seed.js`.

Usage Notes:

For a brand new database: run schema.sql in MySQL, then node server.js
For an existing database: just run node server.js (auto-migration handles upgrades)
After first setup: always run node db/seed.js to get test login credentials

4.4 📁 `middleware/` — Route Protection

Property	Details
Purpose	Protects routes by checking authentication and user roles
Files	2 files
Used By	Route files (`routes/*.js`) use these as middleware before controller functions
Depends On	`req.session.user` (set by `authController.js` on login)

File	Size	Key Functions	Description
`authMiddleware.js`	~36 lines	`isAuthenticated`, `isHost`, `isAdmin`, `hasRole(role)`	Main auth guard. `isAuthenticated` checks if user is logged in and not blocked. `isHost` checks `role === 'host'`. `isAdmin` checks `role === 'admin'`. `hasRole` is a factory function for custom role checks.
`adminMiddleware.js`	~20 lines	`isAdmin`	Legacy admin middleware. Checks if user is an admin and redirects to admin login if not. Used by admin routes.

How Middleware Works (Flow):

User Request  →  Middleware Check  →  Pass? → Controller  →  Response
                                  →  Fail? → Redirect to Login

4.5 📁 `models/` — Database Access Layer (MVC Model Layer)

Property	Details
Purpose	All MySQL queries are here — each model handles one database table
Files	8 files
Used By	Controller files (`controllers/*.js`)
Depends On	`config/database.js` (MySQL connection pool)

File	Table	Size	Key Methods	Description
`userModel.js`	`users`	~61 lines	`findByEmail`, `create`, `findById`, `createHost`, `verifyHost`, `blockUser`, `unblockUser`, `countByRole`, `updateProfile`, `getHosts`, `getAll`	Full user lifecycle: registration, authentication lookup, host management, admin operations
`eventModel.js`	`events`	~141 lines	`getAll`, `getById`, `create`, `update`, `delete`, `getFeatured`, `getTrending`, `search`, `getByHost`, `getUpcoming`, `updateStatus`, `getPending`, `getCategories`	Event CRUD plus specialized queries for homepage (featured, trending), host dashboard, admin moderation, and full-text search with filters
`bookingModel.js`	`bookings`	~119 lines	`create`, `getByUser`, `getByEvent`, `getByHost`, `getById`, `getByRef`, `markAttended`, `hostRevenue`, `hostTicketsSold`, `getRecent`, `countAll`	Complete booking management with revenue aggregation, host-specific queries, and QR ticket verification
`ticketTypeModel.js`	`ticket_types`	~59 lines	`create`, `getByEvent`, `getById`, `update`, `delete`, `incrementSold`, `isAvailable`	Multi-ticket type system: create different price tiers per event, track sold counts, validate availability
`reviewModel.js`	`reviews`	~39 lines	`create`, `getByEvent`, `getAvgRating`, `hasReviewed`, `update`	One review per user per event (enforced by UNIQUE KEY). Calculates average ratings for event pages.
`waitlistModel.js`	`waitlist`	~46 lines	`add`, `remove`, `isOnWaitlist`, `getPosition`, `getByEvent`, `count`	Manages waitlist for sold-out events. Tracks position and notification status.
`discussionModel.js`	`discussions`	~48 lines	`create`, `getByEvent`, `getById`, `delete`	Threaded comments on event pages. Supports parent-child replies via `parent_id`. Joins with users table for display names and roles.
`notificationModel.js`	`notifications`	~33 lines	`create`, `getByUser`, `getUnreadCount`, `markRead`, `markAllRead`	User notification inbox with read/unread tracking. Used for waitlist alerts, booking confirmations, and host notifications.

Important: All queries use parameterized statements (? placeholders) to prevent SQL injection.

4.6 📁 `routes/` — URL Routing (MVC Router Layer)

Property	Details
Purpose	Maps URL paths to controller functions, applying middleware for protection
Files	5 files
Used By	`server.js` mounts these with `app.use()`
Depends On	Controllers (`controllers/.js`), middleware (`middleware/.js`)

File	URL Prefix	Key Routes	Middleware Used
`eventRoutes.js`	`/`	`GET /` (homepage), `GET /events` (listing), `GET /events/:id` (details), `GET /categories`	None (public)
`authRoutes.js`	`/`	`GET/POST /login`, `GET/POST /register`, `GET /logout`, `GET/POST /profile`	`isAuthenticated` on profile
`bookingRoutes.js`	`/`	`GET/POST /book/:id`, `GET /my-bookings`, `GET /booking-success/:id`, `POST /review/:id`, `POST /waitlist/:id`, `POST /discussion/:id`	`isAuthenticated` on all
`hostRoutes.js`	`/host`	`GET /dashboard`, `GET/POST /create-event`, `GET /manage-events`, `GET/POST /edit-event/:id`, `POST /delete-event/:id`, `GET /bookings`, `GET /analytics`, `GET/POST /scan-ticket`	`isAuthenticated` + `isHost` on all
`adminRoutes.js`	`/admin`	`GET /dashboard`, `GET /manage-users`, `POST /block-user/:id`, `POST /verify-host/:id`, `GET /moderate-events`, `POST /approve-event/:id`, `POST /reject-event/:id`	`isAdmin` on all

4.7 📁 `utils/` — Utility Functions

Property	Details
Purpose	Reusable helper functions used across controllers
Files	3 files
Used By	Controllers (`controllers/bookingController.js`, `controllers/hostController.js`)
Depends On	`qrcode` npm package

File	Size	Exports	Description
`qrGenerator.js`	~16 lines	`generateQR(text)`	Takes a booking reference string, returns a Data URL (base64 PNG image) of the QR code using the `qrcode` npm library. Used when processing bookings.
`emailService.js`	~26 lines	`sendBookingConfirmation()`, `sendWelcome()`, `sendReminder()`, `sendHostNotification()`	Currently a dummy — all functions log to console instead of sending real emails. Replace with Nodemailer when SMTP credentials are available.
`helpers.js`	~28 lines	`generateCalendarLink(event)`, `generateBookingRef()`	`generateCalendarLink` builds a Google Calendar URL from event details. `generateBookingRef` creates unique booking references like `EVT-A3F7K2M9`.

4.8 📁 `public/` — Static Assets (Served to Browser)

Property	Details
Purpose	Files served directly to the browser — CSS, JavaScript, and uploaded images
Subdirectories	3: `css/`, `js/`, `uploads/`
Used By	All EJS view templates reference these via `<link>` and `<script>` tags
Depends On	Nothing (these are the final browser-facing files)

📁 `public/css/`

File	Size	Description
`style.css`	~1800 lines	Complete Stitch-inspired design system. Contains: CSS custom properties (design tokens for colors, spacing, typography, shadows, radii), base/reset styles, component styles (navbar, hero, cards, forms, tables, buttons, badges, modals, alerts), page-specific layouts (auth, event detail, booking success, host dashboard, admin panel), CSS keyframe animations (`fadeInUp`, `slideIn`, `float`, `pulse-glow`), `.reveal` class for IntersectionObserver scroll animations, responsive breakpoints for mobile/tablet. No GSAP, AOS, or Lenis.

📁 `public/js/`

File	Size	Description
`main.js`	~200 lines	Frontend JavaScript. Handles: page loader dismiss, IntersectionObserver for `.reveal` scroll animations (replaces GSAP/AOS), navbar background on scroll, mobile hamburger menu toggle, ticket type selection UI with price calculation, dynamic ticket type row builder for event creation form, host role toggle on registration page.

📁 `public/uploads/`

Contents	Description
(empty or user-uploaded images)	Event banner images uploaded through the host event creation form. Files are named with timestamps to avoid conflicts (e.g., `1773091234567-123456789.jpg`). Served at `/uploads/filename.jpg`.

4.9 📁 `views/` — EJS Templates (MVC View Layer)

Property	Details
Purpose	HTML templates rendered with dynamic data from controllers
Files	12 files + 3 subdirectories (17 more files) = 29 total
Used By	Controllers call `res.render('viewName', { data })`
Depends On	`public/css/style.css` (styles), `public/js/main.js` (interactions)

📁 `views/partials/` — Shared Components (included in every page)

File	Size	Description
`header.ejs`	~1.1 KB	`<!DOCTYPE html>`, `<head>` with Google Fonts + CSS link, page loader div, navbar with role-based navigation (shows different links for guest/user/host/admin). Included at the top of every page with `<%- include('partials/header') %>`.
`footer.ejs`	~1.0 KB	Footer with 4 columns (brand, quick links, host links, contact), copyright bar, `<script>` tag for `main.js`. Closes `</main></body></html>`.

📁 `views/` (root) — Public Pages

File	Size	Page URL	Description
`homepage.ejs`	5.2 KB	`/`	Hero section with gradient text + stats, trending events (horizontal scroll), category grid, upcoming events grid, CTA buttons
`events.ejs`	3.6 KB	`/events`	Search bar, category/price/sort filter dropdowns (auto-submit), event card grid, empty state for no results
`eventDetails.ejs`	11.6 KB	`/events/:id`	Largest view. Event banner, description, organizer card, calendar add button, reviews section with star form, threaded discussions with reply forms, similar events grid. Sidebar: ticket type selector, quantity input, price calculator, book button, waitlist for sold-out events
`login.ejs`	1.1 KB	`/login`	Email + password form, error/success alerts, link to register
`register.ejs`	1.9 KB	`/register`	Student/Host role switcher (radio buttons), name + email + password + confirm password fields, org name field (shown for hosts only)
`booking.ejs`	3.4 KB	`/book/:id`	Event preview card, ticket type radio selector, quantity input, live price calculation, confirm booking button
`bookingSuccess.ejs`	2.3 KB	`/booking-success/:id`	Green checkmark, booking details (ref, event, date, venue, tickets, total), QR code image display, links to my tickets and explore more
`myBookings.ejs`	2.2 KB	`/my-bookings`	Boarding-pass style ticket cards with date badge, event name, venue, ticket count, type badge, status badge, booking ref, and total price
`profile.ejs`	2.0 KB	`/profile`	Sidebar with avatar + role badge, edit form with name, bio, phone, avatar upload
`categories.ejs`	683 B	`/categories`	Grid of category cards with emoji icons, links to filtered event listing
`404.ejs`	505 B	(any invalid URL)	"Page Not Found" with link to homepage
`error.ejs`	552 B	(on server error)	Displays error message with link to homepage

📁 `views/host/` — Host Dashboard Pages

File	Size	Page URL	Description
`dashboard.ejs`	2.9 KB	`/host/dashboard`	4-stat grid (events, tickets sold, revenue, upcoming), quick action buttons, upcoming events with status badges
`createEvent.ejs`	4.1 KB	`/host/create-event`	Two-section form: basic details (name, description, date, venue, category, image, price, seats) + dynamic ticket type builder with add/remove rows
`manageEvents.ejs`	1.6 KB	`/host/manage-events`	Data table: event name, date, seats available/total, status badge, edit + delete buttons
`editEvent.ejs`	3.1 KB	`/host/edit-event/:id`	Pre-filled form with existing event data, category dropdown, image re-upload
`bookings.ejs`	1.3 KB	`/host/bookings`	Data table: booking ref, user, event, ticket type, quantity, total, status, date
`analytics.ejs`	1.6 KB	`/host/analytics`	4-stat grid (revenue, tickets, events, avg per event), per-event breakdown table
`scanTicket.ejs`	1.8 KB	`/host/scan-ticket`	Large booking ref input, verify button, success/error result with attendee details

📁 `views/admin/` — Admin Panel Pages

File	Size	Page URL	Description
`login.ejs`	736 B	`/admin/login`	Simple email + password form for admin
`dashboard.ejs`	2.5 KB	`/admin/dashboard`	6-stat grid (users, hosts, events, revenue, bookings, pending), quick links, recent bookings table
`manageUsers.ejs`	1.8 KB	`/admin/manage-users`	Data table: name, email, role badge, verified status, blocked status, joined date, action buttons (verify host, block, unblock)
`moderateEvents.ejs`	2.3 KB	`/admin/moderate-events`	Two tables: pending events (approve/reject buttons) and all approved events (delete button)
`bookings.ejs`	904 B	`/admin/bookings`	All-platform bookings data table
`manageEvents.ejs`	2.3 KB	`/admin/manage-events`	Legacy admin event management table
`addEvent.ejs`	3.2 KB	`/admin/add-event`	Legacy admin add event form
`editEvent.ejs`	4.0 KB	`/admin/edit-event/:id`	Legacy admin edit event form

4.10 Root Files

File	Size	Description
`server.js`	2.8 KB	Application entry point. Configures Express, EJS view engine, sessions, multer file uploads, mounts all route groups, runs auto-migration on startup, starts HTTP server on port 3000.
`package.json`	639 B	NPM project metadata. Lists 10 dependencies: `express`, `ejs`, `mysql2`, `express-session`, `bcryptjs`, `dotenv`, `multer`, `jsonwebtoken`, `qrcode`, `uuid`. Scripts: `start`, `dev`, `seed`.
`.env`	247 B	Environment variables: `PORT`, `DB_HOST`, `DB_USER`, `DB_PASSWORD`, `DB_NAME`, `JWT_SECRET`, `SESSION_SECRET`. Never commit this file to Git.
`.gitignore`	38 B	Excludes `node_modules/` and `.env` from Git tracking.
`seed.js`	1.3 KB	Legacy root-level seed script (the updated one is in `db/seed.js`).

5. Step-by-Step Website Creation

Step 1: Create the Project Folder

Open your computer's file explorer
Go to where you want to save the project (e.g., D:\code here\side project\)
Right-click → New Folder
Name it: College Event Online Ticket Booking System

Step 2: Open Project in VS Code

Open VS Code
Click File → Open Folder
Select the project folder
VS Code will open with this folder as your workspace

Step 3: Initialize Node.js Project

Open the Terminal in VS Code (press Ctrl + `) and type:

npm init -y

This creates a package.json file.

Step 4: Install Required Packages

npm install express ejs mysql2 express-session bcryptjs dotenv multer jsonwebtoken qrcode uuid

What each package does:

Package	Purpose
`express`	Web server framework
`ejs`	Template engine (renders HTML with data)
`mysql2`	Connects to MySQL database
`express-session`	Manages user login sessions
`bcryptjs`	Hashes passwords securely
`dotenv`	Loads secret keys from `.env` file
`multer`	Handles file uploads (event images)
`jsonwebtoken`	JSON Web Token for authentication
`qrcode`	Generates QR code images for tickets
`uuid`	Generates unique IDs

Step 5: Create the `.env` File

Create a file called .env in the project root with:

# Server Config
PORT=3000

# MySQL Database
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_USER=root
DB_PASSWORD=YOUR_MYSQL_PASSWORD_HERE
DB_NAME=college_events

# JWT
JWT_SECRET=college_events_jwt_secret_key_2024

# Session
SESSION_SECRET=college_events_session_secret_key_2024

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Replace YOUR_MYSQL_PASSWORD_HERE with your actual MySQL root password.

Step 6: Create the MySQL Database

Open MySQL Workbench or MySQL Command Line and run:

CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS college_events;

The server will automatically create all tables when you start it (auto-migration).

Step 7: Create the Folder Structure

Create these folders inside your project:

config/
controllers/
db/
middleware/
models/
routes/
utils/
public/css/
public/js/
public/uploads/
views/partials/
views/host/
views/admin/

Step 8: Create All Source Files

Copy the source code for each file into the correct location. Follow the file structure shown in Section 3. The key files to create in order:

config/database.js → Database connection
middleware/authMiddleware.js → Route protection
models/*.js → All 8 model files (database queries)
utils/*.js → All 3 utility files
controllers/*.js → All 5 controller files
routes/*.js → All 5 route files
views/partials/header.ejs + footer.ejs → Shared layout
views/*.ejs → All public page templates
views/host/*.ejs → All 7 host page templates
views/admin/*.ejs → All admin page templates
public/css/style.css → Complete design system
public/js/main.js → Frontend JavaScript
db/migrate.js → Auto-migration script
db/seed.js → Test user seeder
server.js → Main application entry point

6. How to Run Website on Computer

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open VS Code and open the project folder

Step 2: Open Terminal (press Ctrl + `)

Step 3: Ensure the MySQL database exists:

mysql -u root -p -e "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS college_events;"

Step 4: Install packages (only needed once):

npm install

Step 5: Seed test users (only needed once):

node db/seed.js

Expected output:

🌱 Fixing role enum and seeding users...
  ✅ Role enum updated: user/host/admin
  ✅ Admin: admin@college.com / admin123
  ✅ Host: host@college.com / admin123
  ✅ Student: student@college.com / admin123
🌱 Seeding complete!

Step 6: Start the server:

node server.js

Expected output:

🔄 Running database migrations...
  ✅ Added users.bio
  ✅ Added events.status
  ... (more columns if first run)
✅ Migrations complete!
🚀 Server running on http://localhost:3000

Step 7: Open your browser:

http://localhost:3000

🎉 Your website is now running!

Test Accounts

Role	Email	Password	What You Can Do
Admin	admin@college.com	admin123	Manage users, moderate events, platform analytics
Host	host@college.com	admin123	Create events, manage bookings, scan tickets
Student	student@college.com	admin123	Browse events, book tickets, write reviews

7. How to Upload Code (GitHub)

Step-by-Step GitHub Upload

Step 1: Go to https://github.com and sign in

Step 2: Click "+" → "New repository"

Step 3: Fill in:

Repository name: EventHub
Description: College Event Online Ticket Booking System
Choose Public or Private
Click "Create repository"

Step 4: Make sure your .gitignore contains:

node_modules/
.env
public/uploads/*
!public/uploads/.gitkeep

Step 5: Run in terminal:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit - EventHub Platform"
git branch -M main
git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/EventHub.git
git push -u origin main

Replace YOUR_USERNAME with your GitHub username.

Step 6: Refresh your GitHub page — all files should be visible!

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/Ktripathi2611/EventHub

8. How to Deploy on Google (Hosting)

Option: Google Cloud Run (Recommended for Node.js Apps)

Google Cloud Run runs your Node.js server in the cloud.

Step 1: Go to https://console.cloud.google.com → sign in

Step 2: Create a new project → name: eventhub-platform

Step 3: Install Google Cloud CLI: https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install

Step 4: Create a Dockerfile in project root:

FROM node:18-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --only=production
COPY . .
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

Step 5: Create a .dockerignore file:

node_modules
.git
.env
public/uploads/*

Step 6: Deploy:

gcloud auth login
gcloud config set project eventhub-platform
gcloud run deploy eventhub --source . --region=us-central1 --allow-unauthenticated

What each command does:

Command	Purpose
`gcloud auth login`	Signs you into your Google account
`gcloud config set project`	Selects which Google Cloud project to use
`gcloud run deploy`	Builds and deploys your app to the cloud

Step 7: Google will provide a URL like https://eventhub-xxxxx.run.app

⚠️ Note: For production, you also need a cloud MySQL database (Google Cloud SQL, PlanetScale, or Railway).

9. Common Errors & Solutions

#	Error	What It Means	How to Fix
1	`Cannot find module 'express'`	Packages not installed	Run `npm install`
2	`ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:3306`	MySQL is not running	Start your MySQL service
3	`Unknown database 'college_events'`	Database not created	Run `CREATE DATABASE college_events;` in MySQL
4	`Unknown column 'status' in where clause`	Old database schema	Restart server — auto-migration fixes it
5	`ER_ACCESS_DENIED_ERROR`	Wrong MySQL password	Fix `DB_PASSWORD` in `.env`
6	`Port 3000 already in use`	Another app using port	Close that app or change `PORT=3001` in `.env`
7	`Cannot GET /host/dashboard`	Not logged in as host	Login with `host@college.com` first
8	`Data truncated for column 'role'`	Role ENUM missing 'host'	Run `node db/seed.js` (fixes the enum)
9	`Error: Only image files allowed`	Wrong file type uploaded	Use JPG, PNG, GIF, or WebP only
10	Login not working	Users not seeded	Run `node db/seed.js`
11	Blank page / no events	No events in database	Login as host → create events, or import `schema.sql`
12	"Something went wrong" page	Server error	Check terminal for the error stack trace

10. Final Website Link

Item	Details
Local URL	http://localhost:3000
Live URL	(Add your deployed URL here)
GitHub Repo	https://github.com/Ktripathi2611/EventHub
Date Created	March 2026

11. Rebuild Checklist

✅ Step 1:  Install Node.js (v18+) and MySQL (v8+)
✅ Step 2:  Clone or copy the project folder
✅ Step 3:  Open project in VS Code
✅ Step 4:  Create .env file with your MySQL password
✅ Step 5:  Create MySQL database:  CREATE DATABASE college_events;
✅ Step 6:  Run:  npm install
✅ Step 7:  Run:  node db/seed.js   (creates test users)
✅ Step 8:  Run:  node server.js    (starts server + auto-migrates)
✅ Step 9:  Open browser → http://localhost:3000
✅ Step 10: Login with admin@college.com / admin123

12. Database Schema

9 Tables

Table	Columns	Purpose
`users`	id, name, email, password, role, bio, avatar, phone, blocked, host_verified, host_org_name, created_at	User accounts with 3 roles
`events`	id, host_id, event_name, description, event_date, end_date, venue, ticket_price, total_seats, available_seats, image, category, status, featured, location_lat, location_lng, max_tickets_per_user, created_at	Events with host ownership and moderation
`bookings`	id, booking_ref, user_id, event_id, ticket_type_id, tickets, total_price, qr_code, status, booking_date	Ticket bookings with QR codes
`ticket_types`	id, event_id, name, price, quantity, sold, sale_start, sale_end, description, created_at	Multiple ticket tiers per event
`categories`	id, name, icon, color, created_at	Event categories (Technology, Music, etc.)
`reviews`	id, user_id, event_id, rating, comment, created_at	1–5 star ratings with comments
`waitlist`	id, user_id, event_id, status, created_at	Waitlist for sold-out events
`notifications`	id, user_id, type, title, message, link, is_read, created_at	User notification inbox
`discussions`	id, event_id, user_id, parent_id, message, created_at	Threaded event Q&A

Entity Relationships

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)

erDiagram
    USERS ||--o{ EVENTS : "host creates"
    USERS ||--o{ BOOKINGS : "student books"
    USERS ||--o{ REVIEWS : "user reviews"
    USERS ||--o{ DISCUSSIONS : "user posts"
    USERS ||--o{ NOTIFICATIONS : "receives"
    
    EVENTS ||--|{ TICKET_TYPES : "has tiers"
    EVENTS ||--o{ BOOKINGS : "receives"
    EVENTS ||--o{ REVIEWS : "receives"
    EVENTS ||--o{ WAITLIST : "has entries"
    EVENTS ||--o{ DISCUSSIONS : "has topics"
    
    TICKET_TYPES ||--o{ BOOKINGS : "selected in"
    BOOKINGS ||--|| PAYMENTS : "simulated"

13. API / Routes Reference

Public Routes (No Login Required)

Method	URL	Description
GET	`/`	Homepage
GET	`/events`	Events listing with search & filters
GET	`/events/:id`	Event details page
GET	`/categories`	Browse by category
GET	`/login`	Login page
GET	`/register`	Registration page
POST	`/login`	Process login
POST	`/register`	Process registration
GET	`/logout`	Destroy session

User Routes (Login Required)

Method	URL	Description
GET	`/book/:eventId`	Booking page
POST	`/book/:eventId`	Process ticket booking
GET	`/booking-success/:id`	Booking confirmation + QR
GET	`/my-bookings`	User's booked tickets
GET	`/profile`	Profile page
POST	`/profile`	Update profile
POST	`/review/:eventId`	Submit event review
POST	`/discussion/:eventId`	Post discussion comment
POST	`/waitlist/:eventId`	Join event waitlist

Host Routes (Host Role Only)

Method	URL	Description
GET	`/host/dashboard`	Host dashboard with stats
GET	`/host/create-event`	Create event form
POST	`/host/create-event`	Submit new event
GET	`/host/manage-events`	List host's events
GET	`/host/edit-event/:id`	Edit event form
POST	`/host/edit-event/:id`	Update event
POST	`/host/delete-event/:id`	Delete event
GET	`/host/bookings`	Bookings for host's events
GET	`/host/analytics`	Revenue analytics
GET	`/host/scan-ticket`	QR ticket scanner page
POST	`/host/scan-ticket`	Verify ticket by ref

Admin Routes (Admin Role Only)

Method	URL	Description
GET	`/admin/dashboard`	Platform-wide stats
GET	`/admin/manage-users`	User management table
POST	`/admin/block-user/:id`	Block a user
POST	`/admin/unblock-user/:id`	Unblock a user
POST	`/admin/verify-host/:id`	Verify host account
GET	`/admin/moderate-events`	Event moderation
POST	`/admin/approve-event/:id`	Approve pending event
POST	`/admin/reject-event/:id`	Reject pending event
GET	`/admin/bookings`	All platform bookings

14. Best Practices for Contributing

Code Style

Follow MVC pattern — Models in models/, controllers in controllers/, views in views/
Use prepared statements — All SQL queries use ? placeholders (prevents SQL injection)
Keep CSS in design system — Add new styles to public/css/style.css using the existing design tokens
No external animation libraries — Use CSS transitions and IntersectionObserver only
Use async/await — All database operations use promises, never callbacks

Adding a New Feature

Create the model in models/ (database queries)
Create or extend a controller in controllers/ (business logic)
Add routes in routes/ (URL mapping)
Create EJS views in views/ (HTML templates)
Add styles to public/css/style.css (use existing design tokens)
Add migration in db/migrate.js if new columns/tables needed
Test by restarting: node server.js

Environment Setup

Requirement	Minimum Version
Node.js	v18.0.0
MySQL	v8.0
npm	v9.0

File Naming Conventions

Type	Convention	Example
Models	`camelCase` + `Model`	`userModel.js`
Controllers	`camelCase` + `Controller`	`authController.js`
Routes	`camelCase` + `Routes`	`hostRoutes.js`
Views	`camelCase`	`eventDetails.ejs`
CSS/JS	`lowercase`	`style.css`, `main.js`

Tech Stack Summary

Layer	Technology
Backend	Node.js + Express.js
Database	MySQL (9 tables)
Frontend	EJS Templates + HTML5 + CSS3 + JavaScript
Auth	bcrypt password hashing + express-session
File Upload	Multer (images only, 5MB limit)
QR Codes	qrcode npm package
Design	Stitch-inspired design system (CSS custom properties)
Animations	CSS transitions + IntersectionObserver API
Fonts	Sora (headings) + Inter (body) from Google Fonts

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 4 Commits
config		config
controllers		controllers
db		db
middleware		middleware
models		models
public		public
routes		routes
utils		utils
views		views
.gitignore		.gitignore
README.md		README.md
package-lock.json		package-lock.json
package.json		package.json
seed.js		seed.js
server.js		server.js

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation

⚡ EventHub — College Event Online Ticket Booking System

📋 Table of Contents

1. Project Overview

Key Features

2. Tools & Accounts Required

Software You Must Install

Accounts You Need

How to Check If Node.js Is Installed

How to Check If MySQL Is Installed

3. Folder & File Structure

Complete Tree Diagram

4. Detailed Directory Breakdown

4.1 📁 config/ — Database Configuration

4.2 📁 controllers/ — Business Logic (MVC Controller Layer)

4.3 📁 db/ — Database Scripts

4.4 📁 middleware/ — Route Protection

4.5 📁 models/ — Database Access Layer (MVC Model Layer)

4.6 📁 routes/ — URL Routing (MVC Router Layer)

4.7 📁 utils/ — Utility Functions

4.8 📁 public/ — Static Assets (Served to Browser)

📁 public/css/

📁 public/js/

📁 public/uploads/

4.9 📁 views/ — EJS Templates (MVC View Layer)

📁 views/partials/ — Shared Components (included in every page)

📁 views/ (root) — Public Pages

📁 views/host/ — Host Dashboard Pages

📁 views/admin/ — Admin Panel Pages

4.10 Root Files

5. Step-by-Step Website Creation

Step 1: Create the Project Folder

Step 2: Open Project in VS Code

Step 3: Initialize Node.js Project

Step 4: Install Required Packages

Step 5: Create the .env File

Step 6: Create the MySQL Database

Step 7: Create the Folder Structure

Step 8: Create All Source Files

6. How to Run Website on Computer

Step-by-Step Instructions

Test Accounts

7. How to Upload Code (GitHub)

Step-by-Step GitHub Upload

8. How to Deploy on Google (Hosting)

Option: Google Cloud Run (Recommended for Node.js Apps)

9. Common Errors & Solutions

10. Final Website Link

11. Rebuild Checklist

12. Database Schema

9 Tables

Entity Relationships

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)

13. API / Routes Reference

Public Routes (No Login Required)

User Routes (Login Required)

Host Routes (Host Role Only)

Admin Routes (Admin Role Only)

14. Best Practices for Contributing

Code Style

Adding a New Feature

Environment Setup

File Naming Conventions

Tech Stack Summary

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4.1 📁 `config/` — Database Configuration

4.2 📁 `controllers/` — Business Logic (MVC Controller Layer)

4.3 📁 `db/` — Database Scripts

4.4 📁 `middleware/` — Route Protection

4.5 📁 `models/` — Database Access Layer (MVC Model Layer)

4.6 📁 `routes/` — URL Routing (MVC Router Layer)

4.7 📁 `utils/` — Utility Functions

4.8 📁 `public/` — Static Assets (Served to Browser)

📁 `public/css/`

📁 `public/js/`

📁 `public/uploads/`

4.9 📁 `views/` — EJS Templates (MVC View Layer)

📁 `views/partials/` — Shared Components (included in every page)

📁 `views/` (root) — Public Pages

📁 `views/host/` — Host Dashboard Pages

📁 `views/admin/` — Admin Panel Pages

Step 5: Create the `.env` File

Packages