Affinity - AI Therapist Platform

A modern, full-stack AI therapist companion with journaling, mood tracking, and empathetic chat support.

🎯 Features

• AI Chat: Free Groq-powered AI therapist conversations
• Journal: Daily journaling with entry history
• Mood Tracker: Log and track your emotional journey
• Notifications: Get reminders for wellness activities
• Crisis Detection: Automatic crisis resource support
• Authentication: Secure JWT-based login/registration

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14+)
• MongoDB Atlas account (free) or local MongoDB
• Groq API key (free from https://console.groq.com)

1. Clone & Install

git clone <your-repo-url>
cd affinity-backend
npm install

2. Set Up MongoDB Atlas

1. Go to https://www.mongodb.com/cloud/atlas/register
2. Create free account and cluster
3. Create database user
4. Get connection string
5. Whitelist your IP in "Network Access"

3. Get Groq API Key (Free)

1. Visit https://console.groq.com
2. Sign up with Google
3. Go to "API Keys"
4. Create new API key
5. Copy the key (starts with gsk_)

4. Configure Environment

Create a .env file in the root directory:

MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/affinity?retryWrites=true&w=majority
GROQ_API_KEY=gsk_your_groq_api_key_here
JWT_SECRET=your-random-secret-key-here
PORT=3000

Generate JWT secret:

openssl rand -base64 32

5. Start Backend

node src/server.js

You should see:

✅ Groq client initialized successfully
MongoDB connected
Server is running on port 3000

6. Start Frontend

Open a new terminal:

cd affinity-frontend
npm install
npm run dev

Frontend runs on: http://localhost:5173

📁 Project Structure

affinity-backend/
├── src/
│   ├── config/         # Database and API configs
│   ├── controllers/    # Route handlers
│   ├── middlewares/    # Auth middleware
│   ├── models/         # Mongoose schemas
│   ├── routes/         # API routes
│   └── server.js       # Entry point
├── affinity-frontend/  # React frontend
└── docs/              # API documentation

🔌 API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /auth/register - Create account
• POST /auth/login - Sign in
• GET /auth/me - Get profile

Journal

• GET /journals - Get all entries
• POST /journals - Create entry

Mood

• GET /moods - Get mood history
• POST /moods - Log mood

Chat

• POST /chats/start - Start new chat
• POST /chats/continue - Continue chat
• GET /chats/history - Get chat history

Notifications

• GET /notifications - Get notifications
• PUT /notifications/:id/read - Mark as read

🎨 Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js & Express
• MongoDB with Mongoose
• JWT authentication
• Groq AI API

Frontend

• React 18
• Vite
• Tailwind CSS
• React Router
• Axios

🔐 Environment Variables

Required .env variables:

MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://...      # MongoDB connection string
GROQ_API_KEY=gsk_...             # Groq API key
JWT_SECRET=...                    # JWT signing secret
PORT=3000                         # Server port

🛡️ Crisis Detection

The AI automatically detects crisis language and provides professional mental health resources from:

• Talk Suicide Canada (1-833-456-4566)
• Crisis Services Canada
• Kids Help Phone
• Various crisis helplines
• Emergency services (911)

📝 License

ISC License

⚠️ Disclaimer

Affinity is not a substitute for professional therapy or medical care. The crisis detection feature directs users to professional mental health resources.

🐛 Troubleshooting

Backend won't start

• Check MongoDB connection string
• Verify Groq API key is valid
• Ensure .env file exists

Frontend can't connect

• Make sure backend is running on port 3000
• Check CORS settings
• Verify backend logs

Chat not working

• Verify Groq API key in .env
• Check Groq quota in console
• Review server logs for errors

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Submit a pull request

📞 Support

For issues or questions:

• GitHub Issues
• Check documentation in /docs
• Review API contracts