Pastebin - Text Sharing Application

A modern web application for sharing text snippets with customizable expiration options. Built with Next.js, TypeScript, and MongoDB.

Demo Video

Detailed video and thought process

Click for detailed video

Features Implemented

Core Features

• Text Sharing: Share text content through unique, shareable links
• Expiration by Views: Set links to expire after a specific number of views
• Expiration by Time: Set links to expire after a certain number of hours
• Auto-deletion: Expired texts are automatically removed from the database
• View Tracking: Real-time tracking of how many times a link has been viewed
• Copy to Clipboard: One-click link copying functionality
• Responsive Design: Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices

Technical Features

• Server-Side Rendering: Built with Next.js 14 App Router
• TypeScript: Full type safety across the application
• MongoDB Integration: Efficient data storage with Mongoose ODM
• RESTful API: Clean API endpoints for creating and retrieving texts
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error handling for expired/missing content
• Modern UI: Clean, student-friendly interface with emojis and intuitive design

Workflow

Creating a Shared Text

1. User visits the home page
2. Pastes or types text into the input field
3. Selects expiration type:
   • By Views: Link expires after X number of views
   • By Time: Link expires after X hours
4. Clicks "Generate Link" button
5. Receives a unique shareable URL
6. Copies and shares the link with others

Viewing a Shared Text

1. Recipient clicks on the shared link
2. System checks if the text is still valid:
   • Checks if expired by time
   • Checks if maximum views reached
3. If valid:
   • Displays the text content
   • Increments view counter
   • Shows remaining views (if applicable)
4. If expired:
   • Shows "Text Not Available" error
   • Automatically deletes the text from database

Database Workflow

[User Input] → [API Route] → [MongoDB] → [Generate ID] → [Return Link]
                    ↓
            [Store Document with:
             - text content
             - expiration type
             - max views / expiry time
             - current view count]

[View Request] → [API Route] → [MongoDB Lookup] → [Check Expiration]
                                      ↓
                              [Increment Views]
                                      ↓
                              [Return Content or Error]

🛠️ Setup Guide

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ installed
• MongoDB Atlas account (free tier) OR local MongoDB installation
• Git installed

Step 1: Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/pastebin.git
cd pastebin

Step 2: Install Dependencies

npm install

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env.local file in the root directory:

# For MongoDB Atlas
MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/pastebin


Replace `username`, `password`, and `cluster` with your actual MongoDB credentials.

### Step 5: Create Required Files
Ensure you have `global.d.ts` in the root:

```typescript
declare global {
  var mongoose: {
    conn: any;
    promise: any;
  };
}

export {};

Step 4: Run the Development Server

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

🚀 Deployment

Deploy with Docker

1. Build the Docker image:

   docker build -t pastebin .

2. Run the container:

   docker run -p 3000:3000 -e MONGODB_URI="your_connection_string" pastebin

🔧 Technologies Used

• Frontend: Next.js 14, React 18, TypeScript
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Next.js API Routes
• Database: MongoDB