DevLok 🚀

DevLok is a full-stack, scalable chat application built with Node.js and React.js, leveraging Socket.io for real-time communication and Redis Pub/Sub for message broadcasting across multiple instances. Designed for performance, reliability, and scalability, DevLok is ideal for modern applications requiring instant messaging and seamless interactions.

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🌟 Features

• Real-time Messaging: Instant communication with real-time updates using Socket.io.
• Scalable: Built with Redis Pub/Sub to handle multiple server instances.
• Authentication: Secure user authentication via JWT and session management.
• User Profiles: Users can create, manage, and update their profiles.
• Chat History: Persistent chat storage to access and display previous messages.
• Responsive Design: A mobile-friendly UI built using React and Tailwind CSS.
• Notifications: In-app alerts for new messages to keep users informed.

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⚙️ Tech Stack

Frontend

• React.js: For building dynamic and interactive UIs.
• Tailwind CSS: For modern, responsive, and customizable styles.
• Socket.io-client: For real-time communication on the client side.
• Zustand: Lightweight and efficient state management.
• Cloudinary: For all images and media upload.

Backend

• Node.js: Powering the server-side logic.
• Express.js: For handling routing and middleware.
• Socket.io: Enables real-time WebSocket-based communication.
• Redis: Used for Pub/Sub messaging, enabling distributed scalability.
• JWT (JSON Web Token): For secure user authentication and authorization.

Database

• MongoDB: Primary database for user data and chat history.
• Mongoose: For schema modeling and interaction with MongoDB.

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🚀 Getting Started

✅ Prerequisites

Ensure the following dependencies are installed:

• Node.js (v14+)
• npm or yarn
• MongoDB (local or remote instance)
• Redis (local or remote instance)

🔧 Installation

1️⃣ Clone the Repository

Start by cloning the repository to your local machine:

git clone https://github.com/mukulpythondev/devlok.git
cd devlok

2️⃣ Install Dependencies

Install the necessary backend and frontend dependencies:

Backend

Navigate to the backend directory and install the dependencies:

cd server
npm install
# OR
yarn install

3️⃣ Configure Environment Variables

Set up the required environment variables for both the server and client:

Backend .env

Create a .env file in the server directory with the following variables:

PORT=
MONGODB_URL=
DB_NAME=
ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET=
REFRESH_TOKEN_SECRET=
NODE_ENV=
GMAIL=
GMAIL_PASSWORD=
FRONTEND_URL=
BACKEND_URL=
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET=
REDIS_HOST=
REDIS_PORT=
REDIS_PASSWORD=
ENCRYPTION_SECRET=

Frontend '.env'

VITE_CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=
VITE_CLOUDINARY_PROJECT_ID=
VITE_CLOUDINARY_UPLOAD_PRESET=
VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:8000
VITE_CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=

4️⃣ Start the Application

Start the Redis server (if running locally) using Docker:

redis-server

Start the Backend server:

Navigate to the backend directory and run the server:

cd server
npm start
yarn start

Start the Frontend application:

Navigate to the frontend directory and run the React app:

cd client
npm run dev

Contributing to DevLok

We welcome contributions from the community! Here are some guidelines to help you get started:

🛠️ Missing Features

If you notice any missing features or have ideas for new features, feel free to open an issue or discuss it in the community. Your input is valuable!

🌡️ Made with ❤️ by Mukul Rana