Gossip Hub - Real-time Chat Application

Gossip Hub is a Real-time Chat Application that allows users to connect, chat, and discuss in predefined channels related to technology topics like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Machine Learning, and Distributed Systems.

Features

User Authentication: Users are prompted to enter their username upon connection.
Channel Selection: Users can join predefined channels to discuss specific technology topics.
Real-time Messaging: Users can send and receive messages in real-time within their selected channel.
Chat History: Messages are stored in MongoDB, allowing users to retrieve and view the chat history upon connecting to a channel.
User Notifications: New user entries and welcome messages are broadcasted to all connected users in the channel.
Technology Stack: MongoDB, Mongoose, Node.js, Express, React.js, Socket.io.

Getting Started

Clone the Repository:

git clone https://github.com/10kartik/Gossip-Hub.git
cd gossip-hub

Install Dependencies:

cd backend
npm install

cd ../frontend
npm install

Set Up MongoDB:
- Ensure MongoDB is installed and running.
- Set MongoDB URI under process environment variables with name "MONGODB_CONNECTION_STRING".

Run the Application:

# Run the server
cd backend
npm run dev

# Run the client
cd ../frontend
npm start

Open in Browser:

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

Usage

Enter Username:
- Upon connection, users will be prompted to enter their username.
Select Channel:
- Users can join one of the predefined channels to start chatting.
Real-time Chatting:
- Users can send and receive messages in real-time within the selected channel.
Chat History:
- Chat history is stored in MongoDB and retrieved when users connect to a channel.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions, feature requests, or find a bug, please open an issue or submit a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.