/Chatterbox

Enables real-time chat conversations among users.

Primary LanguagePythonGNU General Public License v3.0GPL-3.0

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Enables real-time chat conversations among users.
https://chatterbox-demo.onrender.com/
Written in Python/Django

Run Tests

Features

  • View and modify your profile details, including your avatar, username and password.
  • Create private 1-on-1 conversations with other users.
  • Users can send:
    • Text
    • Files
    • Images
  • Allow users to delete entire conversations
  • Remove individual messages in conversations
  • Detect links and add an anchor tag to them
  • Receive email notifications for mentions

Purpose

The primary goal of this project is to provide an open-source chat application that anyone can use, modify, and learn from. While the deployed app is available for use, the main intention is not to attract active users or compete with major chat applications. Instead, this project aims to share the code, primarily written in Django, with developers who might find it helpful for building similar real-time communication tools or for personal projects.

During the development and deployment of this project, I faced several challenges, particularly with CSRF verification errors. These issues led me to create a Django forum post where I detailed the problem and finally the solution I found. I hope this resource proves helpful for others encountering similar deployment issues:

https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/forbidden-403-csrf-verification-failed-request-aborted-error-encountered-in-production/34354

If you find this project interesting, helpful, or inspiring, please consider giving it a star, following, or even donating to support further development and improvements.

Django Models

Here is a graphical representation of the Django models used in this project:

Django Models Graph

Setup for Local Development

Set up Virtual Environment

➜ cd path/to/root/directory
$ python3 -m venv env/
$ source env/bin/activate

Install Dependencies

$ pip3 install -r requirements.txt

Create Enviroment Variable file

$ touch main/.env
$ nano main/.env

Add the following environment variables (modify as needed):

➜ SECRET_KEY="example_secret_key"  # https://stackoverflow.com/a/57678930
➜ DEBUG=True  # For development

Save changes and close the file.

Migrate Database

$ python3 manage.py migrate

Run Django Server

$ python3 manage.py runserver

Now you can access the website at http://127.0.0.1:8000/ or http://localhost:8000/.

Run Tests

➜ cd path/to/root/directory
$ python3 manage.py test users.tests chatterbox.tests

Contributing Guidelines for Chatterbox

Pull Requests

When submitting a pull request, please keep these points in mind:

  • Simplicity: Keep your changes straightforward and focused. Complex changes are harder to review and integrate.

  • Avoid Non-Standard Libraries: Whenever possible, refrain from adding new non-standard libraries. If your idea necessitates one, kindly discuss it first by opening an issue. This helps in evaluating the necessity and compatibility of the library.

  • Ensure It Runs: Before submitting a pull request, ensure that your code runs without errors and adheres to the project's coding standards.

  • Pass All Tests: Make sure all existing tests pass and add new tests as necessary. Pull requests will not be merged unless all tests pass successfully.

Filing Bug Reports and Submitting Pull Requests

If you encounter a bug, please follow these steps to report it:

Before contributing, please review the License to understand the terms and conditions governing the use and distribution of Chatterbox.

Thank you for your interest in improving Chatterbox!