CollegeConnect

A modern, Reddit-style college social media platform allowing students to connect, share resources, create posts, build their profiles, and find career opportunities.

🚀 Tech Stack

Frontend

• React 19 with Vite
• TailwindCSS for utility-first styling
• Framer Motion for smooth, modern animations
• Socket.io-client for real-time networking
• Axios for API requests
• React Router v7 for frontend routing
• Lucide React for crisp, scalable icons

Backend

• Node.js with Express.js
• MongoDB with Mongoose OM
• Socket.io for real-time bidirectional event-based communication
• JWT (JSON Web Tokens) & bcryptjs for secure authentication
• Multer for multipart/form-data handling (file/image uploads)

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🛠️ Project Setup & Installation

Follow these steps to get the full stack running on your local machine.

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18 or higher recommended)
• MongoDB (running locally or a MongoDB Atlas URI)

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/AryanPandya0/CollegeConnect.git
cd CollegeConnect

2. Backend Setup

Navigate to the backend directory and set up your environment:

cd backend/server
npm install

Environment Variables: Create a .env file in the backend/server directory based on the .env.example structure:

# Server Configuration
PORT=5000
NODE_ENV=development
CLIENT_URL=http://localhost:5173

# Database configuration
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/collegeconnect

# JWT Configuration
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key
JWT_EXPIRE=30d

Start the Backend Server:

npm run dev

(The server should now be running on http://localhost:5000)

3. Frontend Setup

Open a new terminal tab/window and navigate to the frontend directory:

cd frontend
npm install

Environment Variables: Create a .env file in the frontend directory:

VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:5000/api
VITE_SOCKET_URL=http://localhost:5000

Start the Frontend Dev Server:

npm run dev

(The React application should now be accessible at http://localhost:5173)

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✨ Key Features

• User Authentication: Secure JWT-based registration and login system.
• Real-time Engine: Active WebSocket connections for instant updates and chatting.
• Dynamic Feed: Reddit-esque scrolling feed with posts, comments, and interactions.
• Resource Sharing: Upload attachments and links for academic sharing.
• Profiles & Portfolios: Dedicated user profile space for showcasing skills, experience, and past posts.
• Responsive UI: Fully optimized layout for seamless mobile and desktop experiences using Tailwind CSS.

📄 License

© 2026 Aryan Pandya. All Rights Reserved.

This project and its source code are the intellectual property of Aryan Pandya and may not be copied, distributed, or modified without explicit permission.