PHconsult

PHconsult is a modern web application that provides comprehensive research assistance to students, professionals, and organizations. The platform offers a suite of services including research topic selection, data analysis, report writing, mentorship, and assignment support—all accessible via an intuitive, responsive interface.

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Table of Contents

• Features
• Live Demo
• Technology Stack
• Getting Started
• Project Structure
• Contributing
• Contact
• License

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Features

• User Authentication: Secure registration and login (Node.js, Express, MongoDB, JWT)
• Service Listings: Data analysis, report writing, research consulting, topic selection, mentorship, assignment support
• Responsive UI: Modern, mobile-friendly design (Bootstrap 5, custom CSS)
• Dark/Light Mode: Theme toggle for accessibility
• Collapsible Side Panel: Space-efficient navigation
• Online Service Requests: Contact and order forms (with Firebase integration)
• Testimonials: Real client feedback
• Admin Panel: (WIP) For managing users and service requests

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Live Demo

Check out the deployed app here: https://philipkone.github.io/PHconsult/

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js & npm (for backend/server features)
• MongoDB Atlas account (for backend database)
• (Optional) Firebase project (for contact form and messaging)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/PhilipKone/PHconsult.git
   cd PHconsult

2. Install backend dependencies:

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables:
   • Create a .env file in the root directory with your MongoDB URI and JWT secret:

     MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
     JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret

   • (If using Firebase for contact form, configure your Firebase project in contact.html)
4. Start the backend server:

   node app.js

5. Open index.html in your browser for the frontend.

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Technology Stack

Frontend

• HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (Vanilla)
• Bootstrap 5
• Font Awesome

Backend

• Node.js, Express.js
• MongoDB (Mongoose ODM)
• JWT for authentication
• bcryptjs for password hashing
• body-parser for request parsing

Messaging/Contact

• Firebase Firestore (for contact form/message storage)

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Project Structure

PHconsult-1/
├── app.js                 # Express backend entrypoint
├── backend/               # Backend logic (auth, models)
│   ├── authRoutes.js      # Auth API routes
│   ├── login_process.js   # (Legacy/optional)
│   ├── register_process.js# (Legacy/optional)
│   └── models/
│       └── User.js        # Mongoose User model
├── assets/
│   ├── css/
│   ├── js/
│   └── images/
├── index.html             # Main landing page
├── about.html             # About the platform
├── services.html          # Service details
├── contact.html           # Contact form (uses Firebase)
├── login.html             # Login page
├── register.html          # Registration page
├── admin.html             # Admin dashboard (WIP)
├── package.json           # Node dependencies
└── README.md

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System Architecture

UML Diagram

Component Explanation

Core User Components

• User: Central entity representing system users

  • Manages user authentication and profile information
  • Can order services, submit reviews, and make payments
  • Has associated portfolio and CV

• Admin: System administrator

  • Manages users, services, and content
  • Handles contact form submissions
  • Views system analytics

Service Management

• Service: Represents offered services

  • Contains service details (name, description, price)
  • Categorized with specific features
  • Can be ordered by users

• Review: User feedback system

  • Stores review content and ratings
  • Associated with specific services
  • Includes timestamp for tracking

Financial Components

• Payment: Handles financial transactions

  • Processes service payments
  • Manages payment status and methods
  • Supports refund operations

• Donation: Manages donation system

  • Processes donation amounts
  • Handles different currencies
  • Generates donation receipts

Professional Profile

• Portfolio: Showcases professional work

  • Lists skills and projects
  • Can be updated by users
  • Displays professional achievements

• CV: Professional background

  • Contains education history
  • Lists work experience
  • Shows certifications

Communication

• Contact: Contact form system
  • Manages user inquiries
  • Tracks message status
  • Integrated with Firebase

Infrastructure

• UI: User interface management

  • Handles dark/light mode
  • Manages responsive design
  • Controls side panel functionality

• FirebaseService: Backend integration

  • Handles authentication
  • Manages data storage
  • Provides real-time updates

Key Relationships

• Users can order multiple services (1-to-many)
• Services can have multiple reviews (1-to-many)
• Each user has one portfolio and CV (1-to-1)
• Admins manage multiple users and services (1-to-many)
• All components interact through the UI layer
• Firebase service provides backend support for data persistence

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Usage

• Visit index.html for the main site.
• Register/Login for personalized features.
• Use the contact form for service requests or questions (messages stored in Firebase).
• Admin features are under development.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions to improve PHconsult!

How to Contribute

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/your-feature)
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to your fork and open a Pull Request

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Contact

• Email: phconsultgh@gmail.com
• Phone: +055 199 3820
• Location: Accra, Ghana
• LinkedIn

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License

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