Rate-My-Client

A fullstack web application that lets freelancers share horror stories and flag red-flag clients anonymously. Features AI-powered analysis to auto-score job posts for red flags like "must be available 24/7" or "exposure."

🌐 Live Demo: https://jmenichole.github.io/Rate-My-Client/

Note: The live demo is frontend-only. Backend features require separate deployment (see DEPLOYMENT.md).

🎯 Features

• Anonymous Client Reviews: Share experiences with clients without revealing your identity
• Detailed Rating System: Rate clients on multiple criteria including:
  • Overall satisfaction
  • Payment promptness
  • Communication quality
  • Scope creep issues
• AI Job Post Analyzer: Automatically detect red flags in job postings before you apply
• Client Search: Browse and search through client reviews
• Red Flag Tracking: Tag and track common warning signs

🛠️ Technology Stack

Backend

• Node.js with Express.js
• SQLite database for data persistence
• RESTful API architecture
• Rule-based AI for red flag detection

Frontend

• React with Vite
• React Router for navigation
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• Axios for API calls

📁 Project Structure

Rate-My-Client/
├── backend/
│   ├── server.js           # Express server setup
│   ├── database.js         # Database initialization
│   ├── routes/
│   │   ├── clients.js      # Client-related endpoints
│   │   ├── reviews.js      # Review CRUD operations
│   │   └── ai.js          # AI analysis endpoints
│   └── package.json
├── frontend/
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── pages/         # React page components
│   │   ├── services/      # API service layer
│   │   ├── App.jsx        # Main app component
│   │   └── main.jsx       # Entry point
│   └── package.json
└── README.md

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• npm or yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/jmenichole/Rate-My-Client.git
cd Rate-My-Client

2. Install backend dependencies:

cd backend
npm install

3. Install frontend dependencies:

cd ../frontend
npm install

Running the Application

1. Start the backend server:

cd backend
npm run dev

The backend will run on http://localhost:5000

2. In a new terminal, start the frontend:

cd frontend
npm run dev

The frontend will run on http://localhost:5173

3. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5173

🔌 API Endpoints

Clients

• GET /api/clients - Get all clients
• GET /api/clients/:id - Get a specific client
• GET /api/clients/search/:query - Search clients
• POST /api/clients - Create a new client
• GET /api/clients/:id/stats - Get client statistics

Reviews

• GET /api/reviews - Get all reviews
• GET /api/reviews/:id - Get a specific review
• GET /api/reviews/client/:clientId - Get reviews for a client
• POST /api/reviews - Create a new review
• PUT /api/reviews/:id - Update a review
• DELETE /api/reviews/:id - Delete a review

AI Analysis

• POST /api/ai/analyze-job-post - Analyze a job post for red flags
• GET /api/ai/scans - Get scan history

🤖 AI Red Flag Detection

The AI analyzer scans job postings for common red flags including:

• Exposure/Portfolio: Offering "exposure" instead of payment
• 24/7 Availability: Unrealistic availability expectations
• Urgent Deadlines: Pressure tactics and impossible timelines
• Low Budget: Emphasis on minimal cost
• Unlimited Revisions: Scope creep indicators
• Deferred Payment: Payment based on equity or future success
• Unpaid Work: Free or volunteer positions
• Downplaying Complexity: Describing complex work as "simple"

Each flag contributes to a risk score (0-100) with recommendations for freelancers.

📊 Database Schema

Clients Table

• id: Primary key
• name: Client/contact name
• company: Company name (optional)
• industry: Industry type (optional)
• created_at: Timestamp

Reviews Table

• id: Primary key
• client_id: Foreign key to clients
• rating: Overall rating (1-5)
• title: Review title
• description: Detailed review
• red_flags: JSON array of red flags
• would_work_again: Boolean
• payment_promptness: Rating (1-5)
• communication_quality: Rating (1-5)
• scope_creep_issue: Boolean
• created_at: Timestamp

AI Scans Table

• id: Primary key
• job_post_text: Original job posting
• red_flag_score: Calculated score (0-100)
• detected_flags: JSON array of detected flags
• analysis: JSON object with detailed analysis
• created_at: Timestamp

🔒 Privacy & Anonymity

All reviews are completely anonymous. We do not collect or store:

• User accounts or login information
• IP addresses
• Personal identifying information
• Email addresses

This ensures freelancers can safely share their experiences without fear of retaliation.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

📝 License

ISC License

🙏 Acknowledgments

Built to protect and empower freelancers worldwide. Say no to red flag clients!

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Disclaimer: This platform is for sharing honest experiences. Please be truthful and factual in your reviews.