Tourist Guide Backend

This is the backend application for the Tourist Guide project. It is built with Node.js, Express.js, TypeScript, and MongoDB. The backend handles tours, bookings, users, payments, and reviews.

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Live Demo: https://tourist-guide-backend.vercel.app

🛠 Features

• REST API for tours, bookings, and users
• Payment processing via Stripe
• User authentication and authorization (JWT)
• Review system for tours and guides
• MongoDB database integration
• Error handling and validation

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⚡ Prerequisites

Make sure you have the following installed:

• Node.js >= 18
• npm or yarn
• MongoDB (local or Atlas)
• Git

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🔧 Setup Instructions (Local Development)

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/your-username/tourist-guide-backend.git
cd tourist-guide-backend

2. Install dependencies

npm install
# or
yarn install

3. Create environment variables

Create a .env file in the root:

PORT=5000
MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/tourist-guide
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_test_yourkey
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:3000

Replace with your actual MongoDB URI, Stripe secret key, and JWT secret.

4. Run the development server

npm run dev
# or
yarn dev

• Server runs on http://localhost:5000

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📦 Build & Production

1. Build the project

npm run build
# or
yarn build

2. Start the production server

npm start
# or
yarn start

• Make sure MongoDB Atlas or production database is accessible.
• Ensure FRONTEND_URL is set correctly for CORS.

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🔗 Folder Structure

backend/
│
├─ src/
│   ├─ controllers/       # API route controllers
│   ├─ models/            # Mongoose models
│   ├─ routes/            # Express routes
│   ├─ middleware/        # Auth, error handling, etc.
│   ├─ services/          # Stripe and other service logic
│   └─ utils/             # Helper functions
├─ .env                  # Environment variables
├─ package.json           # Dependencies and scripts
├─ tsconfig.json          # TypeScript configuration
└─ README.md              # Project documentation

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📝 Useful Scripts

Command	Description
npm run dev	Run server in development mode with nodemon
npm run build	Compile TypeScript for production
npm start	Start production server
npm run lint	Lint code
npm run format	Format code with Prettier

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⚠️ Common Issues

1. MongoDB connection errors

   • Ensure MONGO_URI is correct and your IP is whitelisted in MongoDB Atlas

2. Stripe payment errors

   • Ensure STRIPE_SECRET_KEY is valid
   • Check your frontend is sending the correct request

3. JWT authentication errors

   • Make sure JWT_SECRET is consistent between backend and frontend

4. CORS issues

   • Ensure FRONTEND_URL is added to CORS whitelist in your Express app

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📚 References

• Node.js
• Express.js
• MongoDB
• Stripe API
• JWT Authentication

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