Converza

Converza is a real-time chat application built with the MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js) stack and Socket.io. It enables users to have seamless conversations with real-time message delivery, seen status, and a modern UI.
Production Deploy: https://converza.kanhaiya.me
Video Preview: https://youtu.be/Hi-g3dInSLg?si=eQUxfyhcE_TV5dWv

Features

• Real-time messaging: Instant message delivery using Socket.io
• User authentication: Secure login and registration
• Message seen status: Users can check if their message has been seen
• Responsive UI: Optimized for both desktop and mobile devices
• Persistent chat history: Messages are stored in MongoDB for future reference
• In app Notifications: Get notified about new messages

Tech Stack

Frontend

• React.js (Create React App)
• Styled Components (as CSS framework for styling)
• React Router (for navigation)
• Redux (for state management)

Backend

• Node.js with Express.js
• MongoDB with Mongoose ORM
• JWT authentication
• WebSockets using Socket.io

Deployment

• Frontend: Vercel
• Backend: Render
• Database: MongoDB Atlas

Installation

Prerequisites

• git cli
• Node.js (v20.15.0 or later)

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/converza.git
   cd converza

2. Install dependencies

   # Install backend dependencies
   cd server
   npm install
   
   # Install frontend dependencies
   cd ../client
   npm install

3. Configure environment variables
   Create a .env file in the root of server directory and set up the following variables:

    DB_URI=

   Create a .env file in the root of client directory and set up the following variables:

   REACT_APP_SERVER_URI=http://localhost:3000

4. Run the application

   # Start the backend
   cd server
   npm start
   
   # Start the frontend
   cd ../client
   npm start

5. Access the application Open http://localhost:5173 in your browser.

Future Enhancements

• Group Conversation
• Voice and video calling
• End-to-end encryption
• Message reactions and replies
• Profile customization
• Status updates

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute, please fork the repository and submit a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Contact

For any issues or feature requests, feel free to reach out at kanhaiyadav.me@gmail.com or open an issue on GitHub.