Real-Time Chat Application

A modern, real-time chat application built with Node.js and Socket.IO that enables users to communicate across multiple chat rooms with a sleek, responsive interface.

📋 Description

This is a full-featured chat application that allows users to:

• Join with a custom username
• Create and manage multiple chat rooms
• Send and receive messages in real-time
• View message history when joining rooms
• See user join/leave notifications

The application features a modern dark theme UI built with Tailwind CSS and provides a seamless chatting experience across different rooms.

🛠️ Technologies Used

Backend

• Node.js - Runtime environment
• Express.js - Web application framework
• Socket.IO - Real-time bidirectional event-based communication
• HTTP - Built-in Node.js module for server creation

Frontend

• HTML5 - Markup structure
• CSS3 - Styling and animations
• JavaScript (ES6+) - Client-side functionality
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first CSS framework
• Socket.IO Client - Real-time communication

Development Tools

• ESLint - Code linting and formatting
• Prettier - Code formatting
• Jest - Testing framework

⚡ Quick Start

Prerequisites

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

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/oleksandr-kovalchuk/node-chat.git
   cd node-chat

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Start the development server

   npm start

4. Open your browser and navigate to

   http://localhost:3000
   

🎯 Key Features

💬 Real-Time Messaging

• Instant message delivery using WebSocket connections
• Live typing indicators and user presence
• Message timestamps with proper formatting

🏠 Room Management

• Create Rooms: Users can create new chat rooms instantly
• Join Rooms: Switch between different rooms seamlessly
• Rename Rooms: Modify room names (except default "General" room)
• Delete Rooms: Remove rooms when no longer needed
• Message History: New users see all previous messages when joining

👤 User Experience

• Persistent Username: Username stored in localStorage for convenience
• Responsive Design: Works perfectly on desktop and mobile devices
• Dark Theme: Modern, eye-friendly dark interface
• System Notifications: Join/leave notifications for better awareness

🔧 Technical Features

• Modular Architecture: Clean separation of concerns with dedicated modules
• Error Handling: Robust error handling for edge cases
• Memory Management: Efficient in-memory storage for development
• Socket Management: Proper cleanup of connections and rooms

📁 Project Structure

├── public/
│   ├── index.html          # Main HTML file
│   └── js/
│       ├── main.js         # Application entry point
│       ├── auth.js         # Authentication handling
│       ├── socket.js       # Socket.IO client setup
│       ├── ui.js           # UI event handlers
│       ├── rooms.js        # Room management
│       └── messages.js     # Message rendering
├── socket/
│   └── socketHandlers.js   # Socket.IO server handlers
├── models/
│   ├── roomManager.js      # Room data management
│   └── userManager.js      # User data management
├── index.js                # Server entry point
├── package.json            # Dependencies and scripts
└── README.md              # Project documentation

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Built with ❤️ using Node.js and Socket.IO