2brownc / pixvault-backend

Pixvault: A MERN Stock Image Website

• Open Pixvault App

Pixvault is a robust stock image website built with the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js) for a seamless user experience. It empowers users to view, manage, and download images, making it ideal for designers, bloggers, and anyone seeking exceptional visuals.

This is the backend repo. Check out the frontend repo.

Frontend (React):

• The React frontend makes requests to the backend API endpoints using the Axios library.
• These endpoints enable various functionalities like:
  • User login and authentication
  • Image search based on keywords or categories
  • Downloading and liking images

Backend (Node.js):

• The Node.js backend handles these API requests using the Express.js framework.
• Based on the requested endpoint, the backend would:
  • Authenticate user by interfacing with the Auth0 API.
  • Communicate with the MongoDB database to perform actions like image retrieval and updating for preferences.
  • Finally process various requests and generate a response in JSON format. This response could include the requested data like image details or user information.

REST API Interaction:

The communication between frontend and backend follows the REST architectural style.

Deployed using PM2

Process Manager 2 is used to manage the backend server.

Key Features

• Typescript: Enhances code maintainability, type safety, and developer experience.
• Secure Authentication: Leverages Auth0 for secure user login and authorization, ensuring data privacy and trust.
• React Redux State Management: Provides a centralized state management solution for a predictable and efficient user interface.
• Mantine UI Integration: Offers a modern and responsive design framework for an intuitive user experience.

Getting Started

1. Prerequisites: Node.js (version 18 or later) and npm (Node Package Manager) are required. You can download them from the official Node.js website: https://nodejs.org/en.

2. Clone the Repository: Open your terminal and navigate to your desired project directory. Then, run the following command to clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/2brownc/pixvault-backend.git

3. Install Dependencies: Navigate to the project directory and install the required dependencies using npm:

   cd pixvault-backend
   npm install

4. Environment Variables: Create a .env.local file in the project root directory and configure the following environment variables:

     OPENVERSE_CLIENT_ID
     OPENVERSE_CLIENT_SECRET
   
     MONGODB_URI
   
     AUTH0_AUDIENCE
     AUTH0_ALGORITHM
     AUTH0_ISSUER_BASE_URL
   
     ANONAUTH_SECRET #anonymous auth using JWT
   
     CORS_ORIGIN_SERVER #for CORS
   
   

5. Start the Development Server: Run the following command to start the development server:

npm start

This will launch the app at http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Deployment

Instructions on deploying Pixvault to a production environment will be added in a future update.