Social Network Project

Overview

This project is a Facebook-like social network developed for a school assignment. It includes essential features such as user authentication, profiles, posts, groups, real-time chats, and notifications. The application is built with a modern frontend framework and a robust backend system with a SQLite database, ensuring a functional and responsive user experience.

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Features

1. Authentication

• User Registration: Users must provide:
  • Email, Password, First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth
  • Optional fields: Avatar/Image, Nickname, About Me
• User Login: Users stay logged in using sessions and cookies.
• Logout: Available at all times.

2. Followers

• Follow and unfollow users.
• Follow requests:
  • Private Profiles: Follow requests must be accepted.
  • Public Profiles: Requests are automatically accepted.

3. User Profiles

• Public and Private profiles.
• Profile includes:
  • User Information (excluding password)
  • User Activity: Posts and comments
  • Followers and Following lists
• Users can toggle their profile privacy settings.

4. Posts

• Users can create posts and comments.
• Attach images or GIFs to posts and comments.
• Privacy settings for posts:
  • Public: Visible to all users.
  • Almost Private: Visible to followers only.
  • Private: Visible to selected followers.

5. Groups

• Group Management:
  • Create groups with a title and description.
  • Invite other users or accept join requests.
• Group Activity:
  • Members can create posts and comments visible only within the group.
  • Group Chat for real-time messaging.
• Group Events:
  • Events include Title, Description, Date/Time, and RSVP options (e.g., Going/Not Going).

6. Chats

• Private Messages:
  • Users can send messages to followers or those they follow.
  • Real-time messaging implemented via WebSockets.
  • Support for emojis.
• Group Chat:
  • Common chat room for group members.

7. Notifications

• Users receive notifications for:
  • Follow requests (for private profiles).
  • Group invitations and join requests.
  • Event creation in groups.
• Notifications are separate from private messages for clarity.

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Technical Stack

1. Frontend

• Developed using a JavaScript framework:
  • Options: Next.js, React.js.
• Focused on responsiveness, performance, and interaction with the backend.
• Deployed as a Docker container.

2. Backend

• Written in Go.
• Features include:
  • User Authentication (using sessions and cookies).
  • Image Handling: Supports JPEG, PNG, and GIF formats.
  • Real-time WebSocket communication for chats.
• Deployed as a Docker container.

3. Database

• SQLite is used for structured data storage.
• Migrations are implemented to manage database schema:

4. Docker

The project is containerized into two Docker images:

• Backend Container: Serves the server-side logic and connects to the database.
• Frontend Container: Serves the client-side application and interacts with the backend.
• Port exposure for communication:
  • Backend exposes required API ports.
  • Frontend serves the UI content to users' browsers.

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Installation

Prerequisites

Ensure the following tools are installed:

• Docker
• Go
• Node.js & npm (for frontend framework)

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://zone01normandie.org/git/mmarchet/social-network.git
   cd social-network

2. Build and run Docker containers:

   bash script.sh
   docker-compose up

3. Access the application:
   • Frontend: http://localhost:3000
   • Backend API: http://localhost:8080

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Credits

This project was developed as part of a school assignment. Frameworks, libraries, and tools used are credited to their respective creators.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.