To set up and run the project, follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Add .env File

Create a .env file in the root of your project directory and add the following environment variables:

DATABASE_USER_NAME=<your_mongo_db_username>
DATABASE_PASSWORD=<your_mongo_db_password>
DATABASE_NAME=<your_mongo_db_name>
JWT_SECRET=<your_jwt_secret> 
 

Replace the following placeholders with actual values:

• <your_mongo_db_username>: The MongoDB username.
• <your_mongo_db_password>: The MongoDB password.
• <your_mongo_db_name>: The name of your MongoDB database.
• <your_jwt_secret>: The jwt secrete you can Generate from https://jwtsecret.com/generate

Step 2: Create MongoDB Cluster and Add Credentials

1. Create a MongoDB Atlas account:

   • Visit MongoDB Atlas and create a new account if you don't already have one.

2. Create a Cluster:

   • After logging in, click on "Build a Cluster" and choose the free-tier cluster (M0).
   • Follow the prompts to select your cloud provider and region.

3. Create a Database User:

   • Go to the "Database Access" section in the left sidebar.
   • Click on "Add New Database User."
   • Set a username and password for your MongoDB user. You will use these credentials in the .env file.

4. Whitelist Your IP Address:

   • Go to the "Network Access" section in the left sidebar.
   • Click on "Add IP Address" and allow access from anywhere (or just your IP).

5. Get the Connection String:

   • Go to the "Clusters" section.
   • Click on "Connect" and then "Connect your application."
   • Copy the connection string provided and replace <your_mongo_db_username>, <your_mongo_db_password> and <your_mongo_db_name> in the .env file accordingly.

Your .env file should now have the credentials for your MongoDB Atlas cluster.

const dbUsername = encodeURIComponent(process.env.DATABASE_USER_NAME);
const dbPassword = encodeURIComponent(process.env.DATABASE_PASSWORD);
const dbName = encodeURIComponent(process.env.DATABASE_NAME);

// The connection string using the credentials
const mongoURI = `mongodb+srv://${dbUsername}:${dbPassword}@${dbName}.mongodb.net/?retryWrites=true&w=majority`;

Step 3: Install Dependencies

1. Clone the repository: If you haven't cloned the repository yet, do so with:

   git clone <repository_url>
   cd <repository_name>

2. Install Node.js Dependencies: Inside the project directory, run:

   npm install

Step 4: Install Docker (for Windows & Linux)

On Windows:

1. Download Docker Desktop:

   • Go to Docker Desktop for Windows and download the installer.
   • Run the installer and follow the instructions to install Docker.
   • After installation, restart your system if prompted.

2. Run Docker Desktop:

   • Launch Docker Desktop and ensure it is running properly.

3. Check Docker Installation: Open a terminal (e.g., Command Prompt or PowerShell) and run the following command to check if Docker is installed correctly:

   docker --version

On Linux:

1. Update Package Index:

   sudo apt-get update

2. Install Required Packages:

   sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common

3. Add Docker’s Official GPG Key:

   curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

4. Set Up the Stable Docker Repository:

   sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable"

5. Install Docker:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install docker-ce

6. Verify Installation:

   docker --version

7. Run Docker Without sudo (Optional):

   To run Docker commands without sudo, add your user to the Docker group:

   sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

   Log out and log back in for changes to take effect.

Step 5: Running Docker Compose

1. Ensure docker-compose.yml exists in your project directory. If not, create one to define your services (like MongoDB or the application itself).

2. Start Docker Compose:

   With Docker and Docker Compose installed, run the following command to start your containers:

   docker-compose up --build

   This will build your app container and start MongoDB.

3. Access the Application: Once the containers are up, your application should be accessible at http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

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Step 6: Running the App Locally (Without Docker)

If you prefer to run the app locally without Docker, you can run:

1. Start the Server:

   npm run dev

2. Access the Application: Open your browser and go to http://localhost:3000.

That's it! You have successfully set up your environment and can start working with the API.