RIDE-HAILING MERN Web Application

Overview

A full-stack ride-hailing application built using the MERN stack. This project mimics a ride-sharing service similar to Uber and is divided into two main parts:

• Frontend: A React application powered by Vite and styled with Tailwind CSS. It handles user/captain interactions, live tracking (via Google Maps), and real-time notifications (via Socket.IO).
• Backend: An Express server using MongoDB (via Mongoose) for data persistence, Socket.IO for real-time communication, and REST APIs for user, captain, ride, and map functionalities.

Project Structure

• frontend/
  • Contains the React application with pages (e.g., UserLogin, UserSignUp, Home, Riding, CaptainLogin, etc.), context providers (User, Captain, Socket.IO), components, and configuration files (vite.config.js, tailwind.config.js, etc.).
• Backend/
  • Contains the Express server, models, controllers, services, and routes for handling users, captains, rides, maps, and authentication.
• README Files:
  • This file documents the full project.
  • The Backend folder also contains a README.md with detailed API endpoint documentation.

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or later)
• A MongoDB instance (local or cloud)
• A Google Maps API key

Setup Instructions

Frontend

1. Open a terminal and navigate to the frontend folder:

   cd frontend
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Create a .env file inside frontend/ with the following keys:

   VITE_BASE_URL=http://localhost:4000
   VITE_GOOGLE_MAPS_API=YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY
   

4. Start the development server:

   npm run dev
   

Backend

1. Open a terminal and navigate to the Backend folder:

   cd Backend
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Create a .env file inside Backend/ with the following keys:

   DB_CONNECT=YOUR_MONGODB_CONNECTION_STRING
   JWT_SECRET=YOUR_SECRET_KEY
   GOOGLE_MAP_API=YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY
   PORT=4000
   

4. Start the server:

   node server.js
   

   (Optionally, use nodemon for auto-reloading)

API Documentation

Extensive API documentation is available in the Backend README (located at Backend/README.md). It covers:

• User registration, login, profile, and logout endpoints.
• Captain registration, login, profile, and logout endpoints.
• Ride creation, fare calculation, confirmation, start, and end endpoints.
• Map endpoints for coordinates, distance/time calculations, and auto-complete suggestions.

Features

• User Authentication: Secure user and captain registration, login, and session management.
• Ride Management: Users can create ride requests and captains can accept, start, and finish rides with OTP confirmation.
• Real-time Communication: Uses Socket.IO to update ride statuses and notify nearby captains about new ride requests.
• Maps Integration: Google Maps API integration for live tracking, route calculations, and auto-complete suggestions.
• Responsive Design: The frontend is built with responsive layouts using Tailwind CSS.

Environment Variables Summary

Frontend (.env)

VITE_BASE_URL=http://localhost:4000
VITE_GOOGLE_MAPS_API=YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY

Backend (.env)

DB_CONNECT=YOUR_MONGODB_CONNECTION_STRING
JWT_SECRET=YOUR_SECRET_KEY
GOOGLE_MAP_API=YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY
PORT=4000

Testing & Deployment

• Currently, tests are not configured. Use tools like Postman to test the API endpoints.
• Both frontend and backend are designed to be easily deployed on cloud platforms. Adjust environment variables accordingly for production.

Additional Documentation

• Consult inline comments within the source code for more details.
• The Backend README further describes each API endpoint with example requests and responses.
• For troubleshooting, check server logs and ensure your environmental variables are correctly set.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.