🚀 DevConnect - Developer Networking Platform

Connect. Collaborate. Code Together.

A modern full-stack platform that brings developers together through intelligent matching, real-time chat, and professional networking.

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📋 Table of Contents

• Overview
• Live Deployments
• Features
• Tech Stack
• Installation
• Project Structure
• Author

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🌟 Overview

DevConnect is a professional networking platform designed exclusively for developers. It uses skill-based matching algorithms to connect developers with similar tech stacks, real-time chat for instant communication, and a membership system for enhanced visibility.

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🌐 Live Deployments

Production (AWS EC2)

🔗 https://developerstinder.duckdns.org

• Full-stack deployment with SSL
• Nginx reverse proxy + PM2
• Custom domain via DuckDNS

Alternative (Vercel + Render)

🔗 https://dev-tinder-neon-pi.vercel.app

• Frontend on Vercel
• Backend on Render

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✨ Features

Core Features

• 🔐 Secure Authentication - JWT-based auth with HTTP-only cookies
• 👤 Profile Management - Customizable developer profiles with skills
• 🎯 Smart Matching - Skill-based matching using Jaccard similarity algorithm
• 🤝 Connection System - Send/receive connection requests
• 💬 Real-time Chat - Socket.IO powered instant messaging with online status
• 🔍 Advanced Search - Search users by name with pagination
• 🤖 AI Assistant - Google Gemini powered chatbot for platform help

Premium Features

• 💳 Membership Plans - Silver (₹499/3mo) & Gold (₹999/6mo)
• ⭐ Profile Priority Boost - Silver members get priority in feed
• 🏆 Highest Priority - Gold members appear first in all feeds
• 👑 DevConnect Badges - Silver/Gold crown badges and highlights in Feed

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🛠️ Tech Stack

Frontend Technologies

React 18	Vite	Redux Toolkit	Tailwind CSS
DaisyUI	Socket.IO Client	Axios	React Router

Backend Technologies

Node.js	Express.js	MongoDB	Mongoose
Socket.IO Server	Stripe	Gemini AI	JWT

DevOps & Deployment

AWS EC2	Nginx	PM2	Let's Encrypt
Vercel	Render	DuckDNS	Ubuntu 22.04

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💻 Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• MongoDB (local or Atlas)

Backend Setup

cd backend
npm install
# Configure .env file
npm run dev

Frontend Setup

cd frontend
npm install
# Configure .env file
npm run dev

Environment Variables

Backend (.env):

MONGO_URI=your_mongodb_uri
JWT_SECRET_KEY=your_secret
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=your_stripe_key
GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_key
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173

Frontend (.env):

VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:7777

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📁 Project Structure

DevConnect/
├── backend/                           # Node.js + Express API
├── frontend/                          # React + Vite
├── aws-deployment.guide.md            # aws guide
└── README.md                          # This file

📖 Detailed Documentation:

• Backend README - API endpoints, models, architecture
• Frontend README - Components, state management, routing
• AWS Deployment Guide - Full deployment walkthrough

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👨‍💻 Author

Ritesh Gite
Full Stack Developer

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⭐ If you found this project helpful, please give it a star!

Made with ❤️ by Ritesh Gite