Chat-App-Sockets

A real-time chat application built with Node.js and Socket.IO, deployed on Heroku. This application allows multiple users to communicate seamlessly through a web interface with message history support.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Technologies Used
• Prerequisites
• Installation
• Usage
• Deployment
• Project Structure
• Contributing
• License
• Contact

Features

• Real-Time Communication: Instant messaging between multiple users.
• Message History: View previous messages upon connecting.
• Responsive Design: Accessible on both desktop and mobile devices.
• Secure Connection: Deployed with HTTPS on Heroku.
• Scalable Architecture: Supports multiple concurrent users.

Technologies Used

• Node.js: JavaScript runtime environment.
• Express.js: Web framework for Node.js.
• Socket.IO: Enables real-time, bidirectional communication.
• Heroku: Cloud platform for deployment.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have met the following requirements:

• Node.js and npm: Install Node.js (which includes npm) on your machine.
• Git: Install Git for version control.
• Heroku Account: Sign up for a free account at Heroku.
• Heroku CLI: Install the Heroku CLI.

Installation

Follow these steps to set up the project locally:

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone [email protected]:lokashrinav/Chat-App-Sockets.git

2. Navigate to the Project Directory:

   cd Chat-App-Sockets

3. Install Dependencies:

   Ensure you're in the project root directory and run:

   npm install

   This command installs all required libraries listed in package.json.

Usage

To run the application locally:

1. Start the Server:

   npm start

2. Access the Application:

   Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000.

3. Interact with the Chat:

   • Open multiple browser tabs or use different devices on the same network.
   • Send messages through the chat interface and observe real-time updates.

Project Structure

├── public/
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── script.js
│   └── styles.css
├── Procfile
├── package.json
├── server.js
└── README.md

Directory and File Descriptions

• public/: Contains static files served to the client.
  • index.html: The main HTML file.
  • script.js: Client-side JavaScript for handling Socket.IO events.
  • styles.css: Stylesheet for the chat interface.
• Procfile: Specifies the command to run the server on Heroku.
• package.json: Lists project dependencies and scripts.
• server.js: Server-side application code.
• README.md: Project documentation.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.