https://github.com/hari31416/connections_backend

A comprehensive full-stack MERN application for efficiently managing and tracking your professional and personal connections, companies, and employment positions.
https://github.com/hari31416/connections_backend

backend crm express networking nodejs professional

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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A comprehensive full-stack MERN application for efficiently managing and tracking your professional and personal connections, companies, and employment positions.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/hari31416/connections_backend
• Owner: Hari31416
• License: mit
• Created: 2025-05-24T15:39:44.000Z (about 1 year ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2025-06-01T11:23:44.000Z (about 1 year ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-07-31T03:59:13.988Z (11 months ago)
• Topics: backend, crm, express, networking, nodejs, professional
• Language: JavaScript
• Homepage:
• Size: 48.8 KB
• Stars: 0
• Watchers: 0
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

Awesome Lists containing this project

README

          
# Connections Tracker - Backend API

A robust Node.js/Express REST API for managing professional and personal connections, companies, and employment positions. Features JWT authentication, MongoDB integration, and comprehensive logging.

## ⚠️ Experimental Project Disclaimer

**This is an experimental project** - the result of an experiment to understand whether "vibe coding" can be used to generate end-to-end web applications.

**Important Notes:**

- The bulk of this code is AI-generated

- This code is **NOT optimized for production use**

- This project serves as a proof-of-concept and learning exercise

- Use at your own risk and review thoroughly before any production deployment

## 🚀 Technology Stack

- **Runtime**: Node.js

- **Framework**: Express.js (v5.1.0)

- **Database**: MongoDB with Mongoose ODM (v8.15.0)

- **Authentication**: JWT (JSON Web Tokens)

- **Security**: bcryptjs for password hashing

- **CORS**: Cross-origin resource sharing enabled

- **Environment**: dotenv for configuration management

## 📋 Prerequisites

- Node.js (v16 or higher)

- MongoDB Atlas account or local MongoDB installation

- npm or yarn package manager

## 🛠️ Installation & Setup

1. **Clone and navigate to backend directory**:

   ```bash

   cd backend

   ```

2. **Install dependencies**:

   ```bash

   npm install

   ```

3. **Environment Configuration**:

   Create a `.env` file in the backend root:

   ```env

   # Database Configuration

   MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/connections

   # JWT Secret (use a strong, random string in production)

   JWT_SECRET=your_super_secure_jwt_secret_key_here

   # Server Configuration

   PORT=4000

   NODE_ENV=development

   ```

4. **Start the development server**:

   ```bash

   npm run dev

   ```

   Or for production:

   ```bash

   npm start

   ```

## 📚 API Documentation

### Base URL

- Development: `http://localhost:4000/api`

- Production: `https://your-backend-domain.com/api`

### Health Check

- **GET** `/health` - Check server status

### Authentication Endpoints

#### Check System Status

- **GET** `/api/users/exists`

- **Response**: `{ "hasUsers": boolean }`

#### Initialize First Admin User

- **POST** `/api/initialize`

- **Body**: `{ "email": "admin@example.com", "password": "password" }`

- **Note**: Only works when no users exist in the system

#### User Login

- **POST** `/api/login`

- **Body**: `{ "email": "user@example.com", "password": "password" }`

- **Response**: `{ "token": "jwt_token", "user": {...} }`

#### Register New User (Admin Only)

- **POST** `/api/register`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**: `{ "email": "newuser@example.com", "password": "password" }`

### Connections Endpoints

#### Get All Connections

- **GET** `/api/connections`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Get Connection by ID

- **GET** `/api/connections/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Response**: Includes connection details and associated positions

#### Create New Connection

- **POST** `/api/connections`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**:

  ```json

  {

    "name": "John Doe",

    "email": "john@example.com",

    "phone": "+1234567890",

    "linkedinUserId": "johndoe",

    "githubUserId": "johndoe",

    "notes": "Met at tech conference"

  }

  ```

#### Update Connection

- **PUT** `/api/connections/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**: Same as create, with updated fields

#### Delete Connection

- **DELETE** `/api/connections/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Note**: Also deletes all associated positions

#### Get Connections by Company

- **GET** `/api/connections/bycompany/:companyId`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Search Connections

- **GET** `/api/connections/search/:query`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Description**: Search connections across name, email, phone, LinkedIn/GitHub usernames

- **Example**: `/api/connections/search/john` - finds all connections matching "john"

- **Note**: Search is case-insensitive and supports partial matches

### Companies Endpoints

#### Get All Companies

- **GET** `/api/companies`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Get Company by ID

- **GET** `/api/companies/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Response**: Includes company details and associated positions

#### Create New Company

- **POST** `/api/companies`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**:

  ```json

  {

    "name": "Tech Corp Inc",

    "industry": "Technology",

    "website": "https://techcorp.com"

  }

  ```

#### Update Company

- **PUT** `/api/companies/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**: Same as create, with updated fields

#### Delete Company

- **DELETE** `/api/companies/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Note**: Also deletes all associated positions

#### Get Companies by Connection

- **GET** `/api/companies/byconnection/:connectionId`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Search Companies

- **GET** `/api/companies/search/:query`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Description**: Search companies across name, industry, and website fields

- **Example**: `/api/companies/search/tech` - finds all companies matching "tech"

- **Note**: Search is case-insensitive and supports partial matches

### Positions Endpoints

#### Get All Positions

- **GET** `/api/positions`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Get Position by ID

- **GET** `/api/positions/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Create New Position

- **POST** `/api/positions`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**:

  ```json

  {

    "connectionId": "connection_object_id",

    "companyId": "company_object_id",

    "title": "Software Engineer",

    "startDate": "2023-01-15",

    "endDate": "2024-01-15",

    "current": false,

    "notes": "Full-stack development role"

  }

  ```

#### Update Position

- **PUT** `/api/positions/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

- **Body**: Same as create, with updated fields

#### Delete Position

- **DELETE** `/api/positions/:id`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Get Positions by Connection

- **GET** `/api/positions/connection/:connectionId`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

#### Get Positions by Company

- **GET** `/api/positions/company/:companyId`

- **Headers**: `Authorization: Bearer `

## 🗄️ Database Models

### User Model

```javascript

{

  _id: ObjectId,

  email: String (required, unique),

  password: String (required, hashed),

  isAdmin: Boolean (default: false),

  createdAt: Date,

  updatedAt: Date

}

```

### Connection Model

```javascript

{

  _id: ObjectId,

  userId: String (required),

  name: String (required),

  email: String,

  phone: String,

  linkedinUserId: String,

  githubUserId: String,

  notes: String,

  createdAt: Date,

  updatedAt: Date

}

```

### Company Model

```javascript

{

  _id: ObjectId,

  userId: String (required),

  name: String (required),

  industry: String,

  website: String,

  createdAt: Date,

  updatedAt: Date

}

```

### Position Model

```javascript

{

  _id: ObjectId,

  userId: String (required),

  connectionId: ObjectId (ref: 'Connection', required),

  companyId: ObjectId (ref: 'Company', required),

  title: String (required),

  startDate: Date,

  endDate: Date,

  current: Boolean (default: false),

  notes: String,

  createdAt: Date,

  updatedAt: Date

}

```

## 🔐 Security Features

- **JWT Authentication**: Secure token-based authentication

- **Password Hashing**: bcryptjs with salt rounds

- **User Isolation**: All data is user-scoped via userId

- **Admin Controls**: User registration restricted to admin users

- **Request Logging**: Comprehensive logging with sensitive data protection

- **CORS Configuration**: Cross-origin request handling

## 📝 Scripts

```json

{

  "start": "node src/index.js",

  "dev": "nodemon src/index.js",

  "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"

}

```

## 🚀 Deployment

### Render Deployment (Recommended)

1. **Create Render Web Service**:

   - Connect your GitHub repository

   - Set build command: `npm install`

   - Set start command: `npm start`

   - Set environment to `Node`

2. **Environment Variables**:

   ```env

   MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://...

   JWT_SECRET=your_production_jwt_secret

   NODE_ENV=production

   PORT=4000

   ```

3. **MongoDB Atlas Setup**:

   - Create a MongoDB Atlas cluster

   - Add your Render service IP to IP whitelist (or use 0.0.0.0/0 for all IPs)

   - Create a database user with read/write permissions

### Alternative Deployment Options

- **Heroku**: Compatible with Heroku's Node.js buildpack

- **Railway**: Direct GitHub integration

- **Vercel**: Serverless functions (requires restructuring)

- **DigitalOcean App Platform**: Container-based deployment

## 🔧 Development

### Adding New Routes

1. Create route file in `src/routes/`

2. Import and use in `src/index.js`

3. Follow existing authentication middleware pattern

### Database Migrations

- No formal migration system

- Use MongoDB Compass or Atlas UI for data management

- Consider implementing seeds for development data

### Logging

The application includes comprehensive request logging:

- All requests are logged with timestamp and IP

- Sensitive data (passwords, emails, etc.) is hidden in logs

- Error logging includes stack traces for debugging

## 🐛 Troubleshooting

### Common Issues

1. **MongoDB Connection Error**:

   - Verify MONGODB_URI in .env

   - Check Atlas IP whitelist

   - Ensure database user has correct permissions

2. **JWT Authentication Fails**:

   - Verify JWT_SECRET is set

   - Check token format in Authorization header

   - Ensure token hasn't expired

3. **CORS Issues**:

   - Configure CORS_ORIGIN for production

   - Verify frontend URL matches CORS settings

4. **Port Already in Use**:

   - Change PORT in .env file

   - Kill existing process: `lsof -ti:4000 | xargs kill -9`

## 📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details

## 👨‍💻 Author

**Harikesh Kushwaha**

---

For frontend documentation, see [Frontend README](https://github.com/Hari31416/connections_frontend/blob/main/README.md).