Documentation

​https://github.com/teodoravel/BlissCore

Required Software & Downloads

1. Node.js (version 16+ recommended)
   • Download and install.
   • Required to run the backend (Node + Express) and install dependencies.

2. npm (bundled with Node) or yarn
   • Used to install libraries like express, cors, pg (for the backend) and React (for the frontend).

3. Git (optional, but recommended)
   • Helpful for cloning/pushing the project to GitHub.

4. SSH Tunnel Script (if off‐campus)
   • E.g., tunnel_scripta.bat on Windows, forwarding localhost:9999 to the remote DB server’s 5432.

5. (Optional) DBeaver
   • For managing/inspecting the database visually, if desired.

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Steps to Install & Run

1) Backend (Node)

1. Open a terminal in the backend/ folder.
2. Run npm install to install backend dependencies (express, pg, dotenv, etc.).
3. Create a .env file in backend/ with your DB credentials:

   ini
   DB_HOST=localhost
   DB_PORT=9999           # or 5432 if direct
   DB_NAME=db_202425z_va_prj_blisscoredb
   DB_USER=db_202425z_va_prj_blisscoredb_owner
   DB_PASS=a0bd24e328ff
   

   • Add .env to .gitignore so it’s not committed to GitHub.
4. If off‐campus, start your SSH tunnel (tunnel_scripta.bat) and leave it open.
5. Run npm start (or node index.js) to launch the backend on ​http://localhost:5000.

2) Frontend (React)

1. Open a terminal in the frontend/ folder.
2. Run npm install to install React and dependencies.
3. Run npm start to launch the dev server on ​http://localhost:3000.

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Access the Application

• Open your browser at ​http://localhost:3000 to see the React app.
• When you register a user, or register for an event, React calls the Node endpoints (e.g., /api/register-student) at port 5000, and the Node server in turn connects to the university’s PostgreSQL database (on campus or via the SSH tunnel).