Project Overview: Social Connection Platform

This project is a minimalistic social connection platform designed to enable users to discover and build meaningful connections. The platform prioritizes:

• User security
• Clean interaction flows
• Efficient management of connection requests

Built with Node.js, Express, and MongoDB, it ensures secure and scalable backend operations.

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Key Features

1. Authentication

• User Sign-Up/Login: Secure registration and login using email and password.
• Password Hashing: User passwords are hashed using bcrypt for enhanced security.
• JWT Authentication: JSON Web Tokens are used for session management and stored in cookies.

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2. Middleware for Security

• Route Protection: Ensures only authenticated users can access protected routes.
• Request Validation: Validates incoming data to ensure compliance with security and logical constraints.

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3. User Profile Management

• Profile Editing: Users can update their personal information (e.g., name, bio, and profile picture).
• Password Updates: Allows users to securely change their password, with hashing applied before saving.

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4. Connection System

• Send Connection Requests: Users can send connection requests with defined statuses:
  • interested
  • ignored
• Request Review: Recipients can accept or reject connection requests.
• Validation: Prevents duplicate or self-directed requests.

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5. Feed

• Dynamic User Feed: Displays profiles of users not connected to the current user, excluding:
  • Users who have ignored or rejected requests
  • Already connected users or those with pending requests
• Pagination: Handles large datasets efficiently by paginating the feed.

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6. Database Design

• MongoDB:
  • User schema stores personal details and connection statuses.
  • Connection request schema tracks:
    • Sender (fromUserId)
    • Recipient (toUserId)
    • Statuses (e.g., pending, accepted).
  • Logical constraints ensure no duplicate or self-referencing requests.

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