Exea Connect

Research mesh for Exea Labs: project encyclopedia, forum threads, mentor directory, and direct messages.

Stack

• Next.js App Router, React 19, TypeScript
• Meridian design system (see DESIGN.md)
• Firebase Auth, Firestore, Storage
• Deployed on Vercel

Local development

cp .env.example .env.local
# Fill in Firebase keys from your Firebase console

npm install
npm run dev

Firebase emulators (optional)

npm run emulators

Set NEXT_PUBLIC_USE_FIREBASE_EMULATOR=true in .env.local.

Scripts

Command	Purpose
npm run dev	Development server
npm run build	Production build
npm run lint	ESLint
npm run typecheck	TypeScript check
npm run emulators	Firebase Auth + Firestore + Storage emulators

Vercel + custom domain

All domain config goes through NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL — nothing is hardcoded. Change the subdomain anytime by updating that env var in Vercel and adding the new host to Firebase Auth authorized domains.

Environment	NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL
Local	http://localhost:3000
Production	https://<your-subdomain> (e.g. connect.exealabs.org)
Preview (optional)	Preview URL or same as production

Use one Firebase project for local, preview, and production so admins and mentor roles stay shared. Copy the same NEXT_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_* keys into every Vercel environment.

First-time Firebase setup

1. Create a Firebase project in the console.
2. Enable Authentication (Google + Email/Password).
3. Create a Firestore database.
4. Copy web app config into .env.local and Vercel env vars.
5. Deploy rules: firebase deploy --only firestore
6. Under Authentication → Settings → Authorized domains, add:
   • localhost
   • Your Vercel deployment domain (*.vercel.app)
   • Your custom subdomain when it goes live

Admin + mentor roles

Set role on users/{uid} in Firestore:

Value	Access
student	Default on sign-up
mentor	Shows on /mentors
admin	Can feature projects on detail pages

No admin UI yet — flip roles in the Firebase console until we add one.