PEERLINK - Anonymous College Chat App

A progressive web-based chat application designed exclusively for college students, providing a safe, private, and completely anonymous space for communication.

Features

Core Features

• Absolute Anonymity: No sign-up, login, or registration required
• Real-Time Chat: Instant messaging with Socket.IO
• Channel-Based Conversations: Multiple public channels for different topics
• Typing Indicators: Dynamic typing indicators for better user experience
• Responsive Design: Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile

Channels

• #general-chat - General discussions and casual conversations
• #exam-prep - Study groups, exam tips, and academic support
• #campus-events - Campus activities, events, and announcements
• #mental-health-support - A safe space for mental health discussions
• #buy-and-sell - Buy, sell, and trade items with fellow students

UI/UX Theme: "Neon Noir"

• Dark charcoal/deep navy background with vibrant glowing accents
• Electric purple, cyan, and magenta color scheme
• Clean, modern typography with Poppins font
• Minimalist and intuitive layout
• Glowing effects on interactive elements

Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js (version 14 or higher)
• npm or yarn

Local Development

1. Clone or download the project

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd peerlink-chat

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Start the development server

   npm run dev

   Or for production:

   npm start

4. Access the application Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000

Production Deployment

Option 1: Heroku

1. Create a Heroku app
2. Set up environment variables if needed
3. Deploy using Git:

   git push heroku main

Option 2: Railway

1. Connect your GitHub repository to Railway
2. Railway will automatically detect the Node.js app and deploy it

Option 3: Render

1. Create a new Web Service on Render
2. Connect your repository
3. Set build command: npm install
4. Set start command: npm start

Option 4: Vercel (with serverless functions)

Note: Socket.IO requires a persistent connection, so Vercel might not be ideal for this app.

Project Structure

peerlink-chat/
├── index.html          # Main HTML file
├── styles.css          # CSS styles with Neon Noir theme
├── script.js           # Frontend JavaScript
├── server.js           # Node.js backend server
├── package.json        # Dependencies and scripts
└── README.md          # This file

Technical Details

Frontend

• HTML5: Semantic markup with accessibility features
• CSS3: Custom Neon Noir theme with animations and responsive design
• Vanilla JavaScript: No external frameworks, pure ES6+
• Socket.IO Client: Real-time communication

Backend

• Node.js: Server runtime
• Express.js: Web framework
• Socket.IO: Real-time bidirectional communication
• CORS: Cross-origin resource sharing

Privacy & Security

• No Data Storage: No personal information is stored
• Anonymous Users: Random user IDs and colors
• XSS Protection: Basic HTML sanitization
• Stateless Design: No persistent user sessions

Usage

1. Open the app in your web browser
2. Choose a channel from the sidebar
3. Start chatting - you'll be assigned a random anonymous identity
4. Switch channels anytime to join different conversations
5. Use settings to customize your experience

Admin Features

Basic admin endpoints are available for monitoring:

• GET /admin/channels - List all channels and user counts
• GET /admin/users/:channel - List users in a specific channel

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For support or questions, please open an issue in the GitHub repository.

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PEERLINK - Study • Chat • Have Fun 🎉