Goal-Oriented Social Graph

A social networking platform connecting students based on shared goals and academic paths.

Project Structure

This monorepo contains two main parts:

• Frontend: React + Vite application (UI).
• Backend: Flask + MongoDB application (API).

AI Agents & Contributors: Please read LLM_CONTEXT.md for architectural context and guidelines.

Please refer to the detailed README.md in each directory for specific architecture and contribution guides.

Quick Start

1. Prerequisites

• Node.js: v22+ (The script will check this, or install via Volta).
• Python: v3.12+
• MongoDB Atlas: Ensure you have your connection string.

2. Run the App (Easy Mode)

The project includes a run.js script that automates environment setup, dependency installation, and startup for both frontend and backend.

Standard Start:

node run.js

Fresh Start (Reset & Clean): If you encounter issues or want a clean slate (reinstalls all dependencies):

node run.js --clean

Features of run.js:

• Auto-Install: Installs pip and npm dependencies if missing.
• Port Cleanup: Automatically kills processes on default ports (5000/5173).
• Volta Support: Switches to Node 22 automatically if Volta is installed.
• Parallel Run: Starts Flask and Vite in a single terminal.
• Parallel Run: Starts Flask and Vite in a single terminal.

3. Authentication & Bypass

• Login: Use your McGill email and password.
• Guest Mode: Click "Continue as Guest" on the login screen to explore the graph without an account.
• Registration: Sign up with a valid McGill email if you don't have an account.

4. Database Seeding (First Run)

To populate the graph with visual data (mock students/connections):

# While backend is running (port 5000)
curl.exe -X POST http://localhost:5000/api/seed

Note: This creates ~40 users in your MongoDB.

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Manual Setup (Alternative)

If you prefer to run services manually:

1. Setup Backend

cd backend
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Configure .env (See backend/README.md)
python app.py

2. Setup Frontend

cd frontend
npm install

# Configure .env (See frontend/README.md)
npm run dev

Testing & Health

Health Check

Verify the system is running:

curl http://localhost:5000/health

Running Tests

• Backend: cd backend && export FLASK_ENV=testing && pytest
• Frontend: cd frontend && npm test (See frontend status)

For detailed testing guides, check the respective Frontend and Backend documentation.