ChatSpot

ChatSpot is a full-stack chat application with a React Native frontend and a Java backend. The project is organized into separate Frontend and Backend folders so the mobile client and server can be developed and run independently.

Project Overview

• Frontend/: React Native app built with Expo, TypeScript, and NativeWind styling.
• Backend/: placeholder folder currently containing gdrive.txt.
• The application is intended to support real-time chat, user authentication, profile images, and message persistence.

Key Features

• Real-time messaging using WebSockets
• User sign-in and profile handling
• Image selection and upload support from device gallery
• Persistent chat storage in MySQL database
• Clean frontend UI built with React Native and Expo
• Backend API and socket service in Java Servlet environment

Tech Stack

• Frontend:

  • React Native
  • Expo
  • Expo Go
  • React Navigation
  • Expo Image Picker
  • TypeScript
  • Tailwind-style CSS with NativeWind

• Backend:

  • Java Servlets
  • Hibernate ORM
  • GlassFish application server
  • WebSocket API
  • MySQL database

• Development Utilities:

  • ngrok (optional) for secure tunneling during mobile testing

Project Structure

ChatSpot_Frontend&Backend/
├── Backend/
│   └── gdrive.txt
└── Frontend/
    ├── .expo/
    ├── .gitignore
    ├── .vscode/
    ├── app.json
    ├── App.tsx
    ├── assets/
    ├── babel.config.js
    ├── global.css
    ├── index.ts
    ├── metro.config.js
    ├── nativewind-env.d.ts
    ├── node_modules/
    ├── package-lock.json
    ├── package.json
    ├── tailwind.config.js
    └── tsconfig.json

Running the Frontend

1. Open Frontend/ChatApp/ChatApp in VS Code.
2. Install dependencies with npm install or yarn install.
3. Start the Expo development server with npm start or expo start.
4. Open the app on your device using Expo Go or an emulator.

Running the Backend

• The current repository includes only the frontend React Native app in Frontend/.
• The Backend/ folder currently contains a placeholder file and does not include the Java backend sources.
• If you add the backend sources later, open them in NetBeans or IntelliJ IDEA and deploy to GlassFish.

Notes

• Use ngrok if you need to expose the backend to a mobile device outside your local network.
• The frontend is intended to run inside VS Code / Expo development environment.
• The backend is intended to be run from a Java IDE such as NetBeans or IntelliJ.