Welcome to the FOF MERN project! FOF stands for "Find Old Friends," and this web application was designed to help you reconnect with your long-lost buddies from school or college. We're thrilled to present you with this personalized and creative project, brought to life by the collaborative efforts of Rahul Kumar, Ashutosh Jha, and Ashutosh Giri.

FOF MERN is a full-stack web application built using the MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js) stack. It serves as a platform where you can effortlessly find and connect with your old friends by providing your school, class, and academic year details.

The project is organized into two main directories:

• Client: This directory contains all the frontend views and components. It's where the magic of the user interface happens, creating a visually appealing and interactive experience for you.
• Server: The backend files reside in this directory. Here, you'll find the server logic and API routes responsible for handling user requests, searching for classmates, and interacting with the database.

To get started with FOF MERN, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/iamrahul25/fofmern.git
2. Navigate to the project directory: cd fofmern
3. Install the dependencies:

• Frontend:

  cd client && npm install
  

• Backend:

  cd ../server && npm install
  

4. Set up the environment variables:

• Create a .env file in the server directory.
• Define the necessary environment variables, such as database connection details and API keys. (Refer to the provided .env.example file.)

5. Start the development servers:

• Frontend:

  cd ../client && npm start
  

• Backend:

  cd ../server && npm start
  

6. Access the application in your web browser at http://localhost:3000.

• Find Old Friends: Enter your school name, class, and academic year to discover your classmates from that specific time. Rekindle old friendships and relive those cherished memories.
• User Profiles: Create your profile, add a profile picture, and share your own posts and updates. Let your friends know what you've been up to and engage in conversations.
• Efficient Searching: The application leverages advanced search techniques, powered by MongoDB indexing, to deliver fast and accurate search results. Say goodbye to endless scrolling through directories.
• Secure Data Storage: Microsoft Azure cloud services are utilized for storing user information, including profile images and posts. Your data is safe, reliable, and easily accessible.
• Expandable Scope: In the future, we envision expanding the search capabilities beyond schools and colleges. We aim to incorporate locality searches, allowing you to find friends who lived in the same building or society during specific periods.

The FOF MERN project utilizes the following technologies:

• MERN Stack: MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js are combined to create a full-stack web application.
• Microsoft Azure: Azure cloud services are used for storing user data, including profile images and posts. Azure Blob storage and containers ensure reliable and scalable data storage.
• Google Maps API: The application integrates Google Maps API to perform efficient searches based on place IDs.
• MongoDB: The project utilizes MongoDB as the database management system, leveraging indexing for faster data retrieval.

The FOF MERN project has a promising future with the following potential expansions:

• Enhanced Locality Search: Extend the search functionality to localities, allowing users to find friends who lived in the same building or society during specific periods.
• Advanced User Profiles: Implement more robust user profiles, enabling users to add additional details and interests to enhance the reconnection experience.
• Private Messaging: Integrate a private messaging feature to facilitate communication between reconnected friends.
• Social Media Integration: Enable users to connect their social media profiles to the application, allowing for seamless sharing and updates among friends.
• Mobile Application: Develop a mobile application for FOF MERN, expanding the reach and accessibility of the platform.

We welcome contributions and suggestions to make FOF MERN even better. To contribute, follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch: git checkout -b my-feature.
3. Make your changes and commit them: git commit -m 'Add my feature'.
4. Push to the branch: git push origin my-feature.
5. Open a pull request and describe your changes in detail.

We would like to express our gratitude to the entire development team for their dedication and hard work in bringing FOF MERN to life. We also extend our appreciation to the open-source community for the invaluable resources and inspiration.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out to us:

• Rahul Kumar: Email, GitHub
• Ashutosh Jha: Email, GitHub
• Ashutosh Giri: Email, GitHub

Thank you for using FOF MERN! Let the reunion begin! 🎉