MBank (Marks Bank) / Cupuri

Overview

This project is a modern, scalable platform for students to access past exam papers and resources to prepare for their exams effectively. It includes a web-based application built with React and Tailwind CSS, with plans to extend to a mobile app using Flutter if the web-based app sees significant usage.

---

Features

• User Authentication: Secure login and registration using OAuth 2.0.
• Access to Exam Papers: Students can search, filter, and download past papers.
• Responsive Design: Built for both desktop and mobile web browsers.
• Secure API: Token-based authentication with JWT and refresh tokens for secure and stateless API calls.

---

Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js (TypeScript): For building the RESTful API.
• PostgreSQL: Relational database for storing user data, exam papers, and other resources.
• OAuth 2.0: Used for authentication and authorization.

Frontend (Web)

• React: For building the user interface.
• Vite: For fast development and optimized builds.
• TypeScript: For type safety and scalability.
• Tailwind CSS: For efficient, consistent, and modern styling.

Mobile (Future Development - Conditional)

• Dart/Flutter: For building cross-platform mobile applications if the web-based app usage justifies the need.

---

Installation and Setup

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed on your system:

• Node.js (v16+)
• PostgreSQL (v12+)
• Git
• Yarn or npm

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Mr-Ndiname/MBank.git
cd MBank

Backend Setup

1. Navigate to the backend folder:

   cd backend

2. Install dependencies:

   yarn install

3. Create a .env file and configure the following environment variables:

   PORT=5000
   DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/mbank
   JWT_SECRET=my_jwt_secret
   REFRESH_TOKEN_SECRET=my_refresh_token_secret
   ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRY=15m
   REFRESH_TOKEN_EXPIRY=7d

4. Run database migrations:

   yarn run migrate

5. Start the backend server:

   yarn run dev

Frontend Setup

1. Navigate to the frontend folder:

   cd frontend

2. Install dependencies:

   yarn install

3. Create a .env file and configure the following environment variables:

   VITE_API_BASE_URL=http://localhost:5000/api

4. Start the development server:

   yarn run dev

---

API Overview

Authentication

• POST /auth/login: User login (OAuth 2.0 flow).
• POST /auth/register: User registration.
• POST /auth/refresh-token: Refresh access token using refresh token.

Exam Papers

• GET /papersInSchool: Retrieve a list of past exam papers (supports pagination and filtering).
• GET /papers/:ModuleName: Retrieve a specific exam paper by ID.
• POST /papers: Add a new exam paper

---

Security

• Token-Based Authentication: Access tokens (JWT) are used for stateless authentication.
• Secure Data Storage: Environment variables for sensitive data.
• HTTPS: Enforce HTTPS for secure communication.
• Role-Based Access Control: Different permissions for students and admins.

---

Future Enhancements

1. Mobile App: Build a Flutter-based mobile application for cross-platform support if the web app usage grows significantly.
2. Push Notifications: Notify users about new exam papers and updates.
3. GraphQL API: Transition to GraphQL for more flexible querying.
4. Advanced Search: Add AI-based search for better paper recommendations.

---

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch for your feature:

   git checkout -b feature-name

3. Commit your changes and push:

   git commit -m "Add feature description"
   git push origin feature-name

4. Submit a pull request.

---

License

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

---

Contact

For questions or feedback, feel free to reach out:

• Email: ndiramiyeninshuti1@gmail.com | onlythenotes@gmail.com
• GitHub Issues: Submit an issue