Project Setup Guide

Follow these steps to set up the JavaDSA Learn project on your local machine.

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed:

Node.js: Version 16.0.0 or higher. Download it from Node.js Official Website.
npm: Comes bundled with Node.js. Verify installation using:
```
node -v
npm -v
```
Git: For cloning the repository. Download it from Git Official Website.

Navigate to the backend directory: Ensure you are in the project root directory, then run:
```
cd backend
```
Install dependencies: Install all required Node.js packages:
```
npm install
```
Set up environment variables: Create a .env file by copying the example file:
```
cp .env.example .env
```
Open the .env file and configure the following variables:
- PORT: The port number for the backend server (default: 5000).
- JWT_SECRET: A secret key for JWT authentication.
- PISTON_API_URL: The URL for the Piston API (used for code execution).
Start the development server: Run the following command to start the backend server:
```
npm run dev
```
The backend server should now be running at http://localhost:5000.

Navigate to the frontend directory: From the project root directory, run:
```
cd frontend
```
Install dependencies: Install all required Node.js packages:
```
npm install
```
Set up environment variables: Create a .env file by copying the example file:
```
cp .env.example .env
```
Open the .env file and configure the following variables:
- VITE_API_URL: The URL of the backend server (default: http://localhost:5000).
Start the development server: Run the following command to start the frontend application:
```
npm run dev
```
The frontend application should now be running at http://localhost:5173.

This project uses JSON file storage for simplicity. Ensure the data directory exists in the backend folder. If not, create it manually:

mkdir backend/data

To ensure everything is working correctly, you can run the test suite:

Backend Tests: Navigate to the backend directory and run:
```
npm test
```
Frontend Tests: Navigate to the frontend directory and run:
```
npm test
```

Port Conflicts: If the default ports (5000 for backend, 5173 for frontend) are in use, update the PORT and VITE_API_URL variables in the respective .env files.
Dependency Issues: If you encounter dependency errors, try deleting the node_modules folder and reinstalling:
```
rm -rf node_modules
npm install
```
Environment Variable Errors: Ensure all required variables are correctly set in the .env files.

For further assistance, refer to the contact information provided in the README file.