🚀 OpalGlow

OpalGlow is a modern e-commerce platform built with Express.js for the backend and React.js for the frontend. It provides a seamless shopping experience with features like product browsing, cart management, authentication, and payment integration.

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🎯 The system focuses on:

• 🛒 Product Catalog & Management
  Browse, search, and manage products with categories, pricing, and stock availability.

• 💳 Shopping Cart & Checkout
  Add products to the cart, manage quantities, and complete secure purchases.

• 🔐 Authentication & Authorization
  Users can register, login, and access protected routes using JWT-based authentication.

• 📦 Order Management
  Track and manage customer orders with order history and status updates.

• ⚡ Real-time Features
  Integrates with Supabase for real-time updates and notifications.

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🧰 Tech Stack

• Backend: Express.js, Node.js, MongoDB, JWT
• Frontend: React.js, Vite, Tailwind CSS
• Database: MongoDB Atlas
• Realtime & Storage: Supabase
• Authentication: JWT

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📦 Prerequisites

• Node.js v18+
• npm / yarn
• Git
• MongoDB account (for development)
• Supabase account (for development)

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⚙️ Development Setup

1. Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/hello-sahasraka/OpalGlow.git
cd OpalGlow

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2. Backend Setup (Express.js + MongoDB)

cd backend

# Install dependencies
npm install
# or
yarn install

# Create a .env file (example variables)
# MONGO_URL=<your_mongodb_connection_string>
# JWT_KEY=<your_jwt_secret>
# EMAIL_USER=<your_email_address>
# EMAIL_PASS=<your_email_password>

# Start backend server
npm run dev
# or
yarn dev

Backend API will be available at http://localhost:5000 (default).

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3. Frontend Setup (React + Vite)

cd ../frontend

# Install dependencies
npm install
# or
yarn install

# Create a .env file (example variables)
# VITE_BACKEND_URL=<backend_api_url>
# VITE_SUPABASE_URL=<your_supabase_url>
# VITE_SUPABASE_KEY=<your_supabase_key>

# Start frontend development server
npm run dev
# or
yarn dev

Frontend will be available at http://localhost:5173 (default Vite port).

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🧾 Running the System

• Ensure backend server is running at the configured URL.
• Launch frontend to access the e-commerce app.
• Configure .env files with your MongoDB and Supabase credentials for local development.

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✅ Tips

• Keep both backend and frontend running simultaneously.
• Use environment variables to keep credentials secure.
• Tailwind CSS classes can be customized in tailwind.config.js for styling changes.

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🧼 Troubleshooting

• Backend not starting: Check that MongoDB URL and JWT secret are correctly set in .env.
• Frontend not loading: Ensure VITE_BACKEND_URL points to the running backend server.
• Supabase issues: Verify your Supabase URL and Key in .env.