CodeMate 🍬

CodeMate is a MERN-based developer matchmaking platform — think of it as Tinder for developers. Programmers swipe to find collaborators based on their skills, interests, and project goals.

Whether you're looking for a hackathon buddy, open-source partner, or someone who loves the same tech stack — CodeMate helps you find your code soulmate.

---

🚀 Features

• Candyland UI: A stunning, pastel-themed interface built with shadcn/ui and Tailwind CSS.
• Dark Mode: Fully supported dark mode with a dedicated toggle.
• Swipe Logic: Swipe right to connect, left to skip (Tinder-style).
• Authentication: Secure Login/Signup with Cookies & JWT.
• Real-time Chat: Integrated socket.io for instant messaging.
• Feed Algorithm: Smart feed showing relevant developers.
• Connection Management: View connections, accept/reject requests.

---

🧰 Tech Stack

Layer	Technology
Frontend	React (Vite), Redux Toolkit, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui
Backend	Node.js, Express.js (Serverless on Netlify)
Database	MongoDB Atlas, Mongoose
Auth	JWT (HttpOnly Cookies), bcrypt
Styling	"Candyland" / Dark Premium Theme, Framer Motion

---

📦 Installation & Setup

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/codemate.git
cd codemate

2. Backend Setup

Navigate to the server directory and install dependencies:

cd server
npm install

Create a .env file in server/ with:

PORT=7778
MONGO_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
JWT_SECRET=your_secret_key

Start the server:

npm run dev

Server runs on: http://localhost:7778

3. Frontend Setup

Navigate to the client directory and install dependencies:

cd ../client
npm install

Start the development server:

npm run dev

Client runs on: http://localhost:5173

---

🎨 Theme & Customization

The project uses a custom "Candyland" theme defined in client/src/index.css via CSS variables.

• Light Mode: Soft rose/pink gradients.
• Dark Mode: Deep slate/rose contrasts for a premium SaaS feel.

Toggle the theme using the sun/moon icon in the navigation bar!