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05

Real-Time Chat Application

Difficulty: Advanced

Build a real-time chat application using WebSockets (Socket.io). Users can join chat rooms, send messages instantly, see typing indicators, and view who's online. This project introduces real-time bidirectional communication and event-driven architecture.

Estimated Time: 5-7 days

Learning Objectives

Project Requirements

Core Chat Features

  • User authentication and profiles
  • Create and join chat rooms/channels
  • Send and receive messages in real-time
  • Display message timestamps
  • Show user avatars and names
  • Edit and delete own messages
  • Message history (load previous messages)

Real-Time Features

  • Typing indicators ("User is typing...")
  • Online/offline status for users
  • Read receipts for messages
  • Auto-scroll to latest message
  • Notification sounds for new messages
  • Unread message counter

Socket.io Implementation

  • Set up Socket.io server and client
  • Handle connection/disconnection events
  • Implement room-based messaging
  • Broadcast messages to room participants
  • Handle authentication with Socket.io middleware
  • Implement reconnection logic

Bonus Features

  • Direct messages (1-on-1 chat)
  • File sharing in chat
  • Emoji reactions to messages
  • Message search functionality
  • Voice messages
  • Video chat integration
Technical Stack
FrontendReact, Socket.io-client, useEffect, useRef
BackendExpress, Socket.io, JWT
DatabaseMongoDB (messages, rooms, users)
Real-timeWebSockets via Socket.io

📚 Helpful Resources

Socket.io Documentation → Socket.io Chat Tutorial →

💡 Development Tips:

Use Socket.io rooms for chat channels. Store socket IDs mapped to user IDs. Implement message pagination to avoid loading all messages at once. Use useRef to maintain socket connection across re-renders. Handle edge cases like network disconnections gracefully. Test with multiple browser tabs to simulate multiple users.

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