🚀 Order Tracking Backend - Starter Pack

📋 What You'll Build

In this video series, you'll build a complete real-time order tracking backend with:

• ✅ REST API with Express
• ✅ Real-time updates with Socket.IO
• ✅ MongoDB database integration
• ✅ Order management system
• ✅ Admin dashboard backend

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🎯 Before You Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js installed (v18 or higher) - Download
• Basic JavaScript knowledge
• Text editor (VS Code recommended)
• MongoDB Atlas account (free tier)

Check Your Setup

# Check Node.js version
node --version
# Should show v14 or higher

# Check npm version
npm --version

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📦 Installation Steps

Step 1: Install Dependencies

cd backend
npm install

This will install:

• express - Web server
• socket.io - Real-time communication
• mongodb - Database driver
• cors - Cross-origin requests
• dotenv - Environment variables
• nodemon - Auto-restart server (dev only)

Step 2: MongoDB Atlas Setup

Create Free Account:

1. Go to mongodb.com/cloud/atlas
2. Click "Try Free"
3. Sign up with Google or email

Create Cluster:

1. Choose FREE tier (M0 Sandbox)
2. Select cloud provider: AWS
3. Select region: Closest to you
4. Click "Create Cluster" (wait 3-5 minutes)

Create Database User:

1. Go to "Database Access"
2. Click "Add New Database User"
3. Username: ordertracking_user
4. Password: Click "Autogenerate" (SAVE THIS!)
5. Privileges: "Read and write to any database"
6. Click "Add User"

Setup Network Access:

1. Go to "Network Access"
2. Click "Add IP Address"
3. Click "Allow Access from Anywhere" (0.0.0.0/0)
4. Click "Confirm"

Get Connection String:

1. Go to "Database" (Clusters)
2. Click "Connect"
3. Choose "Connect your application"
4. Driver: Node.js
5. Copy the connection string

Example:

mongodb+srv://ordertracking_user:<password>@cluster0.xxxxx.mongodb.net/?retryWrites=true&w=majority

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

1. Copy .env.example to .env:

   cp .env.example .env

2. Edit .env file:

   PORT=5000
   MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://ordertracking_user:YOUR_PASSWORD@cluster0.xxxxx.mongodb.net/order_tracking_db?retryWrites=true&w=majority
   ADMIN_PASSWORD=admin123
   CLIENT_URL=http://localhost:5173
   NODE_ENV=development

3. Replace:

   • YOUR_PASSWORD with your actual MongoDB password
   • cluster0.xxxxx.mongodb.net with your cluster URL

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Never commit .env file to Git!

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🏗️ Project Structure (We'll Build Together)

backend/
├── config/
│   └── database.js          # MongoDB connection (Video 4)
├── utils/
│   └── helpers.js           # Helper functions (Video 5)
├── socket/
│   └── orderHandlers.js     # Socket.IO events (Videos 6-7)
├── server.js                # Main server file (Video 4)
├── .env                     # Your secrets (DON'T commit!)
├── .env.example             # Template (safe to commit)
├── .gitignore               # What to ignore in Git
└── package.json             # Dependencies

We'll create each file together in the videos!

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🎬 Follow Along

Video 1: Introduction

• See the final demo
• Understand what we're building

Video 2: Real-time Basics

• Learn HTTP vs WebSocket
• Understand Socket.IO

✅ Quick Start Checklist

Before Video 2:

• Node.js installed
• Dependencies installed (npm install)
• MongoDB Atlas cluster created
• Database user created
• Network access configured (0.0.0.0/0)
• Connection string copied
• .env file created and configured

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🆘 Need Help?

Common Issues:

"Cannot find module"

npm install

"MongoServerError: bad auth"

• Check your password in .env
• Make sure you replaced <password> with actual password

"Connection timeout"

• Check network access is set to 0.0.0.0/0
• Check your internet connection

"Port 5000 already in use"

• Change PORT in .env to 5001

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🎓 Learning Resources

• MongoDB Docs
• Socket.IO Docs
• Express.js Guide

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📺 Ready to Start?

Let's build something amazing together!