Simple Web Forum

A full-stack web forum application built with Go (backend) and React (frontend).

Live site: https://cvwo-web-forum-jc0a.onrender.com

The Render URL retains the original deployment slug, but the application is named Simple Web Forum.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Setup Instructions
• Running the Application
• Project Structure
• AI Usage Documentation

Features

• User registration and login
• topic, post, comment CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete)

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Go (v1.18 or above)
• Node.js (v16 or above) and npm/yarn

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/lucas-wyd/simple-web-forum.git

2. Environment Variables

Frontend (client/.env)

Create a file named .env in the client directory with:

REACT_APP_API_URL=http://localhost:8000

Backend (.env or shell export)

Set the environment variable before running the backend:

REACT_APP_API_URL=http://localhost:8000
FRONTEND_ORIGIN_URL=http://localhost:3000
PORT=8000 # Backend

3. Backend Setup (Go)

1. Install dependencies:

   go mod tidy

2. Start the backend server (default port: 8000):

   go run cmd/server/main.go

   Or, for live reload (if you have air installed):

   air

4. Frontend Setup (React)

1. Go to the client directory:

   cd client

2. Install dependencies:

   yarn install
   # or
   npm install

3. Start the frontend development server (default port: 3000):

   yarn start
   # or
   npm start

5. Access the Application

• Open your browser and go to http://localhost:3000

6. Notes

• Ensure the backend is running before using the frontend.
• If you encounter CORS issues, make sure CORS is enabled in the Go backend.
• Default backend API URL is http://localhost:8000.

Project Structure

simple-web-forum/
├── client/           # React frontend
├── internal/         # Go backend (API, models, handlers, etc.)
├── cmd/server/       # Go server entry point
├── go.mod            # Go module file
└── README.md         # This file

AI Usage Documentation

This project utilized AI tools (such as GitHub Copilot and Gemini) in the following ways:

• API and Library Usage:
  • Guidance and code examples for using some APIs and libraries e.g. Fetch API in the frontend (React) for HTTP requests.
  • Reference and troubleshooting for using the sqlite3 library in the Go backend for database operations.
• Frontend CSS Styles Adjustments:
  • Suggestions for improving and customizing CSS styles, including responsive design and UI polish.
• Bug Investigation:
  • Assistance in diagnosing and resolving tricky bugs, such as CORS issues.
• README Generation:
  • Drafting and polishing this README document to ensure clarity and completeness.

All AI-generated suggestions were reviewed, tested, and integrated by the developer. No AI-generated content is used without human oversight.