A simple and modern chat application built with JavaScript.

Follow these steps to run the project locally:

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/vishnutej000/chat-app.git
   cd chat-app

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables

   • Copy the example file:

     cp .env.example .env

   • Open .env and add your actual values for each variable.

4. Start the application

   npm start

This project uses environment variables for configuration.
You can find example variable names and formats in the .env.example file.
Common variables include:

• PORT - The port your app runs on (e.g. 5001)
• MONGODB_URI - Your MongoDB connection string
• JWT_SECRET - A secret key for JWT authentication
• CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME, CLOUDINARY_API_KEY, CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET - For Cloudinary image uploads
• NODE_ENV - Set to development or production

How to use:
Add or edit these variables in your .env file with your own values.

• Register or log in to your account.
• Start chatting with other users in real time.

1. Fork this repository.
2. Create a new branch for your feature or bugfix.
3. Commit your changes with clear messages.
4. Open a pull request.

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

If you run into problems, double-check your environment variables and dependencies.