CCA Ticketing System – Backend (Server)

This repository contains the backend API server for the Saint Louis University Center for Culture and the Arts (CCA) Ticket Monitoring System.
It is built with Node.js, Express.js, and Prisma ORM, serving as the central system for data handling, authentication, and communication with the frontend.

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Features

• RESTful API for managing users, shows, schedules, tickets, and remittances
• Secure role-based access control (CCA Head, Trainer, Distributor, Audience)
• Real-time notifications and updates using Pusher
• File and image storage integration using Appwrite
• MySQL database hosted via Aiven
• Continuous deployment and hosting through Vercel

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Prerequisites

Before running the backend locally, make sure you have:

• Node.js (v18 or newer)
• npm
• Git
• Access credentials for:
  • Appwrite – file and image storage
  • Pusher – real-time communication
  • Aiven – MySQL database hosting

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Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <server_repository_url>
   cd server

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Create a .env file in the project root directory and add the following variables:

   PORT=3000
   NODE_ENV=development
   TOKEN_KEY=your_secret_token_key
   FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173
   
   DATABASE_URL=mysql://user:password@hostname:port/dbname?sslmode=require
   
   APP_WRITE_ENDPOINT=https://cloud.appwrite.io/v1
   APP_WRITE_PROJECT_ID=your_appwrite_project_id
   APP_WRITE_API_KEY=your_appwrite_api_key
   APP_WRITE_BUCKET_ID=your_appwrite_bucket_id
   
   PUSHER_APP_ID=your_pusher_app_id
   PUSHER_KEY=your_pusher_key
   PUSHER_SECRET=your_pusher_secret
   PUSHER_CLUSTER=ap1

4. Set up Prisma (Database ORM) After configuring your .env file, initialize the database and generate the Prisma client by running the following commands in your terminal:

   # Push the Prisma schema to your database
   npx prisma db push
   
   # Generate the Prisma client
   npx prisma generate

Running the Server

To start the development server, run:

npm run dev

The API will be accessible at: http://localhost:3000

Integration Notes

The frontend connects to this backend via the VITE_API_BASE_URL in its .env file.

Ensure both backend and frontend are running simultaneously for full system functionality.

Real-time events are managed through Pusher, and media storage is handled by Appwrite.

Deployment

This project is preconfigured for Vercel deployment with environment variables. Once pushed to GitHub and imported into Vercel, it will automatically build and deploy using continuous integration.

Additional Notes

The backend and frontend source codes are hosted in private GitHub repositories. Access must be requested from the development team to clone and deploy the projects.

The backend is fully optimized to work seamlessly with Vercel’s deployment environment, ensuring smooth integration of environment variables, build scripts, and real-time services.