Faith & Fast E-commerce

A comprehensive, high-performance E-commerce platform built for speed, security, and seamless user experience.

Overview

Faith & Fast is a modern e-commerce solution designed to provide users with a smooth shopping journey and administrators with powerful management tools. From product discovery to secure checkout, every step is optimized for performance and reliability.

Features

User Features

• Secure Authentication: JWT-based login/signup with email verification (OTP).
• Product Discovery: Advanced search and filtering (category, color, size, price).
• Shopping Experience: Dynamic cart, wishlist, and real-time product reviews.
• Order Management: Comprehensive checkout flow (Cash on Delivery), order tracking, and history.
• Profile Management: Address book, profile updates, and password security.

Admin Features

• Dashboard: Real-time analytics and overview.
• Product Management: Full CRUD operations with multi-image upload.
• User Management: Role assignments and account status control.
• Order Management: Update order statuses, tracking info, and history.
• Discounts/Coupons: Create and manage promotional codes.

Tech Stack

• Frontend: React 18, Vite, Redux Toolkit, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion, Material UI.
• Backend: Node.js, Express, MongoDB, Mongoose.
• Services: Cloudinary (Media), Brevo (Email), Vercel (Deployment).

Folder Structure

.
├── client/                 # Frontend React Application (Vite)
│   ├── public/             # Static assets
│   └── src/
│       ├── api/            # Axios instance and interceptors
│       ├── assets/         # Styles and local images
│       ├── pages/          # Page components
│       ├── store/          # Redux Toolkit slices
│       └── App.jsx         # Main routing
└── server/                 # Backend Node.js API
    ├── config/             # DB and Service configurations
    ├── controllers/        # Request logic
    ├── middleware/         # Security and Auth middlewares
    ├── models/             # Mongoose schemas
    ├── route/              # API routes
    └── utils/              # Helpers and templates

Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone <repository-url>
cd project-folder

2. Install Dependencies

# Frontend
cd client && npm install

# Backend
cd ../server && npm install

3. Environment Setup

Create a .env file in the server directory:

PORT=5000
MONGODB_URL=mongodb+srv://<username>:<password>@cluster.mongodb.net/faith-fast
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
JWT_EXPIRE=3d
COOKIE_EXPIRE=5
CLOUDINARY_NAME=your_cloud_name
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=your_api_key
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=your_api_secret
BREVO_API_KEY=your_brevo_key
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173

MongoDB Atlas Setup

1. Create a free cluster on MongoDB Atlas.
2. Create a database user with read/write permissions.
3. In "Network Access", allow access from your IP address.
4. Go to "Clusters" -> "Connect" -> "Connect your application".
5. Copy the connection string and replace <username>, <password>, and cluster.mongodb.net in your MONGODB_URL.

Create a .env file in the client directory:

VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:5000

Prerequisite Software

Ensure you have the following installed on your machine:

• Node.js: v18.x or v20.x (Recommended)
• npm: v9.x or higher
• MongoDB: Local community server or Atlas Account

4. Run the Project

Open two separate terminal windows or run in background:

Window 1: Start Backend (server/)

cd server
npm install
npm run dev

By default, the server will start listening at http://localhost:5000.

Window 2: Start Frontend (client/)

cd client
npm install
npm run dev

By default, the client Vite application will run at http://localhost:5173. Make sure the frontend VITE_BACKEND_URL points exactly to the port used by the server backend.

Cash on Delivery (COD) Payment Flow

Current Payment Method: Cash on Delivery (COD)

• Users can place orders without an upfront online payment.
• Orders are initially marked as PENDING.
• Admins can update the payment status to COMPLETED upon physical collection of funds.

Future Payment Gateway Integration

Future payment gateway integration is planned.

Contributors are encouraged to research and suggest payment providers that:

• Support Indian businesses
• Provide a test/sandbox mode
• Require minimal setup during development
• Preferably do not require mandatory KYC for local testing and development

The payment architecture should remain modular so that future gateways can be integrated easily.

Local Admin Access

To test admin features locally, you need an account with the ADMIN role.

Method 1: Seeding (Recommended)

We provide a script to create a default admin account in your local database.

cd server
npm run seed-admin

Credentials:

• Email: admin@faithandfast.com
• Password: Admin@123

Method 2: Manual Promotion

1. Register a normal user through the application UI.
2. Open your MongoDB management tool (e.g., MongoDB Compass or Atlas UI).
3. Find your user document in the users collection.
4. Change the role field from "USER" to "ADMIN".
5. Log out and log back in on the frontend.

Deployment Guide

Vercel (Frontend)

1. Import the repository to Vercel.
2. Set Root Directory to client.
3. Configure Build Settings:
   • Build Command: npm run build
   • Output Directory: dist
4. Add all required VITE_ environment variables.

Backend

1. Deploy to Vercel.
2. Set the start command to node index.js.
3. Add all required backend environment variables.

ELUSOC 2026 Contribution Guide

Target Branch

All ELUSOC contributions must target the elusoc branch.

Contribution Workflow

Issue → Assignment → Development → PR to elusoc → Review → Merge

Labels

• newbie
• adventurer
• veteran
• elusoc

Important Rules

• Check existing issues before creating new ones.
• Do not create duplicate issues.
• Do not submit pull requests without issue assignment.
• Resolve merge conflicts before submitting PRs.
• Follow project coding standards and contribution guidelines.

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md and FAITH_FAST_ISSUES.md for more details.

Security

For security issues or vulnerability reporting, please review our Security Policy.

License

This project is licensed under the ISC License.

Author Information

Project Admin: Faith & Fast Team Developer: Jules (Senior Staff Software Engineer)