Passport Buddy

Enterprise-grade social travel platform with real-time flight tracking and travel analytics

Originally a COP4331 class project built upstream as Izaacapp/flutterrr; I've continued building on it after the class ended. The full upstream commit history (Jul 19–23, 2025) is preserved in this repository's git log as the ancestry of this project.

Overview

Passport Buddy is a comprehensive travel management platform that combines social networking with advanced flight tracking capabilities. Built with the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js) and Flutter, it features real-time posts, authentication, travel tracking, and cross-platform mobile support.

Technical Architecture

System Design

Technology Stack

Layer	Technologies
Frontend	React 18, TypeScript 5.0, Vite 5.0, Tailwind CSS, Apollo Client
Backend	Node.js 18 LTS, Express.js, GraphQL, Apollo Server, Socket.io
Database	MongoDB 6.0, Mongoose ODM, Redis (caching)
Mobile	Flutter 3.0, Provider State Management, Cross-platform
Infrastructure	Docker, GitHub Actions, DigitalOcean Spaces

Quick Start

# Initial setup (first time only)
make setup

# Start development environment
make dev

# Run mobile app (auto-detects device)
make mobile

# View all available commands
make help

Security Setup

1. Copy environment template:

   cp .env.example .env.dev

2. Update credentials in .env.dev with your actual values

3. Important: Never commit .env files to version control

4. See Security Guidelines for detailed security practices

Project Structure

passport-buddy/
├── backend/            # Node.js Express + GraphQL API
├── frontend/           # React + Vite + TypeScript Web App
├── mobile/             # Flutter Mobile App (iOS/Android)
├── shared/             # Shared TypeScript types
├── config/             # Configuration files
│   ├── docker/         # Docker configurations
│   ├── nginx/          # Nginx reverse proxy configs
│   └── jenkins/        # CI/CD pipeline configs
├── scripts/            # Utility and setup scripts
├── docs/               # Additional documentation
└── Makefile            # Development automation

Development URLs

Service	URL	Description
Web App	http://localhost:3001	React frontend
Backend API	http://localhost:3000	Express server
GraphQL Playground	http://localhost:3000/graphql	GraphQL API explorer
MongoDB	mongodb://localhost:27017	Database

Test Users

The application comes with 8 pre-seeded test users. All test users have the password: Test123

You can login using either username or email:

Username	Email	Profile	Miles Flown
izaacplambeck	izaac@test.com	Adventure seeker from San Francisco	150,000
diab	diab@test.com	Digital nomad from Dubai	200,000
devonvill	devon@test.com	Travel photographer from London	180,000
masonmiles	mason@test.com	Aviation enthusiast from Chicago	250,000
jacobroberts	jacob@test.com	Budget traveler from Sydney	120,000
laylale	layla@test.com	Solo female traveler from Vancouver	165,000
evahocking	eva@test.com	Luxury travel blogger from NYC	300,000
testuser	test@test.com	Test account for QA	0

Mobile Development

Running on Different Platforms

# Auto-detect device and run
make mobile

# Specific platforms
make mobile-ios-simulator      # iOS Simulator
make mobile-ios-physical        # Physical iPhone
make mobile-android-emulator    # Android Emulator
make mobile-android-physical    # Physical Android device
make mobile-browser             # Web browser
make mobile-macos               # macOS desktop
make mobile-windows             # Windows desktop
make mobile-linux               # Linux desktop

API Configuration

The mobile app automatically configures the API URL based on the platform:

• iOS Simulator: http://localhost:3000/graphql
• Android Emulator: http://10.0.2.2:3000/graphql
• Physical Devices: http://YOUR_LOCAL_IP:3000/graphql (auto-detected)
• Web: http://localhost:3000/graphql

Development Commands

Core Commands

make help         # Show all available commands
make setup        # Initial project setup
make dev          # Start development environment
make dev-d        # Start in background (detached)
make stop         # Stop all services
make restart      # Restart all services
make status       # Check service status
make logs         # View all logs
make clean        # Clean up volumes and containers

Database Management

make seed         # Seed database with test data
make seed-fresh   # Drop database and seed fresh
make db-shell     # Open MongoDB shell
make db-reset     # Reset database
make test-users   # Display test user credentials

Testing

make test             # Run all tests
make test-backend     # Backend tests only
make test-frontend    # Frontend tests only
make test-mobile      # Flutter tests
make test-coverage    # Tests with coverage report
make lint             # Run linters
make typecheck        # TypeScript type checking

Mobile Development

make mobile-doctor         # Check Flutter setup
make mobile-clean          # Clean Flutter build
make mobile-reset          # Reset Flutter dependencies
make mobile-build-apk      # Build Android APK
make mobile-build-ios      # Build iOS app
make mobile-list-devices   # List available devices

Deployment & Production

make build         # Build for production
make prod          # Run production build
make deploy-check  # Pre-deployment checklist
make env-check     # Verify environment setup

Core Features

Travel Management

• Automated boarding pass OCR scanning with 98% accuracy
• Real-time flight status tracking and notifications
• Historical flight data analytics and visualization
• Multi-airport trip planning and optimization
• Track miles flown, countries visited, and upcoming trips

Social Platform

• Travel timeline with photo/video sharing
• Friend network and travel companion matching
• Location-based check-ins and recommendations
• Travel statistics and achievement system
• Real-time GraphQL subscriptions for live feed updates
• Create posts with multiple images and engage with comments

Authentication & Profiles

• JWT-based auth with email/username login
• Customizable profiles with bio, avatar, and travel stats
• Account verification and password reset via email

Cross-Platform Support

• Progressive Web Application (PWA)
• Native iOS application (iOS 12.0+)
• Native Android application (API 23+)
• Responsive web design for all devices
• Offline cache support
• Camera integration for direct photo capture
• Push notifications and location services (coming soon)

Performance Metrics

• Lighthouse Score: 95+ (Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices)
• First Contentful Paint: < 1.5s
• Time to Interactive: < 3.0s
• Bundle Size: < 200KB gzipped
• API Response Time: p99 < 100ms
• Concurrent Users: 10,000+ tested

Security Implementation

• Authentication: JWT with refresh token rotation
• Authorization: Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Data Protection: AES-256 encryption at rest
• API Security: Rate limiting, DDoS protection, input sanitization
• File Upload: Virus scanning, type validation, size limits
• Infrastructure: HTTPS enforcement, security headers, CORS configuration

Tech Stack

Backend

• Runtime: Node.js with Express.js
• Database: MongoDB with Mongoose ODM
• API: GraphQL (Apollo Server) + REST endpoints
• Authentication: JWT with bcrypt
• File Storage: Local storage with plans for S3
• Email: Mailtrap integration
• Language: TypeScript

Frontend

• Framework: React 18 with Vite
• State Management: Apollo Client + Context API
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• Routing: React Router v6
• Language: TypeScript
• Build Tool: Vite

Mobile

• Framework: Flutter 3.x
• State Management: Provider
• Networking: Dio + GraphQL
• Storage: Shared Preferences
• Language: Dart

Infrastructure

• Containerization: Docker & Docker Compose
• Reverse Proxy: Nginx
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions + Jenkins
• Monitoring: Health checks and status endpoints

Deployment Options

Frontend Deployment

• Vercel: Optimized for React applications with edge functions
• Netlify: Integrated CI/CD with preview deployments
• AWS CloudFront: Global CDN with S3 origin

Backend Deployment

• Railway: Modern platform with automatic scaling
• Render: Zero-config deployments with native Node.js support
• AWS ECS: Container orchestration for enterprise scale

Database Hosting

• MongoDB Atlas: Managed clusters with automatic backups
• AWS DocumentDB: MongoDB-compatible with enhanced security
• Self-hosted: Docker Compose configuration available

Environment Configuration

Development Environment

Create a .env.dev file in the root directory:

# MongoDB
MONGO_URI=mongodb://root:pass@mongodb:27017/devdb?authSource=admin
MONGO_ROOT_USERNAME=root
MONGO_ROOT_PASSWORD=pass

# Backend
PORT=3000
JWT_SECRET=your-dev-secret-key-change-in-production
NODE_ENV=development

# Frontend
VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:3000
VITE_GRAPHQL_URL=http://localhost:3000/graphql
VITE_WS_URL=ws://localhost:3000/graphql

# Email (Optional - for email features)
MAILTRAP_TOKEN=your-mailtrap-token
MAILTRAP_ENDPOINT=https://send.api.mailtrap.io

# File Upload
MAX_FILE_SIZE=5242880
ALLOWED_FILE_TYPES=image/jpeg,image/png,image/gif,image/webp

Production Environment

For production, create .env.prod with appropriate values and secure secrets.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Backend won't start

make logs-backend  # Check error logs
make clean         # Clean and restart
make setup         # Re-run setup

Mobile app can't connect

make info          # Get your local IP
make status        # Ensure backend is running
# Check firewall settings for port 3000

Database issues

make db-shell      # Access MongoDB directly
make db-reset      # Reset database
make seed-fresh    # Re-seed with fresh data

Port conflicts

• Backend: 3000 → Change in docker-compose.yml
• Frontend: 3001 → Change in docker-compose.yml
• MongoDB: 27017 → Change in docker-compose.yml

Getting Help

make help          # List all commands
make info          # Show project info
make test-summary  # View test status

Additional Documentation

• Environment Setup Guide
• Mobile Build Configuration
• API Documentation
• Frontend Guide
• Mobile App Guide
• Testing Guide

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Run tests (make test)
4. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
5. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
6. Open a Pull Request

Development Workflow

1. Use make dev for local development
2. Write tests for new features
3. Run make lint and make typecheck before committing
4. Ensure all tests pass with make test

Team

• codedbycupidity
• Izaac Plambeck
• Mason Miles
• Devonav

Project Status

This repository maintains production builds following enterprise software distribution standards. The source code is maintained in private repositories to protect intellectual property while demonstrating deployment capabilities and architectural decisions.

Build Information

• Build Type: Production-optimized
• Source Protection: Private repository maintained
• Distribution Model: Binary distribution only
• License: Proprietary - All Rights Reserved

Contact

For technical inquiries, collaboration opportunities, or source code access:

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Copyright © 2025 Passport Buddy. All rights reserved.

This software and associated documentation files are proprietary and confidential. Unauthorized copying, modification, distribution, or use of this software, via any medium, is strictly prohibited without express written permission.