BlinkNotes 📚 (Beta)

BlinkNotes is a centralized online platform designed to help students access quality study materials anytime, anywhere. It serves as a digital library where users can share, discover, and download academic notes (PDFs) organized by subject, semester, and tags.

The platform also features an AI Helper to assist with educational queries.

🚀 Features

• View & Browse Notes: Filter notes by Subject, Semester, or Tags.
• Upload Notes: Share your own study materials (PDFs) with the community.
• AI Chatbot: A dedicated educational assistant powered by AI (OpenRouter/GPT) to answer academic questions.
• User Accounts: Secure Login and Registration system.
• Leaderboard: (Coming Soon) Track top contributors.
• Responsive Design: Works seamlessly on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Frontend: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Bootstrap 5, FontAwesome
• Backend: Node.js, Express.js
• Database: MongoDB
• Authentication: JWT (JSON Web Tokens)
• AI Integration: OpenRouter API

📦 Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js installed on your machine.
• MongoDB installed and running locally (or a MongoDB Atlas connection string).

1. Clone the Repository

git clone <repository-url>
cd note

2. Backend Setup

Navigate to the backend directory and install dependencies:

cd backend
npm install

Create a .env file in the backend folder with the following credentials:

MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/blinknotes
PORT=3000
JWT_SECRET=your_super_secret_key_here
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=your_openrouter_api_key_here

Start the backend server:

npm start
# OR
node server.js

The server will run at http://localhost:3000.

3. Frontend Setup

The frontend is built with static HTML/JS. You can simply open the frontend/index.html file in your browser, or use a live server extension.

Ensure frontend/config.js points to your local backend:

window.env = {
  API_URL: 'http://localhost:3000'
};

📂 Project Structure

note/
├── backend/            # Express.js Server & API Routes
│   ├── routes/         # API Endpoints (auth, chatbot, files)
│   ├── models/         # Mongoose Database Models
│   ├── server.js       # Main server entry point
│   ├── package.json    # Backend dependencies
│   └── .env            # Environment variables
│
└── frontend/           # Static HTML/CSS/JS Client
    ├── index.html      # Landing Page
    ├── browse.html     # Notes Browser
    ├── upload.html     # Upload Interface
    ├── chat.html       # AI Chatbot Interface
    ├── login.html      # Login Page
    ├── signup.html     # Registration Page
    ├── navbar.js       # Common Navigation Component
    ├── style.css       # Global Styles
    └── config.js       # API Configuration

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please fork the repository and create a pull request.

📄 License

This project is for educational purposes.