Files Manager

Files Manager is a comprehensive back-end project designed to simulate a real-world file storage and management platform. This project encapsulates essential back-end development skills, including user authentication, database operations with MongoDB, caching with Redis, and handling background tasks. It serves as a practical application of the back-end trimester knowledge acquired in the ALX Software Engineering program, focusing on JavaScript, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, and Redis.

Project Overview

The objective of this project is to create a platform that allows users to upload and manage files. Key features include:

• User Authentication: Secure user authentication using tokens.
• File Management: Ability to list, upload, change permissions, and view files.
• Image Processing: Generate thumbnails for uploaded images to enhance performance and user experience.
• Data Storage: Utilize MongoDB for persistent storage of user and file information.
• Caching: Implement Redis for efficient data caching, enhancing the application's performance.
• Background Processing: Use background jobs for tasks such as thumbnail generation and welcome email sending, ensuring the application remains responsive.

Technologies

• Back-End: JavaScript (ES6), Node.js, Express.js
• Database: MongoDB (NoSQL database for storing user and file data)
• Cache: Redis (For caching and temporary data storage)
• Task Queue: Bull (For managing background jobs)
• Other Libraries: Mocha (for testing), Nodemon, Image-thumbnail, Mime-Types

Setup and Installation

1. Prerequisites:

   • Node.js (version 12.x.x)
   • MongoDB (Running on default port 27017 or set via environment variables)
   • Redis (Running on default port or set via environment variables)
   • Git

2. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-github-username/alx-files_manager.git
   cd alx-files_manager

3. Install dependencies:

   npm install

4. Environment Variables: Create a .env file in the root directory and set the following variables:

   • PORT: Port for the server (default: 5000)
   • DB_HOST: MongoDB host (default: localhost)
   • DB_PORT: MongoDB port (default: 27017)
   • DB_DATABASE: Database name (default: files_manager)
   • FOLDER_PATH: Path for storing uploaded files (default: /tmp/files_manager)

5. Running the application:

   • Start the server:

     npm start

   • Start the worker (in a separate terminal):

     npm run start-worker

API Endpoints

• GET /status: Check the health of the application.
• GET /stats: Get statistics about users and files.
• POST /users: Create a new user.
• GET /connect: Authenticate a user.
• GET /disconnect: Log out a user.
• More endpoints for file management detailed in the API documentation.

Project Structure

• controllers/: Contains controller files for handling API endpoint logic.
• routes/: Defines the API endpoints and associates them with their respective controllers.
• utils/: Utility classes for database and caching operations.
• worker.js: Background job processing.
• server.js: Entry point for the application.

License

This project is provided for educational purposes only. It is not affiliated with any actual file storage platform.

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Author: Awwal Adetomiwa