Library Management System

A modern, full-stack Library Management System built with the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) featuring beautiful UI with Tailwind CSS v3.4.17.

Features

For Users

• Authentication: Simple JWT-based login and registration
• Book Discovery: Browse and search through the library catalog
• Book Requests: Request books with easy approval workflow
• Transaction History: View your borrowing history and current issues
• Profile Management: Update personal information and view library stats
• Real-time Updates: Socket.IO integration for live notifications

For Admins

• User Management: View and manage all library users
• Book Management: Add, edit, and delete books from the catalog
• Transaction Management: Approve/reject book requests and manage returns
• Dashboard Analytics: Overview of library statistics and activity
• Real-time Monitoring: Live updates on system activity

Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js - Runtime environment
• Express.js - Web framework
• MongoDB - Database
• Mongoose - ODM for MongoDB
• JWT - Authentication
• Socket.IO - Real-time communication
• bcryptjs - Password hashing

Frontend

• React 18 - UI library
• Vite - Build tool and dev server
• Tailwind CSS v3.4.17 - Styling framework
• React Router DOM - Client-side routing
• Axios - HTTP client
• React Hot Toast - Notifications
• Lucide React - Icons

Prerequisites

Before running this application, make sure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• MongoDB (local installation or MongoDB Atlas)
• npm or yarn package manager

Installation & Setup

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/PLP-MERN-Stack-Development/libraryMS.git
cd libraryMS

2. Backend Setup

# Navigate to backend directory
cd backend

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Create environment file
cp .env.example .env

# Edit the .env file with your configuration:
# PORT=5000
# MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/library-management
# JWT_SECRET=your-super-secret-jwt-key-change-this-in-production
# NODE_ENV=development

# Start the backend server
npm start

The backend server will start on http://localhost:5000

3. Frontend Setup

Open a new terminal window:

# Navigate to frontend directory
cd frontend

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Create environment file (optional)
# Create a .env file in the frontend directory with:
# VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:5000/api
# VITE_APP_NAME=Library Management System

# Start the frontend development server
npm run dev

The frontend development server will start on http://localhost:5173

4. Database Setup

If you're using local MongoDB:

# Start MongoDB service (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo systemctl start mongod

# Or using MongoDB directly
mongod

For MongoDB Atlas:

1. Create a cluster on MongoDB Atlas
2. Get your connection string
3. Update the MONGODB_URI in your backend .env file

Demo Accounts

The application includes demo accounts for testing:

Admin Account

• Email: admin@library.com
• Password: admin123

User Account

• Email: user@library.com
• Password: user123

Project Structure

library-management-system/
├── backend/
│   ├── controllers/         # Route controllers
│   ├── middleware/         # Custom middleware
│   ├── models/            # MongoDB models
│   ├── routes/            # API routes
│   ├── server.js          # Express server setup
│   └── package.json
├── frontend/
│   ├── public/            # Static assets
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── components/    # Reusable UI components
│   │   ├── contexts/      # React contexts
│   │   ├── pages/         # Application pages
│   │   ├── services/      # API services
│   │   ├── App.jsx        # Main app component
│   │   └── main.jsx       # App entry point
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── package.json
│   ├── tailwind.config.js
│   └── vite.config.js
└── README.md

API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /api/auth/register - Register new user
• POST /api/auth/login - User login
• GET /api/auth/me - Get current user

Books

• GET /api/books - Get all books (paginated)
• GET /api/books/:id - Get specific book
• POST /api/books - Add new book (admin only)
• PUT /api/books/:id - Update book (admin only)
• DELETE /api/books/:id - Delete book (admin only)
• GET /api/books/search - Search books

Users

• GET /api/users/profile - Get user profile
• PUT /api/users/profile - Update user profile
• GET /api/users/transactions - Get user transactions
• GET /api/users - Get all users (admin only)
• GET /api/users/:id - Get specific user (admin only)
• PUT /api/users/:id - Update user (admin only)

Transactions

• GET /api/transactions - Get all transactions (admin only)
• POST /api/transactions/request - Request book
• PUT /api/transactions/:id/status - Update transaction status (admin only)
• POST /api/transactions/return - Return book
• PUT /api/transactions/:id/complete - Complete return (admin only)

Development

Backend Development

cd backend

# Run in development mode with auto-restart
npm run dev

# Run in production mode
npm start

Frontend Development

cd frontend

# Start development server
npm run dev

# Build for production
npm run build

# Preview production build
npm run preview

# Run linting
npm run lint

Styling with Tailwind CSS

This project uses Tailwind CSS v3.4.17 with a custom configuration:

• Primary Colors: Custom blue palette defined in tailwind.config.js
• Components: Pre-built component classes like .btn, .card, .input
• Responsive Design: Mobile-first responsive design throughout
• Dark Mode: Ready for dark mode implementation
• Custom Fonts: Inter font family integration

Custom CSS Classes

/* Buttons */
.btn-primary    /* Primary button styling */
.btn-secondary  /* Secondary button styling */

/* Components */
.card          /* Card container styling */
.input         /* Form input styling */

Features in Detail

Authentication System

• JWT-based authentication
• Password hashing with bcryptjs
• Protected routes and role-based access control
• Automatic token refresh handling

Book Management

• Complete CRUD operations for books
• Search functionality with multiple criteria
• Availability tracking and copy management
• Book request and approval workflow

User Management

• User profiles with editable information
• Transaction history tracking
• Role-based permissions (admin/user)
• Real-time activity monitoring

Real-time Features

• Socket.IO integration for live updates
• Instant notifications for approvals/rejections
• Real-time dashboard updates
• Live transaction status changes

Production Deployment

Environment Variables

Create production environment files:

Backend (.env)

PORT=5000
MONGODB_URI=your-production-mongodb-uri
JWT_SECRET=super-secure-production-jwt-secret
NODE_ENV=production

Frontend (.env)

VITE_API_URL=https://your-backend-domain.com/api
VITE_APP_NAME=Library Management System

Build Commands

# Build frontend for production
cd frontend && npm run build

# Start backend in production
cd backend && npm start

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature-name
3. Commit your changes: git commit -am 'Add feature'
4. Push to the branch: git push origin feature-name
5. Create a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For support and questions:

1. Check the documentation above
2. Create an issue on GitHub
3. Contact the development team

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Built with ❤️ using the MERN stack