Full-Stack Ecommerce website using React

Step 1 (Clone the Repository): Open your computer's terminal or command prompt window and download the project code files from your online repository to your local system.

Step 2 (Navigate to the Project Folder): Move your terminal path directly into the main project root folder that was just created.

Step 3 (Enter the Backend Directory): Change your folder directory to go inside the dedicated backend folder.

Step 4 (Install Backend Dependencies): Run the package installer command to automatically download and configure all necessary Node.js server packages and libraries.

Step 5 (Create the Environment File): In the root of your backend folder, create a new text file and save it exactly under the name .env.

Step 6 (Configure Environment Variables): Open the newly created environment file in a text editor and define your variables by entering the server port number, your MongoDB database connection string, and a secure text key for user authentication tokens.

Step 7 (Start the API Server): Run the start script to initialize your database connection and launch the server application. Keep this terminal window open so the backend stays active.

Step 8 (Open a New Terminal Window): Launch a completely fresh, separate terminal or command prompt window without closing the one running your backend server.

Step 9 (Enter the Frontend Directory): Navigate your new terminal window into the main project folder, and then go straight into the frontend workspace folder.

Step 10 (Install Frontend Dependencies): Run the package installer command within this folder to download all required user interface modules, React layouts, and visual design libraries.

Step 11 (Launch the User Interface): Execute the project development script to compile the frontend code and launch your interactive web application. Your default web browser will automatically open to display the Deal-O-City home screen.

Buyer Workflow: The customer workflow focuses on catalog discovery, filtration, cart state manipulation, and checkout processing. Users register an account, browse clothing items by style categories, apply granular filters for size or color, add selected apparel to a localized state shopping cart, and advance to standard checkout where shipping specifications are gathered.

Vendor Dashboard Workflow: Fashion sellers interact with a secured dashboard that completely abstracts backend technical layers. Upon successful authentication, creators are granted access to full CRUD controls: product provisioning (uploading high-quality style imagery, defining price values, adding clothing size descriptions), stock updating, and access to a real-time analytics window to review accumulated apparel earnings.

User Authentication (Login) Expected Output: Generates secure session/JWT Token; client shifts state to update navigation views dynamically.

Cart Modification Expected Output: React updates local UI state metrics instantaneously without a structural page reload.

Order Finalization Expected Output: Generates immutable order ledger, decrements specific size/color variant inventories, and flushes cart state.

Product Provisioning Expected Output: Inserts document record into MongoDB collection and exposes the asset globally on the marketplace index.

Backend Host (Node.js/Express): Linux Environment (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or newer recommended), 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM minimum.

Database Layer (MongoDB): MongoDB Atlas Cloud or local deployment with minimum 2 GB allocated RAM and 512 MB initial storage to handle large collections of high-definition clothing images.

Frontend Host (React): Vercel, Netlify, or Static AWS S3 bucket.

Developer Machine Configuration (Minimum): Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 20 GB free space, and Windows 10/macOS/Linux OS.

Developer Machine Configuration (Recommended): Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, 16 GB RAM, 50 GB free SSD space, and Windows 11 or macOS.

Essential Software Dependencies: Node.js (v18.x or v20.x LTS), npm package manager, Visual Studio Code IDE, MongoDB Community Server, MongoDB Compass GUI, and Postman API client.