BiteIt – Modern Canteen Management System

BiteIt is an end-to-end web application that digitizes and streamlines all operations of a modern canteen, catering to both regular users and administrators. It offers a seamless, secure, and efficient way to interact with canteen services, manage orders, and handle daily transactions.

🧑‍💻 User Roles & Permissions

1. Customer/User

• Sign Up & Authentication:
  Users can register and log in securely. Authentication is handled via JWT tokens, ensuring user sessions remain secure.
• Menu Browsing:
  Users can view a dynamic menu with categories, item details, prices, and availability.
• Cart & Ordering:
  Users add items to their cart, adjust quantities, and place orders directly from the web interface.
• Secure Payments:
  The checkout process is integrated with Stripe, allowing for safe and reliable online payments.
• Order Tracking:
  Users can view their order history, check current order status, and receive real-time updates.

2. Administrator

• Admin Authentication & Dashboard:
  Admins log in with elevated permissions and access a comprehensive dashboard.
• Order Management:
  View, process, and update the status of all orders. Admins can mark orders as prepared, delivered, or cancelled.
• Menu Management (CRUD):
  Create, read, update, and delete menu items. This includes editing descriptions, prices, images, and availability.
• Sales & Analytics:
  Track daily, weekly, or monthly sales, view popular menu items, and access insightful analytics and reports.
• User Management:
  (Optional feature) Admins may have access to manage user accounts, reset passwords, or adjust permissions.

✨ Core Features

• Modern UI:
  The frontend is built with React.js and styled using Tailwind CSS, ensuring a responsive and engaging user experience across devices.
• Vite-Powered Frontend:
  Fast development and build times using Vite, enabling a smooth developer workflow.
• Real-Time Experience:
  Orders and menu updates reflect instantly for both users and admins.
• Security:
  JWT-based authentication for secure sessions; payment security with Stripe.
• RESTful API:
  All client-server communication happens via RESTful endpoints, making the system scalable and modular.
• Database:
  MongoDB is used for fast, flexible, and scalable data storage.

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Frontend: React.js, Vite, Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Node.js, Express.js
• Database: MongoDB
• Authentication: JWT (JSON Web Tokens)
• Payments: Stripe
• Other: REST API, Responsive Design

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18 or later) 🟢
• npm or yarn 📦
• MongoDB instance (local or Atlas) 🍃
• Stripe account for payments 💳

Installation Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/siddharth9300/BiteIt.git
   cd BiteIt

2. Install dependencies for both frontend and backend:

   # For backend
   cd server
   npm install
    
   # For frontend
   cd ../client
   npm install

3. Set up environment variables:
   Create .env files in both server and client directories as per the provided .env.example or documentation.

4. Start the development servers:

   # In the backend/server directory
   npm run dev
    
   # In the frontend/client directory
   npm run dev

📁 Project Structure

BiteIt/
├── client/      # Frontend (React, Vite)
│   └── ...
├── server/      # Backend (Node.js, Express, MongoDB)
│   └── ...
├── README.md
├── package.json
└── ...

• client/ – All frontend source code and assets
• server/ – Backend API, logic, models, controllers, and configuration

🔎 Usage Scenarios

For Customers

1. Browse Menu:
   Access a categorized menu, view detailed descriptions, and filter by preference.
2. Build Order:
   Add items to cart, modify quantities, and see the running total.
3. Checkout:
   Enter payment details securely via Stripe, confirm the order, and receive order status updates.
4. Track Orders:
   View the order progress (preparing, ready, delivered) and order history.

For Administrators

1. Order Management:
   See all incoming orders, update their status, and manage the order queue in real time.
2. Menu Management:
   Add new dishes, update prices, remove unavailable items, and upload images.
3. Analytics:
   Access graphs and statistics about sales, revenue, and customer preferences.
4. (Optional) User Management:
   View and manage registered users when needed.

🔒 Security & Best Practices

• Authentication:
  Only authenticated users can place orders; only admins can access management dashboards.
• Authorization:
  API endpoints are protected and role-based access is enforced.
• Sensitive Data:
  Payments are processed through Stripe; no sensitive card data is stored on the server.
• Environment Variables:
  All secrets (JWT keys, Stripe keys, DB URIs) are stored in .env files and never committed.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open issues or pull requests for improvements or bug fixes.

1. Fork the repository 🍴
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a pull request 🚀

🪪 License

This project is currently unlicensed. Please add a license if you plan to share or use this code publicly.

For questions or support, please open an issue or contact the repository owner. 🙋