Varaprasad

.env.example

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+# Email Configuration for Production Deployment
+# ==============================================
+
+# Gmail SMTP Configuration (recommended for production)
+SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
+SMTP_PORT=587
+SMTP_SECURE=false
+EMAIL_USER=your-gmail-address@gmail.com
+# Use App Password, NOT your regular Gmail password
+# Generate at: https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords
+EMAIL_PASS=your-app-password-here
+
+# Advanced SMTP Settings (optional, defaults are optimized)
+SMTP_MAX_CONNECTIONS=3
+SMTP_MAX_MESSAGES=50
+
+# Environment
+NODE_ENV=production
+
+# Alternative Email Providers (uncomment to use)
+# ================================================
+
+# Outlook/Hotmail
+# SMTP_HOST=smtp-mail.outlook.com
+# SMTP_PORT=587
+# SMTP_SECURE=false
+
+# Yahoo Mail
+# SMTP_HOST=smtp.mail.yahoo.com
+# SMTP_PORT=587
+# SMTP_SECURE=false
+
+# SendGrid (Recommended for high-volume production)
+# SMTP_HOST=smtp.sendgrid.net
+# SMTP_PORT=587
+# SMTP_SECURE=false
+# EMAIL_USER=apikey
+# EMAIL_PASS=your-sendgrid-api-key
+
+# Mailgun
+# SMTP_HOST=smtp.mailgun.org
+# SMTP_PORT=587
+# SMTP_SECURE=false
+# EMAIL_USER=your-mailgun-smtp-username
+# EMAIL_PASS=your-mailgun-smtp-password

.gitignore

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+.env

EMAIL_SETUP_GUIDE.md

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+# Email Configuration Guide for Production Deployment
+
+## The Problem
+Your application works in localhost but fails to send emails in production (Render) due to SMTP connection timeouts. This is a common issue when deploying to cloud platforms.
+
+## Root Cause
+1. **Port Configuration**: Many cloud platforms block port 465 (SMTP over SSL)
+2. **Connection Timeouts**: Production environments have stricter timeout settings
+3. **Gmail Security**: Gmail requires App Passwords for production applications
+4. **Network Restrictions**: Some cloud providers have firewall restrictions
+
+## Solutions Implemented
+
+### 1. Updated SMTP Configuration
+- Changed default port from 465 to 587 (STARTTLS)
+- Added production-optimized timeout settings
+- Implemented connection pooling with rate limiting
+- Added proper TLS configuration
+
+### 2. Added Retry Mechanism
+- Automatic retry with exponential backoff
+- Better error logging for debugging
+- Non-blocking email failures (won't crash the application)
+
+### 3. Environment-Specific Settings
+- Different configurations for development vs production
+- Comprehensive error logging
+- Connection health checks
+
+## Setup Instructions for Render
+
+### Step 1: Configure Gmail App Password
+1. Go to [Google Account Settings](https://myaccount.google.com)
+2. Enable 2-Factor Authentication if not already enabled
+3. Go to [App Passwords](https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords)
+4. Generate an App Password for your application
+5. Use this App Password in your environment variables (NOT your regular password)
+
+### Step 2: Set Environment Variables in Render
+In your Render dashboard, add these environment variables:
+
+```bash
+SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
+SMTP_PORT=587
+SMTP_SECURE=false
+EMAIL_USER=your-gmail-address@gmail.com
+EMAIL_PASS=your-app-password-here
+NODE_ENV=production
+```
+
+### Step 3: Alternative Email Providers (if Gmail still fails)
+
+#### SendGrid (Recommended for Production)
+```bash
+SMTP_HOST=smtp.sendgrid.net
+SMTP_PORT=587
+SMTP_SECURE=false
+EMAIL_USER=apikey
+EMAIL_PASS=your-sendgrid-api-key
+```
+
+#### Mailgun
+```bash
+SMTP_HOST=smtp.mailgun.org
+SMTP_PORT=587
+SMTP_SECURE=false
+EMAIL_USER=your-mailgun-smtp-username
+EMAIL_PASS=your-mailgun-smtp-password
+```
+
+### Step 4: Test the Configuration
+Add this test endpoint to verify email functionality:
+
+```javascript
+// Add to your routes
+app.get('/test-email', async (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    await sendEmail(
+      'test@example.com',
+      'Test Email',
+      'This is a test email from production'
+    );
+    res.json({ success: true, message: 'Email sent successfully' });
+  } catch (error) {
+    res.status(500).json({ 
+      success: false, 
+      error: error.message,
+      code: error.code 
+    });
+  }
+});
+```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Common Issues and Solutions
+
+1. **Connection Timeout (ETIMEDOUT)**
+   - Switch to port 587 instead of 465
+   - Check if your hosting provider blocks SMTP ports
+   - Try alternative email providers like SendGrid
+
+2. **Authentication Failed**
+   - Ensure you're using App Password, not regular password
+   - Verify EMAIL_USER and EMAIL_PASS are correctly set
+   - Check if Less Secure Apps is enabled (not recommended)
+
+3. **TLS/SSL Issues**
+   - Use SMTP_SECURE=false with port 587
+   - Set proper TLS configuration in code
+
+4. **Rate Limiting**
+   - Implemented automatic rate limiting (5 emails per second)
+   - Added retry mechanism for failed sends
+
+### Debug Steps
+1. Check the email health endpoint: `GET /api/email-health`
+2. Monitor application logs for detailed error messages
+3. Test with a simple email first
+4. Verify all environment variables are set correctly
+
+## Best Practices for Production
+
+1. **Use Dedicated Email Services**: Consider SendGrid, Mailgun, or AWS SES for production
+2. **Monitor Email Delivery**: Set up logging and monitoring for email failures
+3. **Implement Email Queues**: For high-volume applications, use a queue system
+4. **Error Handling**: Never let email failures crash your application
+5. **Security**: Always use App Passwords or API keys, never regular passwords
+
+## Code Changes Made
+
+1. **Enhanced SMTP Configuration**: Added timeout settings, rate limiting, and TLS configuration
+2. **Retry Logic**: Automatic retry with exponential backoff for failed emails
+3. **Async/Await**: Converted all email calls to async/await with proper error handling
+4. **Better Logging**: Comprehensive error logging for debugging
+5. **Non-blocking**: Email failures won't block the application flow

README.md

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+# Fork Details
+- Forked from Outpass Management System
+- To Modify to convert it into an Institute Forms Portal
+- Details of original project below
+
 # Outpass Management System
 
 ## Project Overview

backend/.dockerignore

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+node_modules
+npm-debug.log
+.env
+.git
+.gitignore
+README.md
+Dockerfile
+.dockerignore
+coverage
+.nyc_output
+.log

backend/Dockerfile

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+# Use official Node.js LTS (Long Term Support) image
+FROM node:22-alpine
+
+# Set working directory
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Copy package.json and package-lock.json (if available)
+COPY package*.json ./
+
+# Install dependencies
+RUN npm ci --only=production
+
+# Copy the rest of the application code
+COPY . .
+
+# Set the port for the container
+ENV PORT=5000
+
+# Expose the port your app runs on (adjust if different)
+EXPOSE 5000
+
+# Command to run the application
+CMD ["npm", "start"]