Real-Time Chat Application

A simple, real-time chat application built with Next.js and Socket.IO. This application allows users to join a chat room, see other online users, and engage in private conversations.

Features

• Real-time messaging using Socket.IO
• User presence (online/offline status)
• Private messaging between users
• Typing indicators
• Responsive design using Tailwind CSS

Technologies Used

• Next.js
• React
• Socket.IO
• Tailwind CSS

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or later)
• npm or yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone git@github.com:Raccoon254/nextjs-chat-application.git
   

   or

   git clone https://github.com/Raccoon254/nextjs-chat-application.git
   

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd nextjs-chat-application
   

3. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

   or

   yarn install
   

4. Create a .env.local file in the root directory and add your environment variables:

   NEXT_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=http://localhost:3000
   

Running the Application

1. Start the development server:

   npm run dev
   

   or

   yarn dev
   

2. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000

Usage

1. Enter your name and click "Join" to enter the chat room.
2. You'll see a list of other online users on the left side of the screen.
3. Click on a user's name to start a private conversation with them.
4. Type your message in the input field at the bottom and click "Send" or press Enter to send the message.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

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