Online Auction System

A comprehensive online auction platform built with PHP, MySQL, and Tailwind CSS that allows users to create auctions, place bids, and track their bidding history.

Features

• User authentication (Register, Login, Profile management)
• Create and manage auction listings
• Browse auctions with category filters
• Detailed auction pages with bidding functionality
• Real-time countdown timers for auction end dates
• Bidding history tracking
• Responsive design using Tailwind CSS
• Admin dashboard with user and auction management

Requirements

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• MySQL 5.7 or higher
• Web server (Apache/Nginx)

Installation

Follow these steps to set up the auction system:

1. Database Setup

1. Create a MySQL database named auction_system or use your preferred name.
2. Import the database schema from auction_system.sql using phpMyAdmin or MySQL command line:

2. Configure Database Connection

Open php/config.php and update the database connection parameters:

define('DB_SERVER', 'localhost');      // Database server
define('DB_USERNAME', 'your_username'); // Database username
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_password'); // Database password
define('DB_NAME', 'auction_system');    // Database name

3. Server Configuration

1. Copy all files to your web server directory (e.g., /var/www/html/auction_system or C:\xampp\htdocs\auction_system).
2. Make sure the web server has read and write permissions to the project directory.

4. Base URL Configuration

Update the BASE_URL constant in php/config.php to match your server setup:

define('BASE_URL', 'http://your-domain.com/auction_system');

Or for local development:

define('BASE_URL', 'http://localhost/auction_system');

Usage

Admin Account

The system comes with a pre-configured admin account:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin123

Regular User

1. Register a new account from the registration page.
2. Browse available auctions or create your own.
3. Place bids on active auctions.
4. Track your bidding history and auction wins.

Folder Structure

auction_system/
├── assets/           # Static assets
├── css/              # CSS files
├── js/               # JavaScript files
├── php/              # PHP functions and includes
│   ├── config.php           # Database and site configuration
│   ├── auth_functions.php   # Authentication functions
│   ├── auction_functions.php # Auction-related functions
│   ├── header.php           # Common header
│   └── footer.php           # Common footer
├── sql/              # SQL schema and data
├── images/           # Uploaded images (if local storage is used)
├── index.php         # Homepage
├── browse.php        # Browse auctions
├── auction.php       # Auction details page
├── create_auction.php # Create new auction
├── login.php         # Login page
├── register.php      # Registration page
├── profile.php       # User profile
├── my_bids.php       # User's bidding history
├── my_auctions.php   # User's auctions
└── admin_dashboard.php # Admin dashboard

Customization

Adding Categories

To add more categories, insert them into the categories table:

INSERT INTO categories (name, description) VALUES ('New Category', 'Description of the category');

Styling

The project uses Tailwind CSS via CDN. You can customize the styling by modifying the classes or extending Tailwind in a local setup.

Notes

• In a production environment, make sure to:
  • Use HTTPS
  • Implement additional security measures
  • Set up proper error logging
  • Consider using a dedicated mail server for notifications

License

This project is for educational purposes only. Feel free to use and modify it for personal or commercial use.

Credits

• Built with PHP
• Styled with Tailwind CSS
• Icons from Font Awesome