NextStep 🎯

NextStep is an internship tracking platform that helps students search, apply for internships, and track their application status.
Admins can manage internship listings, user applications, and platform feedback from a dedicated dashboard.

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👥 Team Members

• Rajlaxmi (@rajlaxmi7371)
• [Ritika Shaw]
• [Gaincy Sharma]
• [Isha Jain]

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🌟 Features

👩‍🎓 User Features

• Search & apply for internships
• Filter internships by category, location, or type
• Browse internships by tags (e.g., "remote", "tech", "marketing")
• Upload resume during application
• Track application status (pending/accepted/rejected)
• AI Chatbot for help and quick answers
• View company hiring info
• Access preparation courses
• Submit feedback
• Reset password via email

🛡️ Admin Features

• Secure admin login
• View and manage all user applications
• View and download uploaded resumes
• Post new internships
• Review user feedback (approve/reject)
• View analytics: logins, feedback, applications

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📦 Tech Stack

• Node.js – Runtime environment
• Express.js – Web framework
• MongoDB with Mongoose – Database & ODM
• bcryptjs – Password hashing
• express-session – Session-based authentication
• multer – File uploads (for resume storage)
• nodemailer – Sending emails (password reset)
• JWT – Secure tokens for password reset
• dotenv – Environment variable management

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🛠️ Getting Started

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/rajlaxmi7371/group-project.git
cd group-project

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2. Install Dependencies

Navigate to the backend folder (e.g., server/) and install all required dependencies:

npm install

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3. Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env file inside the server/ folder and add the following:

PORT=3019
MONGO_URL=mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/UserRegister
SESSION_SECRET=your-secret-key
JWT_SECRET=your-very-secure-secret-key
EMAIL_USER=your-email@gmail.com
EMAIL_PASS=your-app-password

🔒 Important: Never commit .env files to GitHub. Add .env to your .gitignore.

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4. Start MongoDB

Make sure MongoDB is running locally. If it’s not running, start it by running:

mongod

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5. Start the Server

Once MongoDB is running, you can start your server:

npm run dev      # Starts with nodemon (recommended)
# or
npm start        # Starts with plain node

Your server will now be running at:

http://localhost:3019

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📬 API Endpoints (Quick Reference)

Method	Route	Description
POST	/post	Register a user
POST	/login	User login
POST	/forgot-password	Send password reset link via email

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🔐 Admin Setup

To create an admin user:

1. Temporarily uncomment the /create-admin route in your backend code.
2. Visit: http://localhost:3019/create-admin

This will create a default admin with the following credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin123

👉 Important: Don't forget to comment/remove the /create-admin route after use to prevent anyone from creating another admin.

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🧹 Auto Cleanup

The server is configured to automatically delete expired internships (past the application date) when it starts.

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📌 Notes

• Development: In development mode, the session cookie is configured with { secure: false }. Only set it to true in production, with HTTPS.
• Secrets: Avoid hardcoding sensitive information like secrets in your code. Always use .env files and make sure to add .env to .gitignore.
• Gmail: If using Gmail with Nodemailer, you may need to use App Passwords (instead of your regular Gmail password) to avoid Gmail blocking your app.

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🔮 Future Features

• Admin file preview for resumes
• Email alerts on application status
• Mobile-responsive UI

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🗂️ Project Structure

group-project/
├── client/
│   ├── index.html               # Landing page
│   ├── login.html               # Login form
│   ├── register.html            # Register form
│   ├── home.html                # User dashboard
│   ├── internship.html          # Internship listings
│   ├── apply.html               # Application form (resume upload)
│   ├── user-dashboard.html      # Application status
│   ├── campanies.html           # Hiring info
│   ├── course.html              # Prep resources
│   ├── feedback.html            # Feedback form
│   ├── chart.html               # AI bot
│   ├── contact.html, about.html
│   ├── forget-password.html
│   ├── reset-password.html
│   └── logout.html

├── admin/
│   ├── admin-login.html
│   ├── admin-dashboard.html
│   ├── admin-status.html
│   ├── admin-application.html
│   ├── admin-manage-internship.html
│   └── admin-feedback.html

├── uploads/                    # Resume files uploaded by users (admin can view/download)
├── server/
│   ├── server.js               # Express backend server
│   ├── routes/
│   ├── controllers/
│   └── models/
├── .env                        # Environment variables
├── .gitignore
└── README.md

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📄 License

This project is for educational/demo purposes.