March 6, 2024

Overview

CarStitch is a full-stack e-commerce platform designed for selling automotive accessories. It consists of three main parts: the front-end store, a CMS for managing products and content, and a backend for handling authentication, payments, and data storage. The platform provides a smooth user experience with a modern UI, multi-language support, and secure authentication.

Key Features

• E-commerce Functionality: Product listings, categories, shopping cart, and checkout process.
• CMS Integration: Admin panel for managing products, orders, and users.
• Authentication: Secure login and registration using JWT and OAuth (Google, Facebook).
• Localization: Multi-language support using i18next.
• Cloud Storage: Image management via Cloudinary.
• Responsive UI: Optimized for both desktop and mobile users.
• Persistent State: Redux Toolkit with Redux Persist to maintain user sessions.
• Secure Payments: Integration with payment gateways (future feature).

Technologies Used

• Frontend: React, Vite, Redux Toolkit, React Router, Formik, Yup, React Toastify.
• Backend: Node.js, Express, MongoDB, Mongoose, JWT authentication.
• Third-party Services: Cloudinary for media storage, Nodemailer for email notifications.
• Development Tools: ESLint, Prettier, Vite, GitHub Actions.

Challenges and Learnings

• Implementing a scalable authentication system with JWT and OAuth.
• Ensuring seamless state management across the store and CMS.
• Optimizing database queries for faster response times.
• Handling CORS and security configurations for smooth frontend-backend communication.

Outcome

This project provides a robust and scalable foundation for an e-commerce platform with an integrated CMS. It streamlines product management and enhances the shopping experience with real-time updates, multi-language support, and responsive design. Future improvements include integrating a payment gateway and expanding product filtering options.