# LFG9 Forums

A modern, full-stack forum application built with React, TypeScript, Node.js, and AWS services.

## Features

- **Rich Text Editor**: Full-featured text editor with image upload, formatting, and mentions
- **Dark Theme Design**: Custom color palette optimized for readability
- **Real-time Discussions**: Threaded conversations with nested replies
- **File Management**: Image upload and storage with AWS S3
- **User Authentication**: JWT-based secure authentication
- **Responsive Design**: Mobile-friendly interface with Tailwind CSS

## Color Palette

- Primary Black: `#000000`
- Rich Black: `#0C1821` (backgrounds, cards)
- Oxford Blue: `#1B2A41` (secondary backgrounds, borders)
- Charcoal: `#324A5F` (text, inactive elements)
- Lavender: `#CCC9DC` (accent, highlights, active states)

## Project Structure

```
lfg9-forums/
├── frontend/          # React TypeScript frontend
├── backend/           # Node.js Express backend
└── README.md
```

## Quick Start

### Frontend Setup

```bash
cd frontend
npm install
npm run dev
```

### Backend Setup

```bash
cd backend
npm install
npm run dev
```

## Environment Variables

Create `.env` files in both frontend and backend directories with the required configurations.

See individual README files in each directory for detailed setup instructions.

## Technologies Used

### Frontend
- React 18+ with TypeScript
- React Router v6
- Tailwind CSS
- TipTap Rich Text Editor
- AWS SDK for file uploads

### Backend
- Node.js with Express
- TypeScript
- AWS DynamoDB
- AWS S3
- JWT Authentication
- bcrypt for password hashing

## Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

## License

MIT License