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Update backend/package-lock.json to ensure dependency consistency. This file should be committed to the repository as per npm best practices for reproducible builds across all environments.
PrivyDrop - Backend
This is the backend server for PrivyDrop. It is built with Node.js, Express, and Socket.IO, and is responsible for handling WebRTC connection signaling, room management, and API requests from the frontend.
✨ Features
- WebRTC Signaling: Uses Socket.IO to exchange SDP and ICE candidates.
- Room Management: Efficiently creates and manages temporary file-sharing rooms using Redis.
- Lightweight API: Provides core HTTP endpoints for frontend interaction.
- Temporary Data Storage: All room data in Redis has an automatic expiration time (TTL).
🛠️ Tech Stack
- Runtime: Node.js
- Framework: Express.js
- Language: TypeScript
- Real-time Communication: Socket.IO
- Database: Redis (using the ioredis client)
🚀 Getting Started (Local Development)
-
Prerequisites
- Node.js (v18.x or newer)
- A running Redis instance
-
Navigate to Directory and Install Dependencies
cd backend npm install -
Configure Environment Variables First, copy the environment variable configuration from the template file:
cp .env_development_example .env.developmentThen, open and edit the
.env.developmentfile to match your local Redis and frontend configuration. -
Run the Development Server
npm run devThe server will start on the port specified by the
BACKEND_PORTenvironment variable (defaults to 3001).
📖 API & Event Summary
This service provides a set of API endpoints and Socket.IO events to support the frontend application.
- API Endpoints: Primarily include room creation (
/api/get_room), joining, and checking. - Socket.IO Events: Responsible for handling clients joining rooms (
join) and forwarding WebRTC signaling messages (offer,answer,ice-candidate).
📚 Detailed Documentation
- To understand the backend's code structure, module design, and Redis data model in depth, please read the Backend Architecture Deep Dive.
- To learn about how the frontend and backend collaborate, refer to the Overall Project Architecture.
- For production deployment, see the Docker Deployment Guide.