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+# Chess Game
+
+> [Working Demo](https://chess.raru.dev)
+
+## Project Description
+
+A minimalistic server for a chess game accompanied by a corresponding website.
+
+Features:
+
+- Game Initiation: Effortlessly initiate a new game and conveniently share the
+  generated ID.
+- Game Participation: Smoothly join a game by connecting to the one
+  corresponding with its unique ID.
+- Local Gameplay: Experiment with strategies and engage in a friendly match
+  directly from a single device.
+
+## Getting Started
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- nodejs
+
+  Debian/Ubuntu:
+
+  ```sh
+  sudo apt install nodejs
+  ```
+
+- npm
+
+  Debian/Ubuntu:
+
+  ```sh
+  sudo apt install npm
+  ```
+
+### Installation
+
+1. Clone the repo
+
+   ```sh
+   git clone https://github.com/CozmaRares/chess.git
+   cd chess
+   ```
+
+2. Install the dependencies
+
+   ```sh
+   npm install
+   cd client
+   npm install
+   cd ..
+   ```
+
+3. Start the development server
+
+   ```sh
+   npm run dev
+   ```
+
+4. Run test suite for the chess engine
+
+   ```sh
+   npm run test
+   ```
+
+5. Build for production
+
+   ```sh
+   npm run build
+   ```
+
+## Deployment
+
+The application is hosted on AWS, with Route 53 directing traffic to an EC2
+instance. Within the EC2 instance, an nginx server is configured to route
+incoming HTTPS traffic from port 443 to the specific port where the application
+server is listening, ensuring secure communication.
+
+## Reflection
+
+The goal of the project was to build a fully functional chess server and to
+familiarize myself with the technologies used during the development process.
+
+Originally I set out to include more gamemodes, such as 4 player chess or use a
+10x10 board instead of the standard 8x8. The limiting factor proved to be my
+naive implementation of the chess engine that does not support more than two
+players and a bigger than 8x8 board, not without major refactoring.
+
+The most challenging part was the design of the chess engine itself, mostly
+generating the moves and synchronizing the associated [FEN](https://www.chess.com/terms/fen-chess)
+string with the posision of the pieces on the board.
+
+During the project, I encountered unforeseen obstacles, including:
+
+- CSS struggled to manage overflowing height of the gameplay history, and had to
+  hack my way through with a little JavaScript.
+- Browsers need to connect securely to the game server. Initially, I assumed ACM
+  certificate generation and Route 53 configuration were sufficient. However, I
+  explored a more complex route involving a load balancer before ultimately relying
+  on nginx.
+
+The project's development relies on a range of technologies. `AWS` provides a
+dependable infrastructure. `TypeScript` ensures a more error-resistant
+development process. `ReactJS` facilitates the creation of dynamic user
+interfaces, with `React Router` simplifying application routing, while
+`TailwindCSS` enables swift UI styling. `ViteJS` minimizes the initial frontend
+setup. On the backend, `ExpressJS` offers a robust HTTP framework, while
+`Socket.IO` manages web socket connections. Additionally, `Vitest` serves as a
+rapid testing tool that supports TypeScript out of the box.
+
+Lastly, I want to point out the features that need to be improved if I ever
+decide to develop a second version of this project:
+
+- a more efficient [move generation engine](https://www.chessprogramming.org/Move_Generation)
+- a more generalized engine that supports additional game modes
+- a richer user interface