Edu-Empower is a comprehensive platform designed to bridge the gap between students and educational funding resources. By creating a unified ecosystem for scholarships, crowdfunding, and donations, we aim to democratize access to educational opportunities and reduce financial barriers to education.
The platform serves three primary user groups:
- Students seeking financial support for their education
- Organizations offering scholarships and grants
- Donors looking to contribute to educational causes
Through an intuitive interface and streamlined processes, Edu-Empower simplifies the discovery, application, and distribution of educational funding, making quality education more accessible to all.
Architecture
Edu-Empower follows a modern client-server architecture with clear separation of concerns:
Frontend
- React.js single-page application
- Responsive design using Tailwind CSS
- Client-side routing with React Router
- Authentication via Clerk
Backend
- Node.js/Express.js RESTful API
- MongoDB database for flexible data storage
- JWT-based authentication
- Microservices architecture for scalability
Key Features
For Students
- Personalized Profile Management: Comprehensive student information management
- Scholarship Discovery: Advanced search and filtering of scholarships
- Scholarship Application: Streamlined application process with document upload
- Application Tracking: Real-time status updates on submitted applications
- Crowdfunding Campaigns: Tools to create and manage personal fundraising campaigns
- Resource Center: Educational content on financial literacy
For Organizations
- Organization Dashboard: Comprehensive administrative interface
- Scholarship Creation: Tools to define eligibility criteria and requirements
- Application Review: Streamlined process for reviewing applications
- Applicant Management: Tools to track and communicate with applicants
- Analytics: Insights on scholarship impact and applicant demographics
For Donors
- Donation Portal: Secure payment processing for donations
- Impact Tracking: Visibility into how donations are making a difference
- Tax Documentation: Automated receipts for tax purposes
Platform-Wide
- User Authentication & Role-Based Access: Secure login system
- Responsive Design: Optimized for all device sizes
- Accessibility Compliance: WCAG 2.1 AA standards
- Multi-language Support: Internationalization framework
Tech Stack
Frontend
Framework: React.js 18Build Tool: ViteStyling: Tailwind CSSState Management: React Context APIRouting: React Router v6Authentication: Clerk
Backend
Runtime: Node.jsFramework: Express.jsDatabase: MongoDBODM: MongooseAuthentication: JWTFile Storage: AWS S3Email Service: SendGrid
DevOps
Containerization: DockerCI/CD: GitHub ActionsHosting: AWS/Azure/VercelMonitoring: Sentry
Development Tools
Version Control: GitPackage Manager: npmLinting: ESLintTesting: Jest, React Testing Library, Cypress
Installation
Prerequisites
- Node.js (v14 or higher)
- npm (v6 or higher)
- Git
- MongoDB (local or Atlas connection)
- Docker (optional, for containerized development)
Clone the Repository
git clone https://github.com/akash202004/Edu-Empower.git cd Edu-Empower
Frontend Setup
cd Frontend npm install cp .env.example .env # Edit .env with your configuration
Backend Setup
cd Backend npm install cp .env.example .env # Edit .env with your configuration
Docker Setup (Optional)
docker-compose up -d
Development Workflow
Running the Frontend
cd Frontend npm run dev # The frontend will be available at http://localhost:5173.
Running the Backend
cd Backend npm run dev # The backend API will be available at http://localhost:5000.
Full Stack Development
# From the project root npm run dev
Code Quality
# Frontend linting cd Frontend npm run lint # Backend linting cd Backend npm run lint # Format code npm run format
Testing
# Frontend tests cd Frontend npm test # Backend tests cd Backend npm test # E2E tests npm run test:e2e
API Documentation
The Edu-Empower API follows RESTful principles and is organized around resources:
Authentication Endpoints
- POST /api/auth/register - Register a new user
- POST /api/auth/login - Authenticate a user
- GET /api/auth/me - Get current user information
Student Endpoints
- GET /api/students/:id - Get student profile
- PUT /api/students/:id - Update student profile
- GET /api/students/:id/applications - Get student's scholarship applications
Scholarship Endpoints
- GET /api/scholarships - List all scholarships
- GET /api/scholarships/:id - Get scholarship details
- POST /api/scholarships - Create a new scholarship (Organization only)
- PUT /api/scholarships/:id - Update a scholarship (Organization only)
- POST /api/scholarships/:id/apply - Apply for a scholarship (Student only)
Organization Endpoints
- GET /api/organizations/:id - Get organization profile
- PUT /api/organizations/:id - Update organization profile
- GET /api/organizations/:id/scholarships - Get organization's scholarships
Donation Endpoints
- POST /api/donations - Process a donation
- GET /api/donations/user/:id - Get user's donation history
For detailed API documentation, refer to the API Documentation file.
Deployment
Frontend Deployment
The frontend can be deployed to Vercel, Netlify, or any static hosting service:
cd Frontend npm run build # Deploy the dist directory to your hosting service.
Backend Deployment
The backend can be deployed to various cloud platforms:
Heroku Deployment
cd Backend heroku create edu-empower-api git push heroku main
Docker Deployment
docker build -t edu-empower-api ./Backend docker push edu-empower-api
Database Deployment
We recommend using MongoDB Atlas for production database hosting:
- Create a MongoDB Atlas cluster
- Configure network access and database users
- Update the MONGODB_URI in your backend environment variables
Security
- Authentication: Secure user authentication via Clerk and JWT
- Authorization: Role-based access control for protected resources
- Data Encryption: HTTPS for all communications
- Input Validation: Thorough validation of all user inputs
- Dependency Scanning: Regular scanning for vulnerable dependencies
- Security Headers: Implementation of security headers
- Rate Limiting: Protection against brute force attacks
- CSRF Protection: Cross-Site Request Forgery protection
Performance Optimization
- Code Splitting: Route-based code splitting to reduce initial load time
- Lazy Loading: Components and images are loaded only when needed
- Caching Strategy: Appropriate cache headers for static assets
- Database Indexing: Strategic indexes for query performance
- CDN Integration: Content delivery network for static assets
- Compression: Response compression with gzip/brotli
Contributing
We welcome contributions to Edu-Empower! Please follow these steps:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
- Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
- Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
- Open a Pull Request
Contribution Guidelines
- Follow the existing code style and naming conventions
- Write tests for new features
- Update documentation for any changed functionality
- Ensure all tests pass before submitting a pull request
- Reference relevant issues in pull request descriptions
Roadmap
Short-term Goals (Next 3 Months)
- Enhance user profile management
- Implement advanced scholarship search filters
- Add document verification system
- Improve mobile responsiveness
Medium-term Goals (3-6 Months)
- Implement AI-powered scholarship matching
- Add mentorship platform integration
- Develop analytics dashboard for organizations
- Support multiple languages
Long-term Goals (6+ Months)
- Build community features for peer support
- Implement blockchain-based credential verification
- Develop mobile applications
- Expand to international markets