Real-Time Chat Application
A campus-focused social platform for University of Exeter students, offering real-time chat, study group coordination, campus news, and secure authentication.
Overview
Uoe Connect is a university community platform that helps students instantly connect through real-time messaging, study groups, campus announcements, and peer networking. It is built to support academic collaboration, student engagement, and reliable campus communication.
Key Features
- Campus Messaging: Instant private and group chat powered by WebSockets
- Study Groups: Create, join, and manage groups for courses and projects
- Campus News: Share and browse university announcements and events
- Secure Authentication: User login, profile management, and access control
- Notifications: Real-time alerts for messages, follows, and updates
Technical Stack
The frontend is built with React and TypeScript, using Socket.io for real-time communication. The backend runs on Node.js with Express, PostgreSQL for persistent storage, and Redis for session management, caching, and real-time state.
Performance Optimizations
- Chat pagination with lazy loading
- Redis caching for active sessions and frequently accessed data
- Indexed queries for news feeds and group lookups
- Efficient WebSocket connection handling
Challenges
A major challenge was ensuring reliable message delivery through reconnects and offline periods. This was solved by persisting undelivered messages and syncing state when users returned online.