Welcome to the Y STEM and Chess Project

This is an educational platform combining chess instruction with STEM learning, aimed at supporting socially and economically underserved students. It helps learners who benefit from alternative approaches by providing chess tutoring alongside mathematics, computer science, and mentoring. The platform is built with React and Node.js and integrates the Stockfish chess engine for gameplay.

Development Environment Setup

To run the platform, you’ll need Node.js v18 installed. Nodemon is optional and can be used to automatically restart servers when code changes, which is convenient during development.

Node.js

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This project requires Node.js v18.20.8. Using a version manager ensures consistent Node versions across contributors.

Option 1: Using Volta (recommended)

Volta automatically uses the Node version pinned in this project’s package.json.

Install Volta:

• Linux / macOS

curl https://get.volta.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc

• Windows Download and run the installer from volta.sh.

Volta will automatically install and use Node.js v18.20.8 when you cd into the project.

Option 2: Using nvm

If you prefer nvm:

• Linux / macOS

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash
source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
nvm install 18.20.8
nvm use 18.20.8
nvm alias default 18.20.8  # optional

• Windows Use nvm-windows.

nvm install 18.20.8
nvm use 18.20.8

Nodemon (Optional)

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Nodemon can be installed globally to automatically restart servers when code changes:

npm install -g nodemon

Getting Started

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/YSTEMandChess/react.git
cd react

2. Environment Setup

Before running any services, create the local development environment from the project root directory:

./create_dev_envs.sh

A default.json file containing environment variables will be provided to contributors and should be placed in middlewareNode/config.

Running Each Service

Each service runs independently in its own terminal window. Start the Middleware API first, then the other services in any order.

Middleware API (Backend)

Handles user authentication, database operations, and coordinates other services.

cd middlewareNode
npm install   
npm start      

The server typically runs on port 8000. You should see "MongoDB Connected..." when it starts successfully.

The following credentials can be used for testing mentor and student accounts:

• Mentor: mentor / 123123123
• Student: student / 123123123

Main React Application (Frontend)

Primary interface for students and mentors.

cd react-ystemandchess
npm install
npm start

Once started, the React application is accessible at http://localhost:3000 (or the next available port if 3000 is occupied).

Chess Game Server

Manages chess game logic, validates moves, and handles real-time gameplay.

cd chessServer
npm install
npm start      

The server runs on port 3001.

Chess Engine Server

Integrates Stockfish for AI opponents and move analysis.

cd stockfishServer
npm install
npm start

The server runs on port 8080.

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Contributing

1. Create a new branch with a descriptive name:

git checkout -b branch-name

2. Test thoroughly to ensure all services work together.
3. Commit changes with clear messages.
4. Push and create a Pull Request for review.

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You're all set! Happy coding, and thank you for contributing to educational equity! 🎯♟️