Forum Website Documentation

Introduction

This documentation provides a comprehensive overview of a forum website built using Laravel 11, Vue 3, and Inertia.js. The application allows users to create posts and comments with rich text and markdown support. Authentication is handled via Jetstream's starter kit, ensuring secure and efficient user management.

Table of Contents

1. Installation
2. Configuration
3. Features
4. Architecture
5. Resources and Policies
6. Usage
7. Contributing
8. License

Installation

Prerequisites

• PHP 8.1+
• Composer
• Node.js and NPM
• MySQL or PostgreSQL

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone [email protected]:MustafaM257/forum.git
   cd forum

2. Install dependencies:

   composer install
   npm install
   npm run dev

3. Set up environment file:

   cp .env.example .env

4. Configure database in .env file:

   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=your_database
   DB_USERNAME=your_username
   DB_PASSWORD=your_password

5. Run migrations and seeders:

   php artisan migrate --seed

6. Serve the application:

   php artisan serve

Configuration

Ensure to configure other services and settings in the .env file according to your requirements, such as mail services, broadcasting, and cache drivers.

Features

• User Authentication: Managed by Laravel Jetstream.
• Posts and Comments: Users can create posts and comments with rich text and markdown.
• Real-time Updates: Utilizing Inertia.js for smooth single-page application behavior.
• Resourceful Routes: CRUD operations for posts and comments.
• Rich Text Editing: Integrated rich text and markdown support for posts and comments.

Architecture

The application follows a clean architecture approach, emphasizing separation of concerns and modularity.

Folders Structure

• app/Models: Eloquent models.
• app/Http/Controllers: Controllers handling HTTP requests.
• app/Providers: manage data to be provided to frontend
• app/Policies: Authorization policies.
• resources/js: Vue 3 components and Inertia pages.
• resources/views: Blade templates for initial HTML.

Resources and Policies

Resources

Resources are used to transform models into JSON responses, ensuring a clear separation between the model data and the JSON structure exposed to the API.

• app/Http/Resources/PostResource.php
• app/Http/Resources/CommentResource.php
• app/Http/Resources/UserResource.php

Policies

Policies manage the authorization logic for different actions within the application. Ensure policies are registered in the AuthServiceProvider.

• app/Policies/PostPolicy.php
• app/Policies/CommentPolicy.php

Usage

Authentication

• Register: Users can register via the registration form.
• Login: Registered users can log in to access their account.
• Password Reset: Users can reset their passwords via email.

Posts and Comments

• Create Post: Authenticated users can create new posts.
• Edit/Delete Post: Users can edit or delete their own posts.
• Comment on Post: Authenticated users can comment on posts.
• Edit/Delete Comment: Users can edit or delete their own comments.

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please fork the repository and submit pull requests.

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch (git checkout -b feature-branch).
3. Make your changes.
4. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add new feature').
5. Push to the branch (git push origin feature-branch).
6. Open a pull request.

License

This project is open-source and licensed under the MIT License. It is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement. In no event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages, or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort, or otherwise, arising from, out of, or in connection with the software or the use or other dealings in the software.

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