SchoolTouch: Full-Stack School Management System (MERN Stack) SchoolTouch is a comprehensive, role-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system designed to manage all core administrative and academic functions of a modern school in a single platform. It ensures secure, real-time communication and management oversight for Admins, Teachers, Students, and Parents.
Core Features & Module Overview The application is built on the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js) with Socket.io for real-time communication.
Module Key Functionality Primary Roles User Management Login/Logout for Admin, Teacher, Student, Parent; JWT-based security. All Class & Subject Centralized management of classes (with sections) and class-wise subject assignment. Admin, Teacher
Timetable & Schedule Unified Page View for weekly periods, exams, and special events (holidays, PTMs). Admin (Edit), Teacher/Student/Parent (View)
Homework & Materials Teachers upload files; students submit homework; parents track status. Teacher, Student, Parent
Exams & Results Create exams, submit/publish results, enforce security rules (e.g., hiding invigilator name from students). Admin, Teacher, Student, Parent
Fees Management Admin sets fee structures; Parent views fees and tracks payment status. Admin, Parent, Student
Real-time Chat Private, secure chat between Teachers and Parents of their assigned classes (via Socket.io). Teacher, Parent
Announcements Target announcements to specific classes, roles, or the entire school. Admin, Teacher (Create)
🛠️ Setup Guide: How to Run Locally Follow these steps to get a copy of the project up and running on your local machine.
Prerequisites Node.js (Version 18.x or higher)
npm (Node Package Manager)
MongoDB Atlas account (or local MongoDB instance)
Step 1: Clone the Repository Open your terminal and clone the project:
Bash
git clone https://github.com/Beautymaurya28/SchoolTouch.git cd SchoolTouch Step 2: Backend (Server) Setup Navigate to the server directory:
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cd server Install all backend dependencies:
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npm install Configure Environment Variables (.env): Create a file named .env in the server folder. You must replace the placeholder values with your own secured credentials:
MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://<your_username>:<your_password>@/schooltouchDB?retryWrites=true&w=majority
JWT_SECRET=YOUR_VERY_STRONG_SECRET_KEY_HERE Crucial: Ensure your MongoDB Atlas IP Whitelist includes your current public IP address to allow a connection.
Start the Backend Server:
Bash
node index.js (The server will run on http://localhost:5000)
Step 3: Frontend (Client) Setup Open a NEW terminal tab/window and navigate to the client directory:
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cd .. cd client Install all frontend dependencies:
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npm install Start the React Application:
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npm start (The application will open in your browser at http://localhost:3000)
Accessing the System (Role Credentials) Initial Access Upon the first run, the system will redirect you to a First-Time Admin Signup page (if one is not created).
Create your main Admin account.
Testing Workflow Role Permissions Key Routes to Test Admin Full management control, creates all data. /admin/dashboard/teachers, /admin/dashboard/myclasses Teacher Views assigned classes, creates unit tests, submits marks. /teacher/dashboard/results, /teacher/dashboard/chat Student View-only: Timetable, Results, Homework. /student/dashboard/my-timetable, /student/dashboard/results Parent View-only: Child's status, Homework, Chat with Teacher. /parent/dashboard/fees, /parent/dashboard/chat (Note: For Teacher/Student/Parent access, you must first create those profiles through the Admin dashboard.)
Project Structure SchoolTouch-ERP/ ├── client/ │ ├── src/ │ │ └── components/ # All React UI components (.js & .css) ├── server/ │ ├── config/ # DB Connection Logic │ ├── controllers/ # Business Logic (e.g., studentController.js) │ ├── models/ # Mongoose Schemas (e.g., Exam.js, Message.js) │ ├── routes/ # API Endpoints (e.g., exams.js, chat.js) │ ├── middleware/ # Auth, Upload, etc. │ └── index.js # Main Server Entry Point └── README.md