eKitab - P2P eBook Store

Avinash Pokhrel

Table of Contents

• Project Overview
• Features
• Tech Stack
• Screenshots
• Project Setup
• Conclusion

Project Overview

eKitab is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) eBook store that allows users to upload, download, and manage digital books. Built with modern web technologies, the platform offers seamless user authentication, a secure book management system, and a dynamic marketplace where publishers can upload their eBooks directly to readers.

Features

• JWT Authentication with Email Verification
• Book Upload & File Management
• Peer-to-Peer Purchase Flow
• Payment Integration with eSewa
• Review & Rating System
• Publisher Dashboard
• Fully Dockerized Setup

Tech Stack

• Frontend:

  • React.js
  • Zustand (state management)
  • Tailwind CSS
  • Radix UI (for UI components)

• Backend:

  • Node.js
  • Express.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • JWT Authentication
  • MinIO (Cloud Storage)

• DevOps:

  • Docker

Screenshots

Project Setup

To get a local copy of eKitab up and running on your machine, follow these simple steps:

Prerequisites

• Node.js: Ensure you have Node.js installed (LTS version recommended).
• Docker: If you're using Docker for containerization.

Installation Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/xetri/eKitab.git

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   
   # Frontend
   cd eKitab/client
   npm install
   
   # Backend
   cd eKitab/server
   npm install

3. Setup the database:

   To ensure that PostgreSQL is running, use Docker to start the database container.

   docker run -e POSTGRES_USER=postgres -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres -e POSTGRES_DB=ekitab -p 5432:5432 docker.io/postgres:15.2-alpine

4. Set up Cloud Storage:

   MinIO is used to store book files. If running locally, you can start MinIO using Docker:

   docker run -p 9000:9000 -p 9001:9001 -e "MINIO_ACCESS_KEY=minioadmin" -e "MINIO_SECRET_KEY=minioadmin" -e "MINIO_ROOT_USER=minioadmin" -e "MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=minioadmin" docker.io/minio/minio server --console-address ":9001" /data

   Add the MinIO credentials to the .env file in the backend (e.g., MINIO_ACCESS_KEY, MINIO_SECRET_KEY, and MINIO_ENDPOINT).

5. Environment

   Create a .env file inside the Server folder

   CLIENT_URL=http://localhost:5173
   DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/ekitab
   JWT_SECRET_KEY=weak-secret-key
   
   MINIO_URL=http://localhost:9000
   MINIO_ENDPOINT=localhost
   MINIO_PORT=9000
   MINIO_ACCESS_KEY=minioadmin
   MINIO_SECRET_KEY=minioadmin
   MINIO_BUCKET=ekitab
   MINIO_USE_SSL=false
   

   Create a .env file inside the Client folder

   VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:8000/api
   VITE_CDN_URL=http://localhost:9000/ekitab
   

6. Run the project:

   npm install # First install the monorepo dependenices.
   npm run preinstall # Install all the dependencies for the whole project (client and server).
   npm run build
   npm run dev # For cloud and database in a seperate terminal, should be run through the program.
   npm run start # Starts the frontend & backend.

   For development mode, use the following commands:

   Start the database

   npm run db
   

   Start the Cloud Server

   npm run cloud
   

   Start the frontend:

   npm run client

   Start the backend:

   npm run server

The application should now be running locally at http://localhost:3000 (or your configured port).

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Challenges Faced

• Integrating JWT-based authentication with access and refresh tokens for secure user sessions.
• Managing book uploads and secure storage using MinIO with public-access CDN behavior.
• Maintaining global state across authentication, uploaded books, and reviews using Zustand.
• Handling CORS issues in a full-stack environment with multiple services.
• Implementing file upload previews and validation for cover images and eBook files.
• Creating and maintaining clean, developer-friendly documentation.

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Conclusion

This internship project was a highly enriching experience that allowed me to build a fully functional peer-to-peer eBook marketplace from scratch using modern web technologies. Through the real-world integration of secure authentication, cloud storage (MinIO), I developed a deeper understanding of full-stack application architecture and DevOps workflows.

The project not only sharpened my React and Node.js skills but also gave me practical exposure to working with authentication, database, and cloud storage.

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Thanks to Digital Pathshala for providing this opportunity to gain hands-on development experience and boost my confidence as a full-stack developer.