🌐 Social Network

A robust, full-stack social media application built with Spring Boot. This platform enables users to connect, share content, and communicate in real-time.

---

🚀 Features

• User Authentication: Secure registration and login system (JWT/Spring Security).
• Dynamic Feed: Create, read, update, and delete posts with ease.
• Real-time Interaction: Instant messaging/chat functionality powered by WebSockets.
• User Profiles: Customizable profiles to showcase user information and activity.
• Responsive Design: Optimized for both desktop and mobile viewing.

---

🛠️ Tech Stack

Layer	Technology
Backend	Java, Spring Boot, Spring Security, Hibernate/JPA
Database	MySQL / PostgreSQL
Real-time	WebSockets / STOMP
Frontend	(e.g., Thymeleaf / React / Angular)
Build Tool	Maven

---

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• Java 17 or higher
• Maven 3.6+
• MySQL/PostgreSQL (configured and running)

---

⚙️ Installation & Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone [https://github.com/raymondoyondi/Social-Network.git](https://github.com/raymondoyondi/Social-Network.git)
   cd Social-Network
   

2. Configure the database: Update the src/main/resources/application.properties (or .yml) file with your database credentials:

   spring.datasource.url=jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/your_db_name
   spring.datasource.username=your_username
   spring.datasource.password=your_password
   

3. Build the project:

   mvn clean install
   

4. Run the application:

   mvn spring-boot:run
   

The application should now be accessible at http://localhost:8080.

---

🛣️ API Endpoints (Preview)

Method	Endpoint	Description
POST	/api/auth/register	Register a new user
POST	/api/auth/login	Authenticate and get token
GET	/api/posts	Fetch all public posts
POST	/api/posts	Create a new post
GET	/ws	WebSocket connection point

---

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are what make the open-source community such an amazing place to learn, inspire, and create. Any contributions you make are greatly appreciated.

1. Fork the Project
2. Create your Feature Branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your Changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the Branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

---

📄 License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.