From 3d3c9390b0bd406a10d84323946b04a3a1f1798f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:00:47 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/6] Initial plan


From 185a582c36aed4a08534311430e67774014d3504 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:25:36 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/6] Add Docker support and GitHub Actions workflow for
 container registry

- Create Dockerfiles for backend (NestJS) and frontend (React/Vite)
- Add .dockerignore files to optimize builds
- Create GitHub Actions workflow to build and push images to GHCR
- Add comprehensive Docker deployment documentation
- Handle circular dependency issues in package.json during builds

Co-authored-by: CodingF0X <79570460+CodingF0X@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 .github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml | 112 +++++++++++++
 DOCKER.md                               | 213 ++++++++++++++++++++++++
 backend/.dockerignore                   |  48 ++++++
 backend/Dockerfile                      |  47 ++++++
 frontend/.dockerignore                  |  42 +++++
 frontend/Dockerfile                     |  47 ++++++
 6 files changed, 509 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 .github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml
 create mode 100644 DOCKER.md
 create mode 100644 backend/.dockerignore
 create mode 100644 backend/Dockerfile
 create mode 100644 frontend/.dockerignore
 create mode 100644 frontend/Dockerfile

diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml b/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98844da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+name: Build and Push Docker Images
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop
+    tags:
+      - 'v*.*.*'
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+env:
+  REGISTRY: ghcr.io
+  IMAGE_NAME_BACKEND: ${{ github.repository }}/backend
+  IMAGE_NAME_FRONTEND: ${{ github.repository }}/frontend
+
+jobs:
+  build-and-push-backend:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      packages: write
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Log in to GitHub Container Registry
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Extract metadata for Docker (backend)
+        id: meta
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        with:
+          images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME_BACKEND }}
+          tags: |
+            type=ref,event=branch
+            type=ref,event=pr
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}
+            type=sha,prefix={{branch}}-
+            type=raw,value=latest,enable={{is_default_branch}}
+
+      - name: Build and push Backend Docker image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
+        with:
+          context: ./backend
+          file: ./backend/Dockerfile
+          push: ${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
+          tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
+          labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
+          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
+
+  build-and-push-frontend:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      packages: write
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Log in to GitHub Container Registry
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Extract metadata for Docker (frontend)
+        id: meta
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        with:
+          images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME_FRONTEND }}
+          tags: |
+            type=ref,event=branch
+            type=ref,event=pr
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}
+            type=sha,prefix={{branch}}-
+            type=raw,value=latest,enable={{is_default_branch}}
+
+      - name: Build and push Frontend Docker image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
+        with:
+          context: ./frontend
+          file: ./frontend/Dockerfile
+          push: ${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
+          tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
+          labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
+          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
diff --git a/DOCKER.md b/DOCKER.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b534fbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DOCKER.md
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+# Docker Deployment Guide
+
+This guide explains how to build and deploy the Chat App using Docker and the automated GitHub Actions workflow.
+
+## Overview
+
+The Chat App consists of two main components:
+- **Backend**: NestJS application (port 3000)
+- **Frontend**: React application served by nginx (port 80)
+
+Each component has its own Dockerfile for building optimized production images.
+
+## GitHub Actions Workflow
+
+The repository includes an automated workflow (`.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml`) that:
+
+1. **Builds Docker images** for both backend and frontend
+2. **Pushes images** to GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io)
+3. **Tags images** appropriately based on the trigger:
+   - `latest` tag for the default branch (main)
+   - Branch name tags for branch pushes
+   - Semantic version tags for version tags (v*.*.*)
+   - PR tags for pull requests
+   - SHA-based tags for all builds
+
+### Triggering the Workflow
+
+The workflow automatically runs on:
+- Push to `main` or `develop` branches
+- Creation of version tags (e.g., `v1.0.0`)
+- Pull requests to `main` or `develop`
+- Manual trigger via GitHub Actions UI
+
+### Accessing Built Images
+
+After the workflow completes, images are available at:
+- Backend: `ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest`
+- Frontend: `ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest`
+
+To pull and run the images:
+
+```bash
+# Pull images
+docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest
+
+# Run backend
+docker run -p 3000:3000 \
+  -e MONGODB_URI=mongodb://your-mongo-uri \
+  -e JWT_SECRET=your-secret \
+  ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+
+# Run frontend
+docker run -p 80:80 ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest
+```
+
+## Local Docker Build
+
+### Building Images Locally
+
+To build the Docker images locally:
+
+```bash
+# Build backend image
+cd backend
+docker build -t chat-app-backend .
+
+# Build frontend image
+cd frontend
+docker build -t chat-app-frontend .
+```
+
+### Running Locally with Docker
+
+```bash
+# Run backend
+docker run -d \
+  --name chat-backend \
+  -p 3000:3000 \
+  -e MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/chatapp \
+  -e JWT_SECRET=your-secret-key \
+  -e AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-aws-key \
+  -e AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-aws-secret \
+  -e S3_BUCKET_NAME=your-bucket \
+  chat-app-backend
+
+# Run frontend
+docker run -d \
+  --name chat-frontend \
+  -p 80:80 \
+  chat-app-frontend
+```
+
+## Docker Compose (Optional)
+
+You can create a `docker-compose.yml` file for easier local development:
+
+```yaml
+version: '3.8'
+
+services:
+  backend:
+    build: ./backend
+    ports:
+      - "3000:3000"
+    environment:
+      - MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/chatapp
+      - JWT_SECRET=dev-secret-key
+      - STAGE=prod
+    depends_on:
+      - mongo
+
+  frontend:
+    build: ./frontend
+    ports:
+      - "80:80"
+    depends_on:
+      - backend
+
+  mongo:
+    image: mongo:latest
+    ports:
+      - "27017:27017"
+    volumes:
+      - mongo-data:/data/db
+
+volumes:
+  mongo-data:
+```
+
+Then run:
+```bash
+docker-compose up -d
+```
+
+## Image Features
+
+### Backend Image
+- **Base**: node:20-slim (optimized for size)
+- **Multi-stage build**: Separate build and production stages
+- **Security**: Runs as non-root user (nestjs:nodejs)
+- **Health check**: Built-in health check endpoint
+- **Port**: 3000
+
+### Frontend Image
+- **Base Builder**: node:20-slim
+- **Base Production**: nginx:alpine (minimal size)
+- **Multi-stage build**: Build with Node, serve with nginx
+- **SPA Support**: Configured for React Router
+- **Health check**: nginx health check
+- **Port**: 80
+
+## Environment Variables
+
+### Backend Required Variables:
+- `MONGODB_URI`: MongoDB connection string
+- `JWT_SECRET`: Secret for JWT token generation
+- `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`: AWS credentials for S3
+- `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`: AWS credentials for S3
+- `S3_BUCKET_NAME`: S3 bucket for file uploads
+- `STAGE`: Environment stage (dev/prod)
+
+### Frontend Configuration:
+The frontend build includes the API endpoint configuration. Update the environment variables before building if needed.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Build Issues
+- **Circular dependency**: The Dockerfiles automatically remove the circular `"backend": "file:"` and `"frontend": "file:"` dependencies from package.json
+- **Network timeouts**: Use `--legacy-peer-deps` flag (already included in Dockerfiles)
+- **Missing packages**: The build uses `npm install` without lock file to avoid corruption issues
+
+### Runtime Issues
+- **Backend won't start**: Check environment variables, especially `MONGODB_URI`
+- **Frontend 404 errors**: nginx is configured for SPA routing, check browser console for API errors
+- **Connection refused**: Ensure backend is accessible at the configured API endpoint
+
+## Production Deployment
+
+For production deployment:
+
+1. **Use version tags** instead of `latest`:
+   ```bash
+   docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:v1.0.0
+   ```
+
+2. **Set proper environment variables** using secrets management
+
+3. **Use orchestration** (Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, or ECS) for:
+   - Auto-scaling
+   - Load balancing
+   - Health checks
+   - Rolling updates
+
+4. **Monitor logs**:
+   ```bash
+   docker logs -f chat-backend
+   docker logs -f chat-frontend
+   ```
+
+## GitHub Container Registry Authentication
+
+To push/pull from GHCR locally:
+
+```bash
+# Login to GHCR
+echo $GITHUB_TOKEN | docker login ghcr.io -u USERNAME --password-stdin
+
+# Pull private images
+docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+```
+
+The GitHub Actions workflow uses `GITHUB_TOKEN` automatically, no manual configuration needed.
diff --git a/backend/.dockerignore b/backend/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31f77c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Dependencies
+node_modules
+npm-debug.log
+package-lock.json
+
+# Testing
+coverage
+.nyc_output
+*.spec.ts
+test
+
+# Build outputs
+dist
+
+# Environment files
+.env
+.env.local
+.env.*.local
+.env.stage.prod
+
+# IDE
+.idea
+.vscode
+*.swp
+*.swo
+*~
+
+# OS
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
+
+# Git
+.git
+.gitignore
+.gitattributes
+
+# Documentation
+README.md
+*.md
+
+# Logs
+logs
+*.log
+
+# Misc
+.prettierrc
+.eslintrc.js
+module-deps.png
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52f6be6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Build stage
+FROM node:20-slim AS builder
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install all dependencies by only copying package.json (not package-lock.json)
+# This avoids the circular dependency issue in package-lock.json
+COPY package.json ./
+RUN npm pkg delete dependencies.backend 2>/dev/null || true && \
+    npm install --legacy-peer-deps
+
+# Copy source code
+COPY . .
+
+# Build the application
+RUN npm run build
+
+# Production stage
+FROM node:20-slim
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Create a non-root user
+RUN groupadd -g 1001 nodejs && \
+    useradd -r -u 1001 -g nodejs nestjs
+
+# Install only production dependencies
+COPY package.json ./
+RUN npm pkg delete dependencies.backend 2>/dev/null || true && \
+    npm install --omit=dev --legacy-peer-deps
+
+# Copy built application from builder stage
+COPY --from=builder --chown=nestjs:nodejs /app/dist ./dist
+
+# Switch to non-root user
+USER nestjs
+
+# Expose the application port
+EXPOSE 3000
+
+# Health check
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=3s --start-period=40s \
+  CMD node -e "require('http').get('http://localhost:3000/health', (r) => {process.exit(r.statusCode === 200 ? 0 : 1)})" || exit 1
+
+# Start the application
+CMD ["node", "dist/main"]
+
diff --git a/frontend/.dockerignore b/frontend/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8b42c4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# Dependencies
+node_modules
+npm-debug.log
+package-lock.json
+
+# Build outputs
+dist
+
+# Environment files
+.env
+.env.local
+.env.*.local
+
+# IDE
+.idea
+.vscode
+*.swp
+*.swo
+*~
+
+# OS
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
+
+# Git
+.git
+.gitignore
+.gitattributes
+
+# Documentation
+README.md
+*.md
+
+# Logs
+logs
+*.log
+
+# Misc
+.prettierrc
+eslint.config.js
+codegen.ts
+vite.config.ts
diff --git a/frontend/Dockerfile b/frontend/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08d05a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Build stage
+FROM node:20-slim AS builder
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# Install dependencies by only copying package.json (not package-lock.json)
+# This avoids the circular dependency issue in package-lock.json
+COPY package.json ./
+RUN npm pkg delete dependencies.frontend 2>/dev/null || true && \
+    npm install --legacy-peer-deps
+
+# Copy source code
+COPY . .
+
+# Build the application
+RUN npm run build
+
+# Production stage
+FROM nginx:alpine
+
+# Copy custom nginx config if needed
+COPY --from=builder /app/dist /usr/share/nginx/html
+
+# Create nginx config for SPA
+RUN echo 'server { \n\
+    listen 80; \n\
+    location / { \n\
+        root /usr/share/nginx/html; \n\
+        index index.html index.htm; \n\
+        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html; \n\
+    } \n\
+    error_page 500 502 503 504 /50x.html; \n\
+    location = /50x.html { \n\
+        root /usr/share/nginx/html; \n\
+    } \n\
+}' > /etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf
+
+# Expose port
+EXPOSE 80
+
+# Health check
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=3s --start-period=10s \
+  CMD wget --quiet --tries=1 --spider http://localhost/ || exit 1
+
+# Start nginx
+CMD ["nginx", "-g", "daemon off;"]
+

From 7c085bf1d10583b5f486e18f5080e72e7e62c98f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:26:30 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 3/6] Add docker-compose.yml and environment configuration

- Add docker-compose.yml for easy local development
- Add .env.example template for environment variables
- Update DOCKER.md with docker-compose usage instructions
- Configure health checks for all services
- Add MongoDB service with persistent volumes

Co-authored-by: CodingF0X <79570460+CodingF0X@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 .env.example       | 18 +++++++++++
 DOCKER.md          | 68 +++++++++++++++++++-----------------------
 docker-compose.yml | 74 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 123 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 .env.example
 create mode 100644 docker-compose.yml

diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd04bd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# MongoDB Configuration
+MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/chatapp
+
+# JWT Configuration
+JWT_SECRET=change-this-to-a-secure-random-string
+JWT_EXPIRATION=3600
+
+# Cookie Configuration
+COOKIE_EXPIRATION=3600000
+
+# AWS S3 Configuration (for file uploads)
+AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-aws-access-key-id
+AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-aws-secret-access-key
+S3_BUCKET_NAME=your-s3-bucket-name
+AWS_REGION=us-east-1
+
+# Application Stage
+STAGE=prod
diff --git a/DOCKER.md b/DOCKER.md
index b534fbc..e8c43e8 100644
--- a/DOCKER.md
+++ b/DOCKER.md
@@ -91,48 +91,42 @@ docker run -d \
   chat-app-frontend
 ```
 
-## Docker Compose (Optional)
-
-You can create a `docker-compose.yml` file for easier local development:
-
-```yaml
-version: '3.8'
-
-services:
-  backend:
-    build: ./backend
-    ports:
-      - "3000:3000"
-    environment:
-      - MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/chatapp
-      - JWT_SECRET=dev-secret-key
-      - STAGE=prod
-    depends_on:
-      - mongo
-
-  frontend:
-    build: ./frontend
-    ports:
-      - "80:80"
-    depends_on:
-      - backend
-
-  mongo:
-    image: mongo:latest
-    ports:
-      - "27017:27017"
-    volumes:
-      - mongo-data:/data/db
-
-volumes:
-  mongo-data:
-```
+## Docker Compose
+
+For easier local development and testing, use the included `docker-compose.yml`:
 
-Then run:
 ```bash
+# Copy environment variables template
+cp .env.example .env
+
+# Edit .env with your configuration
+nano .env  # or use your preferred editor
+
+# Start all services (backend, frontend, and MongoDB)
 docker-compose up -d
+
+# View logs
+docker-compose logs -f
+
+# Stop all services
+docker-compose down
+
+# Stop and remove volumes (WARNING: This deletes database data)
+docker-compose down -v
 ```
 
+The docker-compose setup includes:
+- **MongoDB**: Database service with persistent volume
+- **Backend**: NestJS application connected to MongoDB
+- **Frontend**: React application served by nginx
+- **Health checks**: All services have health checks configured
+- **Automatic restart**: Services restart on failure
+
+Access the application:
+- Frontend: http://localhost
+- Backend API: http://localhost:3000
+- MongoDB: localhost:27017
+
 ## Image Features
 
 ### Backend Image
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f56c2b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+version: '3.8'
+
+services:
+  # MongoDB Database
+  mongo:
+    image: mongo:latest
+    container_name: chat-mongo
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    ports:
+      - "27017:27017"
+    volumes:
+      - mongo-data:/data/db
+    environment:
+      - MONGO_INITDB_DATABASE=chatapp
+    healthcheck:
+      test: echo 'db.runCommand("ping").ok' | mongosh localhost:27017/chatapp --quiet
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 5
+
+  # Backend Service
+  backend:
+    build:
+      context: ./backend
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    container_name: chat-backend
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    ports:
+      - "3000:3000"
+    environment:
+      - MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/chatapp
+      - JWT_SECRET=dev-secret-key-change-in-production
+      - STAGE=prod
+      - AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:-your-aws-key}
+      - AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:-your-aws-secret}
+      - S3_BUCKET_NAME=${S3_BUCKET_NAME:-your-bucket}
+      - JWT_EXPIRATION=3600
+      - COOKIE_EXPIRATION=3600000
+    depends_on:
+      mongo:
+        condition: service_healthy
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "node", "-e", "require('http').get('http://localhost:3000/health', (r) => {process.exit(r.statusCode === 200 ? 0 : 1)})"]
+      interval: 30s
+      timeout: 3s
+      retries: 3
+      start_period: 40s
+
+  # Frontend Service
+  frontend:
+    build:
+      context: ./frontend
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
+    container_name: chat-frontend
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    ports:
+      - "80:80"
+    depends_on:
+      backend:
+        condition: service_healthy
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "wget", "--quiet", "--tries=1", "--spider", "http://localhost/"]
+      interval: 30s
+      timeout: 3s
+      retries: 3
+      start_period: 10s
+
+volumes:
+  mongo-data:
+    driver: local
+
+networks:
+  default:
+    name: chat-network

From 83d8b44055a01c8d8de59ffa73707a5fcb6ce6b5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:27:29 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 4/6] Add QUICKSTART guide and update main README

- Add QUICKSTART.md with step-by-step Docker setup instructions
- Update README.md with Docker deployment section
- Add references to Docker documentation
- Document container registry usage

Co-authored-by: CodingF0X <79570460+CodingF0X@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 QUICKSTART.md | 161 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 README.md     |  34 +++++++++++
 2 files changed, 195 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 QUICKSTART.md

diff --git a/QUICKSTART.md b/QUICKSTART.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..050bd74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/QUICKSTART.md
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+# Quick Start Guide - Docker Deployment
+
+This guide will help you quickly set up and run the Chat App using Docker.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Docker installed (version 20.10 or higher)
+- Docker Compose installed (version 2.0 or higher)
+- Git (to clone the repository)
+
+## Quick Start (Local Development)
+
+1. **Clone the repository:**
+   ```bash
+   git clone https://github.com/CodingF0X/Chat-app.git
+   cd Chat-app
+   ```
+
+2. **Configure environment variables:**
+   ```bash
+   cp .env.example .env
+   # Edit .env with your actual AWS credentials and secrets
+   nano .env
+   ```
+
+3. **Start all services:**
+   ```bash
+   docker-compose up -d
+   ```
+
+4. **Access the application:**
+   - Frontend: http://localhost
+   - Backend API: http://localhost:3000
+   - MongoDB: localhost:27017
+
+5. **View logs:**
+   ```bash
+   # All services
+   docker-compose logs -f
+   
+   # Specific service
+   docker-compose logs -f backend
+   docker-compose logs -f frontend
+   ```
+
+6. **Stop services:**
+   ```bash
+   docker-compose down
+   ```
+
+## Quick Start (Using Pre-built Images from GitHub Container Registry)
+
+If the Docker images have been built and published via GitHub Actions:
+
+1. **Pull the images:**
+   ```bash
+   docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+   docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest
+   ```
+
+2. **Run MongoDB:**
+   ```bash
+   docker run -d \
+     --name chat-mongo \
+     -p 27017:27017 \
+     -v mongo-data:/data/db \
+     mongo:latest
+   ```
+
+3. **Run Backend:**
+   ```bash
+   docker run -d \
+     --name chat-backend \
+     -p 3000:3000 \
+     -e MONGODB_URI=mongodb://host.docker.internal:27017/chatapp \
+     -e JWT_SECRET=your-secret-key \
+     -e AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-aws-key \
+     -e AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-aws-secret \
+     -e S3_BUCKET_NAME=your-bucket \
+     ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+   ```
+
+4. **Run Frontend:**
+   ```bash
+   docker run -d \
+     --name chat-frontend \
+     -p 80:80 \
+     ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest
+   ```
+
+## GitHub Actions - Automated Builds
+
+The repository includes a GitHub Actions workflow that automatically:
+
+1. Builds Docker images when you push to `main` or `develop` branches
+2. Pushes images to GitHub Container Registry (GHCR)
+3. Tags images appropriately
+
+### How to trigger a build:
+
+- **Push to main/develop:** Images are built and pushed automatically
+- **Create a version tag:** `git tag v1.0.0 && git push origin v1.0.0`
+- **Manual trigger:** Go to Actions tab in GitHub → Select workflow → Run workflow
+
+### Access built images:
+
+Images are available at:
+- `ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest`
+- `ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest`
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Services won't start
+```bash
+# Check service status
+docker-compose ps
+
+# View logs for errors
+docker-compose logs
+```
+
+### Database connection issues
+```bash
+# Ensure MongoDB is running
+docker-compose ps mongo
+
+# Check MongoDB logs
+docker-compose logs mongo
+```
+
+### Port already in use
+```bash
+# Find what's using the port
+sudo lsof -i :3000  # For backend
+sudo lsof -i :80    # For frontend
+
+# Or change ports in docker-compose.yml
+```
+
+### Reset everything
+```bash
+# Stop and remove all containers, networks, and volumes
+docker-compose down -v
+
+# Start fresh
+docker-compose up -d
+```
+
+## Next Steps
+
+- Read [DOCKER.md](./DOCKER.md) for detailed documentation
+- Configure AWS S3 for file uploads
+- Set up proper JWT secrets for production
+- Consider using Kubernetes for production deployment
+
+## Support
+
+For issues or questions:
+- Create an issue on GitHub
+- Check existing documentation in DOCKER.md
+- Review Docker logs for error messages
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a135c1e..af3ea13 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -210,3 +210,37 @@ npm run test:e2e         # run end-to-end tests
 npm run dev           # start Vite development server
 npm run build         # production build
 npm run codegen       # generate GraphQL types/hooks
+```
+
+---
+
+## Docker Deployment
+
+The application supports Docker containerization with automated builds via GitHub Actions.
+
+### Quick Start with Docker
+
+```bash
+# Using Docker Compose (recommended for local development)
+docker-compose up -d
+
+# Or pull pre-built images from GitHub Container Registry
+docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+docker pull ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest
+```
+
+### Documentation
+
+- **[QUICKSTART.md](./QUICKSTART.md)** - Quick setup guide for Docker
+- **[DOCKER.md](./DOCKER.md)** - Comprehensive Docker deployment documentation
+
+### Container Registry
+
+Docker images are automatically built and pushed to GitHub Container Registry (GHCR) via GitHub Actions when:
+- Code is pushed to `main` or `develop` branches
+- Version tags are created (e.g., `v1.0.0`)
+- Manually triggered via GitHub Actions UI
+
+**Available Images:**
+- Backend: `ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest`
+- Frontend: `ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/frontend:latest`

From aecf3754de8223390026d0572e32e79f0e2f33e4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:29:23 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 5/6] Address code review feedback

- Fix frontend/.dockerignore to include vite.config.ts (required for build)
- Update docker-compose.yml to use environment variable for JWT_SECRET
- Add Linux-specific MongoDB connection instructions in QUICKSTART.md
- Add comment clarifying wget availability in nginx:alpine

Co-authored-by: CodingF0X <79570460+CodingF0X@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 QUICKSTART.md          | 12 ++++++++++++
 docker-compose.yml     |  2 +-
 frontend/.dockerignore |  1 -
 frontend/Dockerfile    |  2 +-
 4 files changed, 14 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/QUICKSTART.md b/QUICKSTART.md
index 050bd74..928f104 100644
--- a/QUICKSTART.md
+++ b/QUICKSTART.md
@@ -79,6 +79,18 @@ If the Docker images have been built and published via GitHub Actions:
      -e S3_BUCKET_NAME=your-bucket \
      ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
    ```
+   
+   **Note for Linux users:** Replace `host.docker.internal` with `172.17.0.1` (Docker bridge IP) or use `--network host` mode.
+   
+   ```bash
+   # Alternative for Linux
+   docker run -d \
+     --name chat-backend \
+     -p 3000:3000 \
+     -e MONGODB_URI=mongodb://172.17.0.1:27017/chatapp \
+     -e JWT_SECRET=your-secret-key \
+     ghcr.io/codingf0x/chat-app/backend:latest
+   ```
 
 4. **Run Frontend:**
    ```bash
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index f56c2b2..fd6e832 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ services:
       - "3000:3000"
     environment:
       - MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/chatapp
-      - JWT_SECRET=dev-secret-key-change-in-production
+      - JWT_SECRET=${JWT_SECRET:-please-change-this-secret-in-production}
       - STAGE=prod
       - AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:-your-aws-key}
       - AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:-your-aws-secret}
diff --git a/frontend/.dockerignore b/frontend/.dockerignore
index 8b42c4a..f9c0a77 100644
--- a/frontend/.dockerignore
+++ b/frontend/.dockerignore
@@ -39,4 +39,3 @@ logs
 .prettierrc
 eslint.config.js
 codegen.ts
-vite.config.ts
diff --git a/frontend/Dockerfile b/frontend/Dockerfile
index 08d05a2..57b27d1 100644
--- a/frontend/Dockerfile
+++ b/frontend/Dockerfile
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ RUN echo 'server { \n\
 # Expose port
 EXPOSE 80
 
-# Health check
+# Health check using wget (installed in nginx:alpine)
 HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=3s --start-period=10s \
   CMD wget --quiet --tries=1 --spider http://localhost/ || exit 1
 

From ef264e0473f365bb51efdbd2d6b7b9db2ee10ef2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "copilot-swe-agent[bot]" <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:31:33 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 6/6] Optimize workflow and improve security

- Make multi-platform builds conditional (only on version tags) for faster CI
- Remove default JWT_SECRET from docker-compose.yml for better security
- Update DOCKER.md to emphasize JWT_SECRET requirement
- Add command to generate secure JWT_SECRET

Co-authored-by: CodingF0X <79570460+CodingF0X@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 .github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml | 6 ++++--
 DOCKER.md                               | 5 ++++-
 docker-compose.yml                      | 2 +-
 3 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml b/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml
index 98844da..25af346 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker-build-push.yml
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ jobs:
           labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
           cache-from: type=gha
           cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
-          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
+          # Build for multiple platforms only on version tags for faster CI
+          platforms: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v') && 'linux/amd64,linux/arm64' || 'linux/amd64' }}
 
   build-and-push-frontend:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -109,4 +110,5 @@ jobs:
           labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
           cache-from: type=gha
           cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
-          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
+          # Build for multiple platforms only on version tags for faster CI
+          platforms: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v') && 'linux/amd64,linux/arm64' || 'linux/amd64' }}
diff --git a/DOCKER.md b/DOCKER.md
index e8c43e8..523195c 100644
--- a/DOCKER.md
+++ b/DOCKER.md
@@ -99,9 +99,12 @@ For easier local development and testing, use the included `docker-compose.yml`:
 # Copy environment variables template
 cp .env.example .env
 
-# Edit .env with your configuration
+# Edit .env with your configuration (REQUIRED: Set JWT_SECRET)
 nano .env  # or use your preferred editor
 
+# IMPORTANT: You MUST set JWT_SECRET in .env before starting
+# Generate a secure secret: openssl rand -base64 32
+
 # Start all services (backend, frontend, and MongoDB)
 docker-compose up -d
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index fd6e832..9d62ae7 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ services:
       - "3000:3000"
     environment:
       - MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/chatapp
-      - JWT_SECRET=${JWT_SECRET:-please-change-this-secret-in-production}
+      - JWT_SECRET=${JWT_SECRET}
       - STAGE=prod
       - AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:-your-aws-key}
       - AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:-your-aws-secret}