Library Management System

A modern, full-stack library management application built with the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) and Tailwind CSS.

🚀 Features

For Users

• User Authentication: Secure registration and login with JWT
• Book Browsing: Search, filter, and browse the library catalog
• Book Borrowing: Borrow books with due date selection
• Borrow History: Track all borrowed books and their status
• Dashboard: Overview of borrowing statistics and recent activity
• Responsive Design: Works seamlessly on desktop and mobile devices

For Administrators

• Admin Panel: Comprehensive dashboard with library statistics
• Book Management: Add, edit, and manage books in the catalog
• User Management: View and manage user accounts
• Borrowing Management: Process book returns and track overdue items
• Fine Calculation: Automatic fine calculation for overdue books
• Reports: Generate borrowing and fine reports

🛠️ Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js - Runtime environment
• Express.js - Web framework
• MongoDB - Database
• Mongoose - ODM for MongoDB
• JWT - Authentication
• bcryptjs - Password hashing
• express-validator - Input validation
• helmet - Security middleware
• cors - Cross-origin resource sharing
• morgan - HTTP request logger

Frontend

• React 19 - UI library
• Vite - Build tool
• React Router - Client-side routing
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first CSS framework
• Axios - HTTP client
• React Hook Form - Form handling
• React Hot Toast - Toast notifications
• Lucide React - Icon library
• date-fns - Date manipulation

📁 Project Structure

Library Management/
├── client/                 # Frontend React application
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── components/     # Reusable UI components
│   │   ├── context/        # React context providers
│   │   ├── hooks/          # Custom React hooks
│   │   ├── pages/          # Page components
│   │   ├── services/       # API service functions
│   │   ├── App.jsx         # Main app component
│   │   └── main.jsx        # App entry point
│   ├── package.json
│   └── vite.config.js
├── server/                 # Backend Node.js application
│   ├── config/             # Configuration files
│   ├── middleware/         # Express middleware
│   ├── models/             # MongoDB models
│   ├── routes/             # API routes
│   ├── index.js            # Server entry point
│   └── package.json
└── README.md

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• MongoDB (local installation or MongoDB Atlas)
• npm or yarn package manager

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd Library-Management

2. Install backend dependencies

   cd server
   npm install

3. Install frontend dependencies

   cd ../client
   npm install

4. Set up environment variables

   Create a .env file in the server directory:

   PORT=8000
   MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/library_management
   JWT_SECRET=your_super_secret_jwt_key_change_in_production
   NODE_ENV=development

5. Start the development servers

   Backend:

   cd server
   npm run dev

   Frontend:

   cd client
   npm run dev

6. Access the application

   • Frontend: http://localhost:5173
   • Backend API: http://localhost:8000

📚 API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /api/auth/register - User registration
• POST /api/auth/login - User login
• GET /api/auth/me - Get current user

Books

• GET /api/books - Get all books (with pagination, search, filters)
• GET /api/books/:id - Get single book
• POST /api/books - Create new book (admin only)
• PUT /api/books/:id - Update book (admin only)
• DELETE /api/books/:id - Delete book (admin only)
• GET /api/books/categories - Get book categories

Borrows

• GET /api/borrows - Get user's borrows (or all for admin)
• GET /api/borrows/:id - Get single borrow
• POST /api/borrows - Borrow a book
• PUT /api/borrows/:id/return - Return a book (admin only)
• GET /api/borrows/overdue - Get overdue books (admin only)
• GET /api/borrows/stats - Get borrowing statistics (admin only)

🎨 UI/UX Features

• Modern Design: Clean, professional interface with Tailwind CSS
• Responsive Layout: Mobile-first design approach
• Interactive Elements: Hover effects, transitions, and animations
• Loading States: Skeleton loaders and spinners
• Toast Notifications: User feedback for actions
• Form Validation: Real-time validation with error messages
• Accessibility: ARIA labels and keyboard navigation

🔒 Security Features

• JWT Authentication: Secure token-based authentication
• Password Hashing: bcryptjs for password security
• Input Validation: Server-side validation with express-validator
• Rate Limiting: API rate limiting to prevent abuse
• CORS Protection: Configured CORS for security
• Helmet.js: Security headers middleware
• Environment Variables: Secure configuration management

📊 Database Schema

User Model

• Name, email, password
• Role (user/admin)
• Membership number
• Contact information
• Address details

Book Model

• Title, author, ISBN
• Category, description
• Publication details
• Copy management (total/available)
• Location information

Borrow Model

• User and book references
• Borrow and due dates
• Status tracking
• Fine calculation
• Notes and metadata

🚀 Deployment

Backend Deployment (Heroku)

1. Create a Heroku account
2. Install Heroku CLI
3. Create a new Heroku app
4. Set environment variables in Heroku dashboard
5. Deploy using Git

Frontend Deployment (Vercel/Netlify)

1. Build the project: npm run build
2. Deploy the dist folder to your preferred platform

✍️ Author: Shruti Singh

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request