Saints Directory Web App

A simple web application to browse, search, and favorite Catholic saints.
Built with Node.js, Express, EJS, MongoDB, and vanilla JavaScript.

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Features

• List all saints with their basic information (birth, death, vocation, country).
• Search saints dynamically by name.
• Mark saints as favorites with a star icon.
• View all saints or only favorited saints.
• Favorites are saved per user in the database.
• Smooth, minimalistic user experience with instant UI updates.

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Technologies Used

• Backend:
  • Node.js
  • Express.js
  • MongoDB (favorites storage)
• Frontend:
  • EJS templates
  • Vanilla JavaScript (no frameworks)
  • Font Awesome icons (for star/favorite)

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Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/saints-directory.git
   cd saints-directory

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Environment Variables:
   Create a .env file with the following:

   MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
   SESSION_SECRET=your_session_secret
   

4. Run the server:

   node server.js

   Navigate to localhost:8080

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How It Works

• When a user logs in and visits the profile page, the server sends:
  • The list of saints.
  • The list of the user's favorites.
• Saints are dynamically rendered in the frontend.
• Clicking the star toggles the favorite status for a saint.
• Favorites are stored in the favorites collection in MongoDB, associated with the user ID.
• The interface allows toggling between viewing All Saints and Favorites Only.

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Future Improvements

• Pagination or lazy loading for large saint databases.
• Add filters by country, century, or vocation.
• Allow viewing full saint profiles with extended biographies.
• Dark mode toggle.

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License

This project is open-source and available under the MIT License.

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Acknowledgments

• Font Awesome for icons.
• Catholic databases for saint data.

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Author

Jorge Garcia