Local Singles Date Night

Local Singles Date Night is a dating platform that flips the traditional model on its head: instead of paying for memberships or endless boosts, users pre-purchase a 1, 3, 5, or 10-dinner package from participating local restaurants and businesses.

🎯 Value Proposition

For Singles:

• Curated first-date experiences with local restaurants
• No endless swiping or chat fatigue
• Budget clarity with prepaid packages
• Safety features and verified profiles
• Real-world meetings with compatible matches

For Restaurants:

• Predictable prepaid revenue
• Demand smoothing on lower-traffic nights
• Turnkey co-marketing opportunities
• Reduced no-shows with prepaid bookings

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Docker and Docker Compose
• PostgreSQL (can use Docker)

Local Development

1. Clone and setup:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd lsdn
   cp .env.example .env

2. Start development environment:

   docker-compose up -d

3. Install dependencies:

   cd backend && npm install
   cd ../frontend && npm install
   cd ../partner-portal && npm install

4. Run migrations:

   cd backend
   npm run migrate

5. Start development servers:

   # Terminal 1: Backend
   cd backend && npm run dev
   
   # Terminal 2: Frontend
   cd frontend && npm run dev
   
   # Terminal 3: Partner Portal
   cd partner-portal && npm run dev

6. Access the applications:

   • Frontend: http://localhost:3000
   • Backend API: http://localhost:3001
   • Partner Portal: http://localhost:3002

🏗️ Architecture

Tech Stack

Backend:

• Node.js with Express.js
• TypeScript
• PostgreSQL with PostGIS
• Redis for caching
• Stripe for payments
• Cloudinary for image processing

Frontend:

• React 18 with TypeScript
• Vite for build tooling
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• React Query for state management
• React Hook Form for forms

Infrastructure:

• Docker for containerization
• Docker Compose for local development
• Render.com for easy deployment
• GitHub Actions for CI/CD

System Architecture

┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   React App     │    │   Restaurant    │    │   Admin Portal  │
│   (Frontend)    │    │   Partner Portal│    │   (Management)  │
└─────────┬───────┘    └─────────┬───────┘    └─────────┬───────┘
          │                      │                      │
          └──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┘
                                 │
                    ┌────────────▼────────────┐
                    │    Express.js API       │
                    │    (Backend Server)     │
                    └────────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                    ┌────────────▼────────────┐
                    │     PostgreSQL DB       │
                    │    (Primary Storage)    │
                    └────────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                    ┌────────────▼────────────┐
                    │        Redis            │
                    │    (Caching/Session)    │
                    └─────────────────────────┘
                                 │
                    ┌────────────┬────────────┐
                    │            │            │
          ┌─────────▼──┐  ┌──────▼────┐  ┌───▼──────┐
          │   Stripe   │  │ Cloudinary  │  │ SendGrid │
          │  Payments  │  │  Images     │  │  Email   │
          └────────────┘  └─────────────┘  └──────────┘

📖 Documentation

• System Architecture - Detailed technical architecture
• Project Structure - Code organization and structure
• Deployment Guide - Step-by-step deployment instructions
• API Documentation - Complete API reference

🎯 Key Features

User Experience

• Simple Registration - Email, basic profile, and preferences
• Package Purchase - Buy 1, 3, 5, or 10 dinner packages
• Time Window Commitment - Select availability and experience types
• Availability-First Matching - See only compatible, available candidates
• Limited "Ask" Functionality - Throttled invitations to prevent spam
• Post-Booking Chat - Messaging only opens after booking confirmation
• Safety Features - ID verification, photo moderation, safe check-ins

Restaurant Partner Experience

• Easy Onboarding - Simple registration and setup
• Menu Management - Configure prix-fixe packages and pricing
• Slot Management - Set availability and capacity
• Voucher Redemption - QR code scanning at point of service
• Analytics Dashboard - Track bookings, revenue, and performance

Admin Experience

• User Management - Approve, suspend, or remove users
• Partner Management - Approve and manage restaurant partners
• Content Moderation - Review and moderate user content
• Analytics - Monitor platform performance and metrics

🚀 Deployment

Easy Deployment Options

Render.com (Recommended):

• One-click deployment for all services
• Free PostgreSQL and Redis
• Automatic SSL and custom domains
• Deployment Guide

Railway:

• Simple deployment with minimal configuration
• Built-in database and cache services
• Deployment Guide

Vercel + Railway (Alternative):

• Frontend on Vercel, backend on Railway
• Best of both platforms
• Deployment Guide

Production Requirements

1. Environment Variables - Set all required environment variables
2. Database - PostgreSQL with PostGIS extension
3. Cache - Redis instance
4. Email - SMTP service (SendGrid, Mailgun, or Gmail)
5. Images - Cloudinary account for image processing
6. Payments - Stripe account for payment processing

🧪 Testing

Backend Tests

cd backend
npm run test
npm run test:coverage

Frontend Tests

cd frontend
npm run test
npm run test:coverage

E2E Tests

# Run all E2E tests
npm run test:e2e

# Run specific test suite
npm run test:e2e:frontend
npm run test:e2e:backend

🔧 Development

Code Style

• ESLint for linting
• Prettier for formatting
• Husky for pre-commit hooks
• TypeScript for type safety

Git Workflow

1. Create feature branch from main
2. Make changes with tests
3. Commit with descriptive message
4. Push to remote
5. Create pull request
6. Review and merge

Adding New Features

1. Create database migration
2. Add API endpoints
3. Update frontend components
4. Write tests
5. Update documentation

📊 Metrics and Monitoring

Key Performance Indicators

• Completed first dates per active user per month
• Restaurant partner NPS
• GMV and take rate
• Sign-up to package purchase conversion
• Ask to accept rate
• Show rate and no-show rate
• Slot utilization per venue

Monitoring Setup

• Application logs
• Database performance
• API response times
• Error tracking
• User analytics

🛡️ Security

Authentication

• JWT with refresh tokens
• Password hashing with bcrypt
• Email verification required

Authorization

• Role-based access control
• API rate limiting
• Input validation and sanitization

Data Protection

• HTTPS only
• Encrypted database connections
• Secure file uploads
• Regular security audits

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide for details.

Development Setup

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

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• React - UI library
• Express.js - Web framework
• PostgreSQL - Database
• Stripe - Payment processing
• Cloudinary - Image processing
• Render.com - Easy deployment

📞 Support

For support and questions:

• Create an issue in this repository
• Join our community discussions
• Contact the development team

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Local Singles Date Night - Making dating local, meaningful, and community-focused. ❤️