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BlockProof - Quick Start Guide

Get BlockProof up and running in minutes!

Prerequisites

  • Node.js v16+ installed
  • npm or yarn
  • (Optional) MetaMask wallet for blockchain features
  • (Optional) Google Gemini API key for AI features

Quick Setup (Development Mode)

1. Install Dependencies

# Install backend dependencies
cd backend
npm install

# Install frontend dependencies
cd ../frontend
npm install

2. Configure Backend

Create backend/.env file:

PORT=5000
NODE_ENV=development
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173

# Optional: For blockchain functionality
# BLOCKCHAIN_RPC_URL=https://rpc-mumbai.maticvigil.com/
# PRIVATE_KEY=your_private_key
# CONTRACT_ADDRESS=your_contract_address

# Optional: For AI functionality
# GEMINI_API_KEY=your_api_key

Note: The system works without blockchain and AI configuration in simulation mode.

3. Start the Application

Open two terminals:

Terminal 1 - Backend:

cd backend
npm start

Backend runs on: http://localhost:5000

Terminal 2 - Frontend:

cd frontend
npm run dev

Frontend runs on: http://localhost:5173

4. Open Your Browser

Navigate to: http://localhost:5173

What You Can Do

Without Configuration (Simulation Mode)

  • ✅ Issue certificates (generates IDs and hashes)
  • ✅ Verify certificates (simulated verification)
  • ✅ View all pages and UI functionality
  • ⚠️ Changes won't persist (no blockchain storage)

With Full Configuration

  • ✅ Store certificates on blockchain (immutable)
  • ✅ AI-powered verification with Google Gemini
  • ✅ Real-time blockchain verification
  • ✅ Production-ready functionality

Testing the System

1. Issue a Test Certificate

  1. Go to Admin page
  2. Fill in the form:
    • Recipient: "John Doe"
    • Issuer: "Tech University"
    • Course: "Web Development"
    • Date: Today's date
  3. Click "Issue Certificate"
  4. Copy the Certificate ID from the result page

2. Verify the Certificate

  1. Go to Verify page
  2. Paste the Certificate ID
  3. Click "Verify Certificate"
  4. View the verification results

Troubleshooting

Backend won't start

# Check if port 5000 is in use
lsof -i :5000

# Use a different port
PORT=5001 npm start

Frontend won't start

# Clear node_modules and reinstall
rm -rf node_modules
npm install
npm run dev

Build errors

# Clear cache
rm -rf node_modules dist .vite
npm install
npm run build

Next Steps

Enable Blockchain Features

  1. Get testnet MATIC from Polygon Faucet
  2. Deploy the smart contract (see DEPLOYMENT.md)
  3. Add blockchain configuration to .env
  4. Restart backend

Enable AI Features

  1. Get API key from Google AI Studio
  2. Add GEMINI_API_KEY to .env
  3. Restart backend

Development Tips

Backend Hot Reload

Use nodemon for automatic restarts:

npm install -g nodemon
cd backend
nodemon server.js

Frontend Hot Reload

Vite provides hot module replacement automatically!

Testing API Endpoints

# Health check
curl http://localhost:5000/api/health

# Issue certificate (requires running backend)
curl -X POST http://localhost:5000/api/issue-certificate \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "recipientName": "Jane Doe",
    "issuerName": "University",
    "course": "Blockchain"
  }'

Project Structure

├── backend/           # Node.js + Express API
│   ├── controllers/   # Request handlers
│   ├── routes/        # API routes
│   ├── utils/         # Helper functions
│   └── contracts/     # Smart contracts
└── frontend/          # React application
    ├── src/
    │   ├── components/  # Reusable components
    │   ├── pages/       # Page components
    │   └── utils/       # Helper functions
    └── dist/            # Build output

Need Help?

  • Check README.md for detailed documentation
  • See DEPLOYMENT.md for production deployment
  • Review code comments for implementation details

Happy Coding! 🚀