FundMeUp

FundMeUp is a crowdfunding platform that connects entrepreneurs with investors and mentors. It focuses on showcasing founder potential, refining pitches with AI, and fostering transparent connections between talent and capital.

Technologies Used

• Frontend: React, Vite, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Express.js (for local authentication), Python Flask (for AI assistant)
• Routing: React Router
• Icons: Lucide React
• AI: Google Gemini API

Project Status & Key Features

• Local Authentication: User authentication is handled locally using server.mjs and users.json. This is a temporary solution for development.
• Mocked Campaign Data: Campaign data is currently mocked in src/lib/api.ts using local placeholder images.
• AI Assistant (Chatbot): Powered by a Python Flask backend using the Google Gemini API (gemini-2.0-flash-lite).
• Freelancer Profile Form: Allows freelancers to submit their profiles, including skills, years of experience, and an optional co-build link. Data is stored in freelancers.json.

Getting Started

Follow these steps to set up and run the project locally.

1. Prerequisites

• Node.js (LTS version recommended)
• Python 3.8+
• npm or yarn

2. Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <your-repository-url>
   cd FundMeUp

2. Install Node.js dependencies:

   npm install

3. Setup Python virtual environment and dependencies:

   cd python-backend
   python -m venv venv
   # On Windows:
   .\venv\Scripts\activate
   # On macOS/Linux:
   source venv/bin/activate
   pip install -r requirements.txt # (Assuming requirements.txt exists or you'll install flask, google-generativeai, flask-cors manually)
   deactivate # Exit virtual environment
   cd ..

   Note: If requirements.txt is missing, you'll need to install Flask, google-generativeai, and Flask-CORS manually within the virtual environment.

3. Google Gemini API Key

The AI assistant requires a GOOGLE_API_KEY. You need to obtain this from the Google AI Studio.

Create a .env file in the python-backend directory and add your API key:

GOOGLE_API_KEY=YOUR_ACTUAL_GOOGLE_API_KEY

4. Running the Development Server

To run the frontend, local authentication backend, and Python AI backend concurrently:

npm run dev

This command will:

• Start the local authentication server (server.mjs) on http://localhost:3001.
• Start the Python AI backend on http://localhost:5000.
• Start the React development server (usually on http://localhost:5173).

Available Scripts

• npm run dev: Starts all development servers (frontend, local Express backend, Python backend).
• npm run start:backend: Starts only the local Express authentication server.
• npm run start:python: Starts only the Python AI backend.
• npm run build: Builds the React app for production.
• npm run lint: Lints the project code.
• npm run preview: Serves the production build locally.
• npm run typecheck: Runs TypeScript type checking.

Development Conventions

• Coding Style: ESLint is used to enforce consistent coding style.
• Testing: No explicit testing practices are currently defined.
• Contribution: No formal contribution guidelines are defined.

Anomalies and Inconsistencies

• Incomplete Investor Onboarding: The "Investor" role has a multi-step onboarding process that is not fully implemented.
• Inconsistent File Extensions: The src/pages directory contains a mix of .tsx and .jsx files; standardization to .tsx is recommended.
• useAuth Hook Structure: The useAuth hook is a simple context wrapper, with authentication logic primarily in src/context/AuthContext.tsx.

Local Data Files

• users.json: Stores local user authentication data.
• freelancers.json: Stores submitted freelancer profile data.

These files are automatically created if they don't exist and are managed by the local Express backend. They are included in .gitignore to prevent committing sensitive local data.