🛒 E-Commerce Platform

📌 Overview

This project involved designing and developing a scalable e-commerce web application using the MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) stack. The platform allows users to browse products, add items to the cart, register/login, and securely complete purchases using Stripe integration. Admins have access to a secure dashboard to manage products, view orders, and track performance. The project was designed with production-readiness in mind, including full CI/CD pipeline integration, containerization, and automated testing.

💡 Key Insights

• Security-first mindset: Integrated JWT-based authentication and Stripe for secure payment processing, addressing real-world security concerns such as token expiration, sensitive data encryption, and authorization roles.
• CI/CD Integration: Automated builds and deployments through GitHub Actions and Docker enhanced the reliability and maintainability of the development cycle.
• Testing coverage: Achieved 90%+ test coverage across both frontend and backend using Jest and Cypress, resulting in a stable and bug-resistant platform.
• Performance Tuning: Optimized API endpoints and implemented lazy loading to improve app responsiveness and reduce initial load time.
• Real-world architecture: Applied scalable microservice-friendly design patterns, separating concerns such as product service, user auth service, and payment gateway service.

🎯 Objectives

• Build a full-stack e-commerce platform that mimics real-world features like checkout, order history, and payment processing.
• Develop secure and responsive user interfaces that enhance customer experience.
• Integrate cloud-native deployment pipelines for continuous integration and delivery.
• Enable role-based access control for users (buyers) and admins (inventory/order management).
• Ensure the application can be easily tested, maintained, and extended in the future.

🛠️ Skills & Technologies Used