Build, share, and collaborate on code with instant synchronization, live activity monitoring, and enterprise-grade performance.
- Overview
- Screenshots
- Architecture & Flowcharts
- Feature Status
- Key Features Deep Dive
- Tech Stack
- Project Structure
- API Reference
- Socket.IO Events
- Database Models
- Workflows
- Quick Start Guide
- Environment Variables
- Performance Metrics
- License
CodeSync is a full-stack, real-time collaborative IDE that enables multiple developers to write, edit, and manage code simultaneously within shared workspaces. It features a professional-grade Monaco Editor, role-based access control (RBAC), live cursor tracking, version history, activity feeds, and instant file synchronization β all wrapped in a premium dark-theme UI inspired by Linear, Vercel, and Render.
| Login (Split-Screen Auth) | Dashboard & Workspace Management | Collaborative IDE |
|---|---|---|
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βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β CLIENT (Browser) β
β β
β ββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β React 18 β β Monaco β β Socket.IO Client β β
β β + Vite β β Editor β β (Real-time events) β β
β ββββββββ¬ββββββββ ββββββββ¬ββββββββ ββββββββββββββ¬ββββββββββββββ β
β β β β β
β βββββββββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΌββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β HTTP REST + WebSocket (wss://)
βΌ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β SERVER (Node.js) β
β β
β ββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β Express β β Socket.IO β β Middleware Layer β β
β β REST API β β Server β β (Auth, RBAC, FileAccess)β β
β ββββββββ¬ββββββββ ββββββββ¬ββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β β β
β βββββββββββ¬ββββββββ β
β β β
β ββββββββββββββββββΌββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β Controllers: Auth | Workspace | File | Member | Version β β
β β Activity | Session | Ownership β β
β ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ¬ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β β
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β
βΌ
βββββββββββββββββββββββ
β MongoDB Atlas β
β β
β Users β
β Workspaces β
β WorkspaceMembers β
β Files β
β FileVersions β
β ActivityLogs β
βββββββββββββββββββββββ
ββββββββββββ POST /api/auth/signup ββββββββββββ
β β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆ β β
β Client β { username, email, pwd } β Server β
β β β β
β β POST /api/auth/login β β
β β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆ β β
β β { email, password } β β
β β β β
β β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ β β
β β { token, user } β β
β β β β
β β βββ All subsequent reqs βββΆ β β
β β Authorization: Bearer JWT β β
ββββββββββββ ββββββββββββ
β
βΌ
ββββββββββββββββ
β bcrypt hash β
β + JWT sign β
ββββββββββββββββ
User A (Editor) Server User B (Editor)
β β β
β join_workspace β β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ β
β β user_joined (broadcast) β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ
β β β
β join_file (fileId) β β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ β
β β β
β code_change (content) β β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ β
β β code_update (debounced) β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ
β β β
β cursor_position β β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ β
β β cursor_update (throttled) β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ
β β β
β β file_created / deleted β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ
β β (synced to all clients) β
β β β
β disconnect β β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ β
β β user_left (broadcast) β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββΆβ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β ROLE HIERARCHY β
ββββββββββββ¬ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β β
β OWNER β β
All permissions β
β β β
Delete workspace β
β β β
Invite / remove members β
β β β
Change member roles β
β β β
Transfer ownership β
β β β
Update workspace settings β
β β β
Create / edit / rename / delete files β
β β β
Save & restore version history β
β β β
View all files & activity β
β β β
ββββββββββββΌββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β β
β EDITOR β β Cannot manage members or settings β
β β β
Create / edit / rename / delete files β
β β β
Save & restore version history β
β β β
Real-time code editing & cursor sync β
β β β
View all files & activity β
β β β
ββββββββββββΌββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β β
β VIEWER β β Cannot edit or create files β
β β β Code changes are blocked at socket level β
β β β
View all files (read-only) β
β β β
View activity feed β
β β β
ββββββββββββ΄ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
ββββββββββββββββββββ
β File Explorer β
β (Frontend) β
ββββββββββ¬ββββββββββ
β
ββββββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββββ
βΌ βΌ βΌ
ββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββ
β Create Fileβ β Rename β β Delete β
β /Folder β β File/Fold β β File/Fold β
ββββββββ¬ββββββ βββββββ¬ββββββ ββββββββ¬ββββββ
β β β
βΌ βΌ βΌ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β REST API (Express) β
β POST /api/files β
β PATCH /api/files/rename/:id β
β DELETE /api/files/:id β
ββββββββββββββββββ¬βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β
βββββββββββΌββββββββββ
βΌ βΌ βΌ
βββββββββββββ ββββββββ ββββββββββββ
β Name β β RBAC β β Activity β
β Normalize β βCheck β β Logging β
βββββββββββββ ββββββββ ββββββββββββ
β
βΌ
ββββββββββββββββββββ
β Socket.IO emit β
β file_created / β
β file_renamed / β
β file_deleted β
β (all clients) β
ββββββββββββββββββββ
| Category | Feature | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | User Registration (signup) | β Done |
| Authentication | User Login (JWT-based) | β Done |
| Authentication | Protected Routes (frontend guard) | β Done |
| Authentication | Token verification middleware | β Done |
| Workspace | Create workspace with language template | β Done |
| Workspace | List user's workspaces (with roles) | β Done |
| Workspace | View workspace details (files, members) | β Done |
| Workspace | Delete workspace (owner only, cascading) | β Done |
| Workspace | Update workspace settings (name, language) | β Done |
| Collaboration | Real-time code sync via Socket.IO | β Done |
| Collaboration | Live cursor position tracking | β Done |
| Collaboration | User presence indicators (join/leave) | β Done |
| Collaboration | Debounced auto-save to MongoDB | β Done |
| File Management | Create files & folders | β Done |
| File Management | Rename files & folders (with child path update) | β Done |
| File Management | Delete files & folders (recursive) | β Done |
| File Management | Case-insensitive duplicate name prevention | β Done |
| File Management | File name normalization (sanitize specials) | β Done |
| File Management | Multi-level nested folder structure | β Done |
| Version History | Save file version snapshots | β Done |
| Version History | View version history per file | β Done |
| Version History | Restore to a previous version | β Done |
| Members | Invite member by email | β Done |
| Members | Join workspace via Room ID | β Done |
| Members | Change member roles (owner action) | β Done |
| Members | Remove member from workspace | β Done |
| Members | Transfer workspace ownership | β Done |
| Members | Members panel with live online status | β Done |
| RBAC | Owner / Editor / Viewer role enforcement | β Done |
| RBAC | Socket-level viewer write blocking | β Done |
| RBAC | Route-level role middleware | β Done |
| Activity | Activity logging (joins, edits, role changes) | β Done |
| Activity | Real-time activity feed sidebar | β Done |
| Session | Leave workspace session (manual) | β Done |
| Session | Auto-cleanup on socket disconnect | β Done |
| UI/UX | Premium dark theme (Linear/Vercel inspired) | β Done |
| UI/UX | Split-screen auth pages | β Done |
| UI/UX | Shimmer skeleton loaders | β Done |
| UI/UX | Route-based lazy loading | β Done |
| UI/UX | Hover prefetch navigation | β Done |
| Performance | HTTP gzip compression | β Done |
| Performance | .lean() Mongoose queries |
β Done |
| Performance | Compound indexes on MongoDB | β Done |
| Multi-Language | JS, TS, Python, C++, Java, Go, Rust templates | β Done |
| Services | User cascade delete (files, members, logs) | β Done |
| Category | Feature | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Auth | OAuth2 (GitHub/Google SSO) | π Planned |
| Auth | Password reset / forgot password | π Planned |
| Auth | Email verification on signup | π Planned |
| Collaboration | Integrated terminal (run code in-browser) | π Planned |
| Collaboration | In-editor chat / comments | π Planned |
| Collaboration | Conflict resolution (OT / CRDT) | π Planned |
| File Management | Drag-and-drop file/folder reorder | π Planned |
| File Management | File upload / download | π Planned |
| File Management | File search across workspace | π Planned |
| Workspace | Workspace templates / cloning | π Planned |
| Workspace | Workspace privacy (public/private toggle) | π Planned |
| Notifications | In-app notification system | π Planned |
| Notifications | Email notifications for invites | π Planned |
| DevOps | Docker containerization | π Planned |
| DevOps | CI/CD pipeline | π Planned |
| Testing | Unit & integration test suite | π Planned |
| UI | Light theme / theme toggle | π Planned |
| UI | Mobile responsive layout | π Planned |
The in-browser IDE is powered by Monaco Editor (the same engine behind VS Code), providing:
- Syntax highlighting for 7+ languages
- IntelliSense / autocomplete
- Minimap preview
- Multi-cursor editing
- Bracket pairing and indentation
- Code changes are broadcast via Socket.IO with debounced auto-save (5-second delay) to reduce DB writes.
- Cursor positions are throttled and broadcast to all participants viewing the same file.
- File operations (create, rename, delete) are instantly pushed to all connected clients.
- User presence is tracked β join/leave events are emitted in real time.
Full support for nested directory structures:
/root-level files/src/,/src/components/, etc.- Folders can be created, renamed, and deleted recursively (all child files/folders are cleaned up).
- Names are normalized and sanitized (trimmed, special characters stripped, case-insensitive uniqueness enforced via compound indexes).
Any editor can snapshot the current state of a file. The full history of snapshots is viewable, and any past version can be restored β effectively a manual "git" within the IDE.
- Invite by Email β Owner enters a registered user's email and assigns a role.
- Join by Room ID β Any registered user can paste a workspace ID and join (defaults to editor role).
Workspace owners can transfer ownership to any existing member. The previous owner is demoted to editor, and the new owner gets full admin privileges.
| Layer | Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend Framework | React 18 + Vite | SPA with fast HMR and lazy loading |
| Code Editor | Monaco Editor | VS Code-grade in-browser editing |
| Styling | CSS3 + Tailwind CSS 4 | Dark theme, glassmorphism, animations |
| Routing | React Router v6 | Client-side navigation with protected routes |
| HTTP Client | Axios | REST API communication |
| Notifications | React Hot Toast | In-app toast notifications |
| Backend Runtime | Node.js (ES Modules) | Server runtime |
| API Framework | Express.js | REST endpoint handling |
| Real-Time Engine | Socket.IO | WebSocket bidirectional events |
| Database | MongoDB (Mongoose 8) | Document store with indexing |
| Auth | JWT + bcrypt | Stateless token auth with hashed passwords |
| Compression | compression (gzip) | Response payload optimization |
| Dev Server | Nodemon | Auto-restart on backend file changes |
CodeSync/
β
βββ assets/ # Screenshots for README
β βββ login.png
β βββ dashboard.png
β βββ workspace.png
β
βββ backend/
β βββ controllers/
β β βββ activityController.js # GET activity logs
β β βββ authController.js # Signup / Login (JWT)
β β βββ fileController.js # CRUD files & folders
β β βββ memberController.js # Invite, join, role change, remove
β β βββ ownershipController.js # Transfer workspace ownership
β β βββ sessionController.js # Leave workspace session
β β βββ versionController.js # Save / view / restore versions
β β βββ workspaceController.js # CRUD workspaces + settings
β β
β βββ middleware/
β β βββ authMiddleware.js # JWT token verification
β β βββ filePermission.js # Verify user access to file's workspace
β β βββ permissionMiddleware.js # RBAC role checks (isOwner, isEditor, requireRole)
β β βββ workspaceAuth.js # Workspace membership verification
β β
β βββ models/
β β βββ ActivityLog.js # Action audit trail (indexed)
β β βββ File.js # Files & folders (compound unique index)
β β βββ FileVersion.js # Version snapshots
β β βββ User.js # User accounts (bcrypt hashed)
β β βββ Workspace.js # Workspace metadata
β β βββ WorkspaceMember.js # User-workspace membership & role
β β
β βββ routes/
β β βββ authRoutes.js # /api/auth/*
β β βββ fileRoutes.js # /api/files/*
β β βββ workspaceRoutes.js # /api/workspaces/*
β β
β βββ services/
β β βββ deleteUserCascade.js # Cascade-delete user data
β β
β βββ utils/
β β βββ logger.js # Activity logging utility
β β
β βββ server.js # Express + Socket.IO entry point
β βββ .env.example # Environment template
β βββ package.json
β
βββ frontend/
β βββ src/
β β βββ components/
β β β βββ ActivityFeed.jsx # Live activity sidebar
β β β βββ CreateWorkspaceModal.jsx # Create workspace dialog
β β β βββ FileExplorer.jsx # Tree-view file browser
β β β βββ InviteModal.jsx # Email invite dialog
β β β βββ JoinWorkspaceModal.jsx # Join via Room ID
β β β βββ MembersPanel.jsx # Online members list with roles
β β β βββ ShareWorkspaceModal.jsx # Share workspace dialog
β β β βββ VersionHistory.jsx # File version timeline
β β β
β β βββ context/
β β β βββ AuthContext.jsx # Auth state provider
β β β
β β βββ pages/
β β β βββ Dashboard.jsx # Workspace listing & management
β β β βββ Login.jsx # Split-screen login
β β β βββ Signup.jsx # Split-screen signup
β β β βββ Workspace.jsx # Collaborative IDE view
β β β
β β βββ routes/
β β β βββ ProtectedRoute.jsx # Auth guard wrapper
β β β
β β βββ services/
β β β βββ api.js # Axios instance (base URL + token)
β β β βββ fileApi.js # File CRUD API calls
β β β βββ memberApi.js # Member management API calls
β β β βββ workspaceApi.js # Workspace API calls
β β β
β β βββ App.jsx # Root router + lazy loader
β β βββ main.jsx # React DOM entry point
β β βββ index.css # Global styles & design system
β β
β βββ index.html # HTML shell
β βββ vite.config.js # Vite config
β βββ tailwind.config.js # Tailwind CSS 4 config
β βββ postcss.config.js # PostCSS config
β βββ package.json
β
βββ Readme.md # Original README (legacy)
βββ README.md # β You are here
βββ .gitignore
| Method | Endpoint | Description | Auth Required |
|---|---|---|---|
POST |
/signup |
Register a new user | β |
POST |
/login |
Login and receive JWT | β |
| Method | Endpoint | Description | Min. Role |
|---|---|---|---|
POST |
/ |
Create a new workspace | Authenticated |
GET |
/ |
List user's workspaces | Authenticated |
GET |
/:id |
Get workspace details (files, members) | Viewer |
DELETE |
/:id |
Delete workspace + cascade | Owner |
PATCH |
/:id/settings |
Update name & language | Owner |
GET |
/:id/activity |
Get activity log | Viewer |
DELETE |
/:id/session |
Leave workspace session | Authenticated |
POST |
/:id/invite |
Invite user by email | Owner |
POST |
/:id/join |
Join workspace via Room ID | Authenticated |
PATCH |
/:id/role |
Change member role | Owner |
DELETE |
/:id/member/:userId |
Remove a member | Owner |
POST |
/:id/transfer |
Transfer ownership | Owner |
| Method | Endpoint | Description | Min. Role |
|---|---|---|---|
POST |
/ |
Create file or folder | Editor |
GET |
/open/:id |
Get file content | Viewer |
PUT |
/:id |
Update file content | Editor |
PATCH |
/rename/:id |
Rename file or folder | Editor |
DELETE |
/:id |
Delete file or folder (recursive) | Editor |
POST |
/:fileId/version |
Save version snapshot | Editor |
GET |
/:fileId/history |
Get version history | Viewer |
POST |
/restore/:versionId |
Restore a file version | Editor |
| Event | Payload | Description |
|---|---|---|
join_workspace |
{ workspaceId, userId, username, color } |
Join a workspace room |
join_file |
{ fileId, username, color } |
Join a file editing room |
leave_file |
{ fileId } |
Leave a file editing room |
code_change |
{ fileId, code, userId } |
Send code changes (debounced save) |
cursor_position |
{ fileId, position, username, color } |
Broadcast cursor location |
| Event | Payload | Description |
|---|---|---|
user_joined |
{ userId, profileId, username, color, role } |
A user joined the workspace |
user_left |
{ userId, username } |
A user left the workspace |
code_update |
{ fileId, code } |
Code was changed by another user |
cursor_update |
{ userId, position, username, color } |
Cursor moved by another user |
file_created |
{ file } |
A new file/folder was created |
file_renamed |
{ fileId, name, oldName, path } |
A file/folder was renamed |
file_deleted |
{ fileId } |
A file/folder was deleted |
folder_children_deleted |
{ parentPath } |
Children of a folder were deleted |
member_updated |
{ userId, role, oldRole } |
A member's role was changed |
member_removed |
{ userId } |
A member was removed |
member_joined |
{ _id, user, role } |
A new member joined |
activity_update |
β | Refresh activity feed |
| Field | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
username |
String | Required, trimmed |
email |
String | Required, unique, lowercase |
password |
String | bcrypt-hashed |
timestamps |
Auto | createdAt, updatedAt |
| Field | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
name |
String | Required, max 80 chars |
owner |
ObjectId β User | Required |
language |
Enum | javascript, typescript, python, java, cpp, go, rust, html, css, json, txt |
| Field | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
workspaceId |
ObjectId β Workspace | Required |
userId |
ObjectId β User | Required |
role |
Enum | owner / editor / viewer |
invitedBy |
ObjectId β User | Optional |
| Field | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
workspaceId |
ObjectId β Workspace | Required |
name |
String | Required, trimmed |
nameLower |
String | Auto (pre-save hook) |
path |
String | Directory path, default / |
type |
Enum | file / folder |
content |
String | File contents |
language |
String | Auto-detected from extension |
createdBy |
ObjectId β User | β |
lastEditedBy |
ObjectId β User | β |
| Index | Compound Unique | (workspaceId, path, nameLower) |
| Field | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
fileId |
ObjectId β File | Required |
content |
String | Snapshot content |
editedBy |
ObjectId β User | Required |
| Field | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
workspaceId |
ObjectId β Workspace | Required |
userId |
ObjectId β User | Required |
actionType |
String | e.g. USER_JOINED, FILE_CREATED, ROLE_CHANGED |
targetId |
ObjectId | Optional target entity |
metadata |
Mixed | Additional context |
User clicks "Create Workspace" on Dashboard
β
βΌ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β CreateWorkspaceModal β
β - Enter workspace name β
β - Select language β
βββββββββββββ¬βββββββββββββββ
β POST /api/workspaces
βΌ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β Server creates: β
β 1. Workspace document β
β 2. WorkspaceMember (owner) β
β 3. Starter file (template) β
βββββββββββββ¬βββββββββββββββββββ
β
βΌ
Redirect to /workspace/:id
(Monaco Editor opens with starter file)
Owner clicks "Share" β ShareWorkspaceModal
β
ββββ Option A: Invite by Email
β β POST /api/workspaces/:id/invite
β β { email, role: 'editor' | 'viewer' }
β βΌ
β Server adds WorkspaceMember + emits member_joined
β
ββββ Option B: Share Room ID
β Invitee uses JoinWorkspaceModal
β POST /api/workspaces/:id/join
βΌ
Server adds WorkspaceMember (editor) + emits member_joined
1. Navigate to /workspace/:id
2. Socket connects β join_workspace event
3. Server broadcasts user_joined to all
4. User clicks a file β join_file event
5. User types β code_change events
6. Server broadcasts code_update to others viewing same file
7. Server debounces (5s) and saves to MongoDB
8. Cursor movements broadcast via cursor_position β cursor_update
9. On disconnect β user_left broadcast + active user cleanup
Editor clicks "Save Version" icon
β POST /api/files/:fileId/version
βΌ
FileVersion snapshot created (content + editedBy + timestamp)
β
βΌ
VersionHistory panel shows all snapshots for this file
β
βΌ
User clicks "Restore" on a past version
β POST /api/files/restore/:versionId
βΌ
File.content overwritten with snapshot content
(Socket will pick up and sync to all clients)
Owner opens MembersPanel β clicks "Transfer Ownership"
β POST /api/workspaces/:id/transfer
β { targetUserId }
βΌ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β 1. Current owner β demoted to editor β
β 2. Target user β promoted to owner β
β 3. Workspace.owner ref updated β
β 4. Activity logged β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
- Node.js v16+ (v18+ recommended)
- MongoDB instance (local or MongoDB Atlas)
- npm v8+
git clone https://github.com/your-username/CodeSync.git
cd CodeSynccd backend
npm installCreate a .env file (use .env.example as reference):
PORT=3001
MONGO_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173Start the backend:
npm run dev # Development (with nodemon)
npm start # Productioncd frontend
npm installCreate a .env.development file:
VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:3001Start the frontend:
npm run devNavigate to http://localhost:5173 in your browser.
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
PORT |
Server port | 3001 |
MONGO_URI |
MongoDB connection string | mongodb+srv://... |
JWT_SECRET |
Secret key for JWT signing | your-secret-key |
FRONTEND_URL |
Frontend origin for CORS | http://localhost:5173 |
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
VITE_BACKEND_URL |
Backend API base URL | http://localhost:3001 |
| Metric | Value | How |
|---|---|---|
| Auth page initial focus | ~0ms | Instant render, no blocking |
| Workspace navigation (prefetched) | < 150ms | Route-based lazy loading + hover prefetch |
| Database query latency reduction | ~40% | .lean() on all read queries |
| Real-time message latency | < 50ms | Throttled Socket.IO broadcasting |
| API response size reduction | ~60% | Gzip compression middleware |
| Auto-save debounce interval | 5 seconds | Prevents excessive MongoDB writes |
- Fork the repository
- Create your feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature) - Open a Pull Request
This project is licensed under the MIT License β see the LICENSE file for details.
Built with β€οΈ by the CodeSync team


