Chatty App is a full-stack real-time messaging application that allows users to communicate instantly in a clean, modern interface. Users can sign up, log in, and exchange messages with other registered users — with live online presence indicators showing who is currently active. The app also supports profile customization with avatar uploads and a theme settings page for personalizing the look and feel.
On the frontend, the app is built with React 19 and Vite, using Zustand for global state management across auth, chat, and theme contexts. The UI is styled with Tailwind CSS v5 and DaisyUI, giving it a polished, responsive design with skeleton loading states for a smooth user experience. React Router handles client-side navigation, while Axios manages all HTTP communication with the backend.
Real-time messaging is powered by Socket.IO, which maintains a persistent WebSocket connection between the client and the Node.js/Express backend server. When a user sends a message, it is pushed instantly to the recipient without any page refresh. The backend uses a SQL database for persistent storage of users and messages, and the frontend is deployed on Netlify for fast, global delivery.