Community Finder

Find and connect with tech communities in Cameroon.

What is This?

Community Finder is a website that helps people discover tech communities across Cameroon. Whether you are a developer, designer, or tech enthusiast, you can use this platform to find groups that match your interests and connect with like-minded people.

What Can You Do?

• Browse tech communities in different cities
• Filter communities by technology (Python, JavaScript, Design, etc.)
• See upcoming tech events
• Read news about the tech community in Cameroon
• Submit your own community to be listed

Technologies Used

This project is built with:

• React: A tool for building user interfaces
• Vite: A fast way to run and build web projects
• Firebase: A service that stores our data (communities, events)
• Cloudinary: A service for storing and managing images

You do not need to know all these technologies to contribute! Most people just add their community information.

How to Run This Project on Your Computer

Follow these steps to run the website on your own computer:

Step 1: Install Node.js

You need Node.js installed on your computer. Download it from nodejs.org and install it.

To check if you have Node.js installed, open your terminal (or command prompt) and type:

node --version

If you see a version number like v18.0.0 or higher, you are good to go!

Step 2: Get the Code

Download this project to your computer. If you have Git installed, run:

git clone https://github.com/Nde-Dilan/community-finder.git
cd community-finder

If you do not have Git, you can download the code as a ZIP file from GitHub and unzip it.

Step 3: Install Dependencies

Dependencies are tools and packages that this project needs to work. Install them by running:

npm install

This might take a few minutes. Wait for it to finish.

Step 4: Set Up Environment Variables

Create a file called .env in the main folder. Copy the contents from .env.example:

cp .env.example .env

For now, you can use the default settings. The project will use mock data (fake data for testing).

Step 5: Start the Project

Run this command to start the website:

npm run dev

You will see a message like:

Local: http://localhost:5173/

Open your web browser and go to http://localhost:5173/. You should see the Community Finder website!

How to Add Your Community

The easiest way to add your community is to use GitHub Issues. Check out our CONTRIBUTING.md file for step-by-step instructions.

Quick summary:

1. Go to the Issues tab on GitHub
2. Click "New Issue"
3. Choose "Community Submission"
4. Fill in the form with your community details
5. Submit!

We will review your submission and add it to the website.

Project Structure

Here is what the main folders contain:

community-finder/
├── src/                    # All the code lives here
│   ├── components/         # Reusable parts of the website
│   ├── pages/              # Different pages (Home, Events, News)
│   ├── services/           # Code that talks to Firebase
│   ├── utils/              # Helper functions and constants
│   └── scripts/            # Tools to manage data
├── public/                 # Images and static files
├── .env                    # Your settings (do not share this file)
├── package.json            # Lists all dependencies
└── README.md               # This file!

Available Commands

• npm run dev - Start the website on your computer
• npm run build - Create a production version
• npm run preview - Preview the production version
• npm run lint - Check code for errors

Getting Help

Need help? Here are some options:

1. Check the CONTRIBUTING.md - Step-by-step guides for common tasks
2. Open an Issue - Ask questions on GitHub Issues
3. Read the Code - The code has comments to help you understand it

License

This project is open source. You can use it, change it, and share it!

Thank You!

Thank you for being interested in Community Finder! Your contributions help grow the tech community in Cameroon.