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Backend Server Setup Instructions

Issue Fixed ✅

The "TypeError: Failed to fetch" error was occurring because the backend server was not running. This has been resolved with improved error handling in the frontend.

How to Start the Backend Server

1. Navigate to the server directory:

cd server

2. Install dependencies (if not already done):

npm install

3. Start the server:

npm start

4. Verify the server is running:

The server should start on http://localhost:5000 and display:

SecureDrop.AI API Running ✅

Environment Variables Required

Make sure you have a .env file in the server directory with:

# Database
MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string

# JWT Secret
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key

# Email Service (for OTP)
EMAIL_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
EMAIL_PORT=587
EMAIL_USER=your_email@gmail.com
EMAIL_PASS=your_app_password

# Cloudinary (for file uploads)
CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=your_cloud_name
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=your_api_key
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=your_api_secret

# AI Services (optional)
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_key
GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_key

# Frontend URL (for CORS)
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:3000

Frontend Error Handling ✅

The frontend now includes robust error handling that:

  • ✅ Detects when the backend is offline
  • ✅ Shows clear error messages to users
  • ✅ Allows manual organization code entry when search is unavailable
  • ✅ Provides connection retry functionality
  • ✅ Displays helpful troubleshooting information

Current Status

  • Frontend: Running with improved error handling
  • Backend: Needs to be started manually (see instructions above)
  • Database: Requires MongoDB connection
  • Features: All functionality works when backend is running

Quick Test

Once the backend is running, you can test the API:

curl http://localhost:5000/

Should return: SecureDrop.AI API Running ✅