Looking Glass - Real-time Video Chat

A modern, real-time video chat application built with Next.js, WebRTC, and PostgreSQL.

Features

• Real-time video and audio communication
• Text chat with message history
• Room-based communication
• Modern, responsive UI
• Secure WebRTC connections

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or later
• PostgreSQL database
• DigitalOcean account (for deployment)

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory with the following variables:

# Database
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/lookingglass

# WebRTC
ICE_SERVER_URL=your_turn_server_url

# Environment
NODE_ENV=development

Local Development

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install

2. Set up the database:

   # Create the database
   createdb lookingglass
   
   # Initialize the database tables
   npm run init-db

3. Start the development server:

   npm run dev

4. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Database Schema

The application uses a simple PostgreSQL schema with two main tables:

Rooms Table

CREATE TABLE rooms (
  id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
  created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Messages Table

CREATE TABLE messages (
  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  room_id TEXT REFERENCES rooms(id),
  content TEXT NOT NULL,
  sender TEXT NOT NULL,
  created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Deployment to DigitalOcean

1. Create a DigitalOcean account if you haven't already.

2. Create a new PostgreSQL database:

   • Go to Databases in your DigitalOcean dashboard
   • Create a new database cluster
   • Note down the connection details

3. Deploy the application:

   • Push your code to GitHub
   • Create a new app in DigitalOcean App Platform
   • Connect your GitHub repository
   • Set the environment variables:
     • DATABASE_URL
     • ICE_SERVER_URL
     • NODE_ENV=production

4. The application will be automatically deployed and available at your DigitalOcean app URL.

Troubleshooting

Database Connection Issues

• Verify your DATABASE_URL is correct
• Ensure the database is running and accessible
• Check database user permissions

WebRTC Issues

• Verify your TURN server is working
• Check browser console for WebRTC errors
• Ensure you're using HTTPS in production

Deployment Issues

• Check DigitalOcean App Platform logs
• Verify environment variables are set correctly
• Ensure all dependencies are in package.json

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a new Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Next.js
• WebRTC
• DigitalOcean