OTT Backend (Node/Express)

Simple backend API for an OTT (video streaming) platform. Provides basic endpoints for:

• Health check
• Listing content
• Fetching content by id
• Stubbed auth (login/register)

Setup (quick)

• Clone / open the project in ott-backend.
• Install dependencies:

npm install

• (Optional) create .env to override defaults:

PORT=4000

• Run the dev server:

npm run dev

• Backend will be available at http://localhost:4000.
• Frontend should call APIs using base URL http://localhost:4000/api/....

Tech stack

• Node.js
• Express
• CORS
• Morgan (request logging)
• Nodemon (dev)

Getting started

1. Install dependencies

From the ott-backend folder:

npm install

If you see npm permission/cache errors, fix them first (for example by running sudo chown -R $(id -u):$(id -g) ~/.npm in your own terminal) and then retry the install.

2. Configure environment (optional)

Create a .env file if you want to override defaults:

PORT=4000

3. Run in development

npm run dev

Server will start on http://localhost:4000.

4. API endpoints

Auth / account

• POST /api/auth/register – register user, returns token + user + profiles
• POST /api/auth/login – login user, returns token + user + profiles
• GET /api/auth/me – get current user from Authorization: Bearer <token>

Seed user available out of the box:

• email: demo@example.com
• password: password
• token: demo-token-u1 (use as Authorization: Bearer demo-token-u1)

Profiles (profile selection screen)

• GET /api/profiles – list profiles for current user
• POST /api/profiles – create profile ({ "name": "Kids" })
• PATCH /api/profiles/:profileId – rename profile
• DELETE /api/profiles/:profileId – delete profile

Home screen

• GET /api/home?profileId=<profileId> – returns:
  • profile – active profile
  • featured – a featured content item
  • rows – array of rows like Continue Watching, Popular, Movies, Series

Content

• GET /api/content – list all demo content
• GET /api/content/:id – single content item plus similar recommendations

Search screen

• GET /api/search?query=money&category=Movies – full-text search over title/description, optional category filter

My List (per profile)

• GET /api/profiles/:profileId/list – current profile watchlist
• POST /api/profiles/:profileId/list – add to list ({ "contentId": "1" })
• DELETE /api/profiles/:profileId/list/:contentId – remove from list

Continue watching / playback

• POST /api/profiles/:profileId/progress – update playback position
  • body: { "contentId": "1", "position": 120, "duration": 3600 }
• GET /api/profiles/:profileId/continue-watching – items with progress for that profile

5. Frontend usage (typical flow)

• Login / register screen:
  • Call POST /api/auth/login or POST /api/auth/register and store token in memory/localStorage.
• Profile selection screen:
  • Call GET /api/profiles with Authorization: Bearer <token> to render profiles.
• Home screen:
  • Call GET /api/home?profileId=<profileId> to render featured + rows (like Netflix rails).
• Details / player screen:
  • Call GET /api/content/:id for metadata and similar content.
  • Periodically POST to /api/profiles/:profileId/progress to keep “Continue Watching” up to date.
• Search screen:
  • Call GET /api/search?query=<text>&category=<optional> on input changes or search submit.
• My List screen:
  • Call GET /api/profiles/:profileId/list to render.
  • Call POST/DELETE list endpoints when user toggles the “My List” button.

Next steps / production hardening

• Plug in a real database (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.)
• Implement real authentication (JWT, sessions, etc.)
• Add user profiles, watchlists, and history
• Add pagination, search, and categories