Virtual Canteen System

📌 Overview

The Virtual Canteen System is a seamless digital solution that integrates with the college website, allowing students to pre-order meals, check availability, and make secure payments online. It also provides staff with efficient stock and order management through real-time inventory tracking and automated processing.

🚀 Features

• Online Ordering – Students can browse the menu and place orders digitally.
• Secure Payments – Supports multiple digital payment methods.
• Real-Time Inventory Tracking – Ensures up-to-date stock management.
• Pre-Order System – Reduces wait times and ensures meal availability.
• Automated Processing – Streamlines order fulfillment and reduces manual work.
• User-Friendly Dashboard – Admins and staff can manage orders and inventory with ease.
• Seamless College Website Integration – Works smoothly within the existing ecosystem.

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Frontend: React.js / Next.js / HTML / TailwindCSS / JavaScript
• Backend: [TBD]
• Database: MongoDB / [TBD]
• Authentication: [TBD]
• Payment Gateway: [TBD]
• Deployment: [TBD]

📂 Project Structure

virtual-canteen-system/
│── frontend/           # React or Next.js frontend code
│── backend/            # Node.js + Express backend
│── database/           # Database schema & queries
│── docs/               # Documentation and API references
│── config/             # Environment and configuration files
│── public/             # Static assets
│── tests/              # Unit and integration tests
│── README.md           # Project documentation
│── package.json        # Project dependencies
└── .gitignore          # Ignored files

🏗️ Installation & Setup

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/virtual-canteen-system.git
   cd virtual-canteen-system

2. Install dependencies (for both frontend and backend) [WIP]

   cd frontend && npm install
   cd ../backend && npm install

3. Set up environment variables (Create a .env file in the backend folder) [WIP]

   DATABASE_URL=your_database_url
   PAYMENT_GATEWAY_KEY=your_payment_gateway_key
   JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
   

4. Run the application

   # Start backend
   cd backend && npm start
   # Start frontend
   cd ../frontend && npm start

5. Access the system
   Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

🔗 API Endpoints [WIP]

Endpoint	Method	Description
/api/menu	GET	Fetch available menu items
/api/order	POST	Place a new order
/api/order/:id	GET	Get order details by ID
/api/inventory	GET	Fetch inventory details
/api/payment	POST	Process payment

🤝 Contributing

Want to contribute? Follow these steps:

1. Fork the repo
2. Create a new branch (feature-branch)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Added new feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature-branch)
5. Create a Pull Request

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

📧 Contact [WIP]

For any inquiries or issues, feel free to reach out:

• Email: [email protected]
• GitHub Issues: Open an Issue

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Made for a hassle-free college canteen experience! 🍽️🚀