Smart Library Management System (SLMS)

Welcome to the complete technical documentation for SLMS — a full-stack digital platform designed to automate library operations, empower users with self-service capabilities, and provide data-driven insights for academic institutions.

Architecture at a Glance

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Frontend (Next.js)                 │
│  React 19 · Tailwind CSS 4 · Shadcn UI · App Router  │
│  Role-Based Portals: Admin | Librarian | Student |    │
│  Staff | Setup Wizard | Auth Pages                    │
└──────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
                       │  Axios HTTP Client (JWT Bearer)
                       ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 Backend (Express.js)                  │
│  Node.js · REST API v1 · Dual-Token JWT Auth         │
│  Mongoose ODM · Nodemailer · node-cron Jobs          │
│  Routes: auth | users | books | circulation | fines   │
│  reservations | notifications | reports | audit       │
└──────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
                       │  Mongoose ODM
                       ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                MongoDB Atlas (Cloud)                  │
│  12 Collections: users, books, bookcopies,            │
│  transactions, fines, categories, reservations,       │
│  notifications, auditlogs, refreshtokens,             │
│  blacklistedtokens, systemconfigs                     │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Documentation Map

Getting Started

• Project Overview — What SLMS is, its goals, and scope
• Technology Stack — Every framework, library, and tool used
• Getting Started Guide — Install, configure, and run locally

Backend Modules

• Backend Architecture — High-level server design and directory structure
• Server Entry Point — server.js breakdown and middleware chain
• Database Models — All 12 Mongoose schemas with field definitions
• Authentication Module — JWT dual-token auth and RBAC authorization
• Controllers — Request handlers for each API domain
• Routes — Route definitions with method, path, and access control
• Services — Business logic layer (Email service, User service)
• Utilities — Database connection, email templates, error handling
• Scheduled Jobs — Cron jobs for fine calculation and overdue detection

Frontend Modules

• Frontend Architecture — Next.js App Router structure and design patterns
• Root Layout — Provider hierarchy and global configuration
• Authentication Pages — Login, Register, Forgot Password, Setup Wizard
• Admin Portal — All admin dashboard pages and CRUD interfaces
• Librarian Portal — Librarian desk operations
• Student Portal — Student self-service dashboard
• Staff Portal — Faculty borrowing portal
• Components — Shared components (Sidebar, TopNav, ThemeToggle)
• State Management — AuthContext and React Context patterns
• API Client — Axios instance with interceptors
• Design System — Theme tokens, CSS variables, dark mode

API Reference

• API Documentation — Complete REST API overview
• Auth Endpoints — Setup, Login, Refresh, Logout, Get Profile
• Users Endpoints — CRUD operations for user management
• Books Endpoints — Catalogue and copy management
• Circulation Endpoints — Issue, Return, History, Active loans
• Fines Endpoints — Fine listing and payment
• Dashboard Endpoints — Aggregate statistics and analytics
• Reservations Endpoints — Book hold requests and fulfillment
• Notifications Endpoints — In-app notification management
• Reports Endpoints — CSV export for circulation and fines
• Audit Endpoints — Security audit log retrieval
• System Config Endpoints — Runtime configuration management

Operations

• Deployment — Vercel deployment guide and environment variables