Step-by-Step Build Order

Rebuilding the Platform from Scratch

Phase 1: Environment & Backend Scaffolding

1. Initialize Node.js ES module project (package.json with "type": "module").
2. Install core dependencies: express, mongoose, dotenv, cors, bcrypt, jsonwebtoken, cloudinary, nanoid.
3. Create backend/server.js with CORS, JSON body parser, and Mongoose connection handlers.

Phase 2: Domain Modeling & Database Schemas

1. Create backend/models/user.model.js with email uniqueness and hashed password fields.
2. Create backend/models/blog.model.js with slug indexes, tags array, draft boolean, and engagement counters.
3. Create backend/models/comment.model.js and notification.model.js.

Phase 3: Authentication & Middleware Layer

1. Build backend/controllers/auth.controller.js for registration and login.
2. Build backend/middleware/auth.middleware.js for Bearer token validation.
3. Wire auth routes in backend/routes/auth.routes.js.

Phase 4: Blog Content & Media Engine

1. Configure Cloudinary client in backend/utilities/cloudinary.js.
2. Implement CRUD controllers in backend/controllers/blog.controller.js with Nanoid slug generation.
3. Implement like, comment, and tag search routes in backend/routes/blog.routes.js.

Phase 5: Frontend Vite & 3D Spatial Canvas Setup

1. Initialize React 19 Vite application with Tailwind CSS v4.
2. Install 3D and animation dependencies: three, @react-three/fiber, @react-three/drei, @studio-freight/lenis, gsap, framer-motion.
3. Implement frontend/src/components/scene3d.jsx with responsive WebGL mesh and lighting.

Phase 6: Kinetic Physics & Smooth Scrolling

1. Implement frontend/src/components/smoothscroll.jsx wrapping application roots with Lenis.
2. Implement frontend/src/components/cursor.jsx and magnetic.jsx for spring micro-physics.

Phase 7: UI Pages & Community Interaction

1. Build home.jsx, feed.jsx, createblog.jsx, blogdetail.jsx, and myposts.jsx.
2. Connect frontend Axios client to backend REST endpoints.