feat: Add environment variable validation and update deployment guides

Author: RabbitDaCoder

DEPLOY_GUIDE.md

@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@
 ### Step 1: Deploy API to Render
 
 #### A. Sign up for Render
+
 1. Go to [render.com](https://render.com) and sign up
 2. Connect your GitHub account
 3. Import your `ExpressLogistics` repository
 
 #### B. Create Web Service
+
 1. Click "New +" → "Web Service"
 2. Select your `ExpressLogistics` repository
 3. Configure the service:
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ Plan: Free (for testing)
 ```
 
 #### C. Add Environment Variables
+
 In the Render dashboard, add these environment variables:
 
 ```env
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ FRONTEND_URL=https://your-app-name.vercel.app
 ```
 
 #### D. Deploy API
+
 1. Click "Create Web Service"
 2. Wait for deployment (5-10 minutes)
 3. Note your API URL: `https://your-service-name.onrender.com`
@@ -55,10 +59,12 @@ FRONTEND_URL=https://your-app-name.vercel.app
 ### Step 2: Deploy Client to Vercel
 
 #### A. Sign up for Vercel
+
 1. Go to [vercel.com](https://vercel.com) and sign up
 2. Import your `ExpressLogistics` repository
 
 #### B. Configure Project
+
 ```yaml
 Framework Preset: Vite
 Root Directory: client
@@ -68,13 +74,15 @@ Install Command: npm install
 ```
 
 #### C. Add Environment Variables
+
 ```env
 VITE_API_URL=https://your-render-api-url.onrender.com/api
 VITE_CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=dk1cria0z
 VITE_CLOUDINARY_UPLOAD_PRESET=delivery_invoices
 ```
 
 #### D. Deploy Client
+
 1. Click "Deploy"
 2. Wait for deployment (3-5 minutes)
 3. Note your app URL: `https://your-app-name.vercel.app`
@@ -84,24 +92,30 @@ VITE_CLOUDINARY_UPLOAD_PRESET=delivery_invoices
 ### Step 3: Update Configuration
 
 #### Update API with Client URL
+
 1. Go back to Render dashboard
 2. Update `FRONTEND_URL` environment variable:
+
 ```env
 FRONTEND_URL=https://your-app-name.vercel.app
 ```
+
 3. Redeploy the API service
 
 ---
 
 ## Quick Test Commands
 
 ### Test API Health
+
 ```bash
 curl https://your-api-url.onrender.com/api/health
 ```
 
 ### Test Client
+
 Open your Vercel URL in browser and test:
+
 1. Home page loads
 2. Tracking input works
 3. Admin login works
@@ -111,11 +125,13 @@ Open your Vercel URL in browser and test:
 ## Alternative: One-Click Deploy
 
 ### Render Deploy Button
+
 Click this button to deploy API instantly:
 
 [![Deploy to Render](https://render.com/images/deploy-to-render-button.svg)](https://render.com/deploy?repo=https://github.com/RabbitDaCoder/ExpressLogistics)
 
 ### Vercel Deploy Button
+
 Click this button to deploy Client instantly:
 
 [![Deploy with Vercel](https://vercel.com/button)](https://vercel.com/new/clone?repository-url=https://github.com/RabbitDaCoder/ExpressLogistics&root-directory=client&env=VITE_API_URL&envDescription=API%20endpoint%20URL&envLink=https://your-api.onrender.com/api)
@@ -127,15 +143,19 @@ Click this button to deploy Client instantly:
 ### Common Issues
 
 #### 1. API Build Fails with npm ci Error
+
 **Solution:** The render.yaml is configured to use `npm install` instead of `npm ci`
 
 #### 2. Client Can't Connect to API
+
 **Solution:** Check CORS settings and update `FRONTEND_URL` in API environment variables
 
 #### 3. Email Service Not Working
+
 **Solution:** Verify SMTP credentials in Render environment variables
 
 #### 4. PDF Generation Fails
+
 **Solution:** Check Cloudinary credentials in both API and Client
 
 ---

RENDER_ENV_VARS.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Copy and paste these environment variables in Render:
+
+NODE_ENV=production
+PORT=10000
+MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://techagbadev:7X7Vql0Q0t2gZVOv@aegisexpresslogistics.nj62fnk.mongodb.net/logisticsDB?retryWrites=true&w=majority&appName=AegisExpressLogistics
+MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://techagbadev:7X7Vql0Q0t2gZVOv@aegisexpresslogistics.nj62fnk.mongodb.net/logisticsDB?retryWrites=true&w=majority&appName=AegisExpressLogistics
+JWT_SECRET=your_secure_jwt_secret_change_this_in_production
+JWT_EXPIRES=7d
+REDIS_URL=rediss://default:AdZnAAIncDFkYzg1MTViMzVmMGI0MTFhYjhmZGQxMTczOTk5OTYzNnAxNTQ4ODc@full-skylark-54887.upstash.io:6379
+REDIS_CACHE_TTL=3600
+EMAIL_USER=techagbadev@gmail.com
+EMAIL_PASS=zimtqbuzrypfmkgk
+SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
+SMTP_PORT=465
+FROM_EMAIL=boltdropa@gmail.com
+CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=dk1cria0z
+CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=747368826295982
+CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=HbljlQwEoDR6ndvo98KNQy6Lbyk
+FRONTEND_URL=https://aegis-express.vercel.app
+ADMIN_SEED_TOKEN=CHANGE_ME
+ADMIN_EMAIL=owner@example.com
+ADMIN_PASSWORD=Passw0rd!

VERCEL_ENV_VARS.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Copy and paste these environment variables in Vercel:
+
+VITE_API_URL=https://your-render-api-url.onrender.com/api
+VITE_CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=dk1cria0z
+VITE_CLOUDINARY_UPLOAD_PRESET=delivery_invoices

api/config/db.js

@@ -2,7 +2,16 @@ import mongoose from "mongoose";
 
 const connectDB = async () => {
   try {
-    const conn = await mongoose.connect(process.env.MONGO_URI, {
+    // Support both MONGO_URI and MONGODB_URI environment variable names
+    const mongoUri = process.env.MONGO_URI || process.env.MONGODB_URI;
+
+    if (!mongoUri) {
+      throw new Error(
+        "MongoDB URI is not defined. Please set MONGO_URI or MONGODB_URI environment variable."
+      );
+    }
+
+    const conn = await mongoose.connect(mongoUri, {
       useNewUrlParser: true,
       useUnifiedTopology: true,
     });

api/server.js

@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ import app from "./app.js";
 import connectDB from "./config/db.js";
 import { connectRedis } from "./config/redis.js";
 import { seedAdminIfRequested } from "./controllers/auth.controller.js";
+import validateEnvironment from "./utils/validateEnv.js";
 
 const PORT = process.env.PORT || 5000;
 
 const startServer = async () => {
   try {
+    // Validate environment variables first
+    validateEnvironment();
+
     // connect MongoDB
     await connectDB();
 

api/utils/validateEnv.js

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// Environment variable validation for production deployment
+import dotenv from "dotenv";
+dotenv.config();
+
+const requiredEnvVars = [
+  "MONGO_URI",
+  "JWT_SECRET",
+  "REDIS_URL",
+  "EMAIL_USER",
+  "EMAIL_PASS",
+  "CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME",
+  "CLOUDINARY_API_KEY",
+  "CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET",
+];
+
+const validateEnvironment = () => {
+  console.log("🔍 Validating environment variables...");
+
+  const missing = [];
+
+  requiredEnvVars.forEach((varName) => {
+    // Support alternative naming conventions
+    const value =
+      process.env[varName] ||
+      process.env[varName.replace("MONGO_URI", "MONGODB_URI")] ||
+      process.env[varName.replace("EMAIL_", "SMTP_")];
+
+    if (!value) {
+      missing.push(varName);
+    } else {
+      console.log(`✅ ${varName}: ${value.substring(0, 20)}...`);
+    }
+  });
+
+  if (missing.length > 0) {
+    console.error("❌ Missing required environment variables:");
+    missing.forEach((varName) => {
+      console.error(`   - ${varName}`);
+    });
+    console.error(
+      "\n📖 Please check your environment variables in Render dashboard."
+    );
+    console.error("🔗 Reference: RENDER_ENV_VARS.txt file in your project.");
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  console.log("✅ All required environment variables are set!");
+};
+
+export default validateEnvironment;