Learning Path

ChatRoom is a teaching-oriented project designed with different learning paths for different types of learners. Choose the path that best suits you and start your full-stack development journey.

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👨‍💻 Backend Developer Path

Estimated Time: 2-3 hours
Goal: Deep understanding of Go backend development, JWT, WebSocket, and database skills

Overview

Step	Topic	Time	Goal
1	Project Structure & Dependencies	20 min	Understand Clean Architecture
2	Database Design	30 min	Master GORM modeling & migrations
3	JWT Dual Token	40 min	Understand auth flow & security
4	WebSocket Hub	45 min	Master broadcasting & session mgmt
5	Deployment	30 min	Docker & K8s practices

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Project Structure

Read:

• Architecture - System overview
• cmd/server/main.go - Startup flow and dependency wiring

Key Learning:

• Understand internal/ directory organization
• Interface-driven design principles
• Simple dependency injection

Practice:

# Analyze project structure
find internal -maxdepth 2 -type f | sort | head -40

# Understand startup wiring
sed -n '1,120p' cmd/server/main.go

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Step 2: Database with GORM

Read: internal/models/

Key Learning:

• GORM model definitions
• Database migrations
• PostgreSQL features (JSON, indexes)

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Step 3: JWT Authentication

Read:

• internal/auth/
• API - Authentication

Key Learning:

• Access Token vs Refresh Token
• Token rotation mechanism
• Secure storage & transport

Practice:

# Test auth flow with curl

# 1. Register
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/auth/register \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"test@example.com","password":"password123","username":"testuser"}'

# 2. Login
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/auth/login \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"test@example.com","password":"password123"}'

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Step 4: WebSocket Hub

Read:

• internal/ws/
• Architecture - WebSocket Layer

Key Learning:

• Hub pattern design
• Room management & broadcasting
• Heartbeat & reconnection
• Distributed deployment sync

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Step 5: Docker & Kubernetes

Read: deploy/

• Deploy assets on GitHub

Practice:

# Build Docker image
docker build -t chatroom:latest -f deploy/docker/Dockerfile .

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👩‍💻 Frontend Developer Path

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Goal: Master React + TypeScript for real-time interactive UIs

Overview

Step	Topic	Time	Goal
1	API Overview	15 min	REST + WebSocket interfaces
2	WebSocket Client	30 min	Connection & reconnection
3	React Hooks	25 min	State management
4	Token Refresh	20 min	Auto-refresh handling
5	UI Implementation	30 min	Components & real-time updates

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🎯 Full-Stack Developer Path

Estimated Time: 4-5 hours
Goal: Complete mastery of frontend & backend, independent development

Overview

Step	Topic	Time	Goal
1	Quick Start	20 min	Dev environment setup
2	Code Walkthrough	60 min	Full-stack understanding
3	Feature Extension	90 min	Add new feature
4	Testing	45 min	Unit & integration tests
5	Production Deploy	30 min	Full deployment flow

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📚 Recommended Reading Order

If you don't have a specific goal, read in this order:

1. Getting Started — 5-min setup
2. Manual Testing — Verify core features
3. API Documentation — Interface design
4. Architecture — System layers
5. Monitoring Guide — Operational surfaces

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💡 Learning Tips

Learn by Doing

Don't just read—open the project and experiment:

code .  # Open in VS Code

Take Notes

Keep a notes file for:

• Code you don't understand
• Design improvements you want to make
• Errors you encounter

Try Modifications

After reading a module, try modifying something:

• Change a color theme
• Add a field
• Modify response format

Get Help

If stuck:

• Check FAQ
• Open a GitHub Issue
• Read code comments