Recipe Finder with Favorites

Project Setup & Backend Foundation: Initialize the Node.js project, set up the Express server, and establish a connection to the MongoDB database. This step lays the groundwork for the entire backend.

User Authentication Endpoints: Build the backend logic for user registration and login. This involves creating the user model, hashing passwords for security, and generating JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for session management.

Frontend Foundation & API Integration: Set up the React application using Vite or Create React App. Establish the basic project structure and connect to the public recipe API to ensure data can be fetched.

Core Frontend Features: Recipe Search & Display: Build the primary user interface for searching recipes and viewing their details. This includes the search bar, a grid of recipe results, and a detailed view page for a single recipe.

Integrating Frontend Authentication: Connect the React app to your backend's authentication endpoints. Build the login and registration forms and manage the user's authentication state globally.

Backend Recipe Management: Create the secure API endpoints for authenticated users to save, retrieve, and remove their favorite recipes. This involves modifying the User model and creating protected routes.

Protected Frontend Features: 'My Favorites' Page: Build the user-facing page where they can view their saved recipes. This page should be protected, meaning only logged-in users can access it.

Enhancement: Advanced Features & UI/UX Polish: Elevate the project from a functional prototype to a polished application. This involves integrating a component library for a professional look and feel, and ensuring the application is fully responsive.

Enhancement: Adding Personal Notes to Recipes: Increase user engagement by allowing them to add personal notes to their saved recipes. This requires changes to both the backend model and the frontend interface.

Finalization and Deployment: Prepare the application for the public. This includes code cleanup, writing documentation, and deploying both the frontend and backend to live cloud services.