Welcome to UniLost Documentation

UniLost is an integrated lost and found management system designed specifically for Sejong University. The system provides a comprehensive solution for managing lost and found items on campus using modern web technologies and real-time communication features.

Documentation:

• About the Project
  • Overview
  • Purpose
  • Objectives
  • Key Features
  • Target Users
  • Technology Stack
  • License
• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation
  • Running the Application
  • Access the Application
  • Default Accounts
  • Verification
  • Troubleshooting
  • Next Steps
• How to Use
  • Student Guide
  • Administrator Guide
  • Usage Examples
  • Best Practices
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Tips and Tricks
• Technical Overview
  • Architecture
  • Core Components
  • Database Schema
  • Technologies Used
  • Security Features
  • Data Flow
  • Performance Considerations
  • Scalability
• API Reference
  • Base URL
  • Authentication
  • Authentication Endpoints
  • Item Endpoints
  • Socket.IO Events
  • Error Responses
• Configuration Guide
  • Environment Variables
  • Setting Environment Variables
  • Database Configuration
  • Session Configuration
  • Map Configuration
  • Default Users
  • Production Configuration Checklist
  • Render Deployment Configuration
• Maintenance and Troubleshooting
  • Routine Maintenance
  • Common Issues and Solutions
  • Performance Issues
  • Security Issues
  • Getting Help
• Contribution Guidelines
  • Getting Started
  • Code of Conduct
  • Coding Standards
  • Commit Messages
  • Pull Request Process
  • Review Process
  • Development Setup
  • Testing
  • Areas for Contribution
  • Reporting Issues
  • License
  • Questions?
• FAQ
  • General Questions
  • Installation Questions
  • Usage Questions
  • Technical Questions
  • Deployment Questions
  • Security Questions
  • Troubleshooting Questions
  • Contributing Questions
  • License Questions
  • Still Have Questions?
• Release Notes
  • Version 0.9.0 (2025-11-18)
  • Version 0.0.1 (2025-11-05)
  • Future Plans
  • Contributors
  • License

Key Features

• 🗺️ Map-based Lost and Found Registration/Search: Location-based lost and found management using Leaflet maps

• 💬 Real-time Chat: Socket.IO-based global chat and item-specific threaded chat

• 👤 User Authentication: Session-based login/logout system

• 🔐 Administrator Functions: Lost and found approval/rejection, storage location management

• 💾 Permanent Data Storage: Data preservation via PostgreSQL (production) / SQLite (local development) database

• 📱 Responsive Design: Supports both mobile and desktop

Quick Start

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/jin040907/UniLost.git

2. Install dependencies: npm install

3. Start the server: npm start

4. Access the application: http://localhost:3000

For detailed installation instructions, see Getting Started.

Live Demo

Deployed Website: https://unilost.onrender.com

> ⚠️ Render’s free plan enters sleep mode after 15 minutes of inactivity. There may be a slight delay when accessing it for the first time.

Contact & Community

• Google Groups: unilost@googlegroups.com | Join our mailing list

• GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/jin040907/UniLost/discussions

• GitHub Issues: https://github.com/jin040907/UniLost/issues

• Project Website: https://jin040907.github.io/UniLost/

License

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. See the LICENSE file for details.