BruinMap is a mobile-first web application featuring an interactive campus map for UCLA with comprehensive navigation capabilities for both indoor and outdoor spaces, complete with user authentication and personalized features.

Overview

BruinMap reimagines campus navigation for UCLA students, faculty, and visitors by providing detailed indoor and outdoor mapping capabilities. The application allows users to search for specific rooms within the Math/Science building, save events and locations, and access campus information through a responsive, mobile-optimized interface.

Key Features

Technical Implementation

The application features a full-stack architecture with a Node.js backend and a React frontend. The backend uses MongoDB for data storage, implements JWT-based authentication, and includes email functionality for password reset. The frontend implements responsive design principles with a mobile-first approach to ensure optimal usability on smartphones, where campus navigation is most commonly needed.

Project Setup

The project features a streamlined setup process through a custom shell script that guides users through configuration. The script automatically creates the necessary environment files, installs dependencies, and launches both the frontend and backend servers. This approach simplifies the deployment process and ensures that all required environment variables are properly configured, including MongoDB URI, JWT secret, email service credentials, and port settings.

Future Development

With the foundation of indoor and outdoor mapping established, future development could expand indoor mapping to additional campus buildings, enhance real-time location tracking, and integrate with UCLA's class scheduling system. The project demonstrates the potential for student-developed solutions to address practical campus navigation challenges while providing a more feature-rich alternative to official mapping tools.