E-commerce Website Development with

MERN Stack

A Project Work Synopsis

Submitted in the partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN
COMPUTER SCIENCE

Submitted by:
Yuvraj Singh- 21BCS3581
Atinderpal Singh - 21BCS4569
Shivendra - 21BCS4921
Ritik- 21BCS3573

Under the Supervision of:

Mrs. Yashika Sharma

CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY, GHARUAN, MOHALI - 140413,

PUNJAB
September, 2022

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 Abstract

This document outlines essential keywords related to the

development of e-commerce platforms using the MERN stack, which
includes MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js. Each keyword
encapsulates critical concepts and practices that contribute to
creating effective online shopping experiences. Key aspects such as
scalability, performance, user experience, and security are
emphasized, highlighting their significance in ensuring robust and
reliable e-commerce applications. The use of Agile methodology,
deployment strategies, and testing frameworks is also discussed,
showcasing their roles in enhancing development efficiency and
product quality. Overall, these keywords serve as a foundational
guide for developers and stakeholders involved in e-commerce
development.

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Keywords:
1. E-commerce Development: Creating online platforms for buying and
selling goods or services.
2. MERN Stack: A JavaScript-based framework comprising MongoDB,
Express.js, React.js, and Node.js for full-stack development.
3. MongoDB: A NoSQL database designed for scalability and performance
with a flexible data format.
4. Express.js: A web application framework for Node.js that simplifies server-
side application development.
5. React.js: A JavaScript library for building user interfaces, particularly
single-page applications.
6. Node.js: A JavaScript runtime that enables server-side scripting and scalable
network applications.
7. Agile Methodology: An iterative project management approach that
promotes flexibility and rapid feature delivery.
8. Scalability: The ability of a system to handle increased load without
performance degradation.

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 Table of Contents

Title Page i

Abstract ii

1. Introduction
1.1 Problem Definition

1.2 Project Overview

1.3 Hardware
Specification
1.4 Software Specification

2. Literature Survey
2.1 Existing System
2.2 Proposed System
2.3 Literature Review
Summary
3. Problem Formulation
4. Research Objective
5. Methodologies
6. Experimental Setup
7. Conclusion
8. Tentative Chapter Plan for the proposed work
9. Reference

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Problem Definition

Developing an e-commerce website using the MERN stack (MongoDB,

Express.js, React.js, and Node.js) involves creating a platform for buying and
selling products online. The goal is to provide a seamless shopping experience
for users while ensuring efficient management of products, orders, and user data.

1.2 Problem Overview

The company needs to develop a scalable, modern e-commerce platform using
the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) to provide a seamless
shopping experience for users. The platform must handle a growing product
catalog, high traffic, secure transactions, and integrate third-party services such
as payment gateways and shipping APIs. Additionally, the development process
is facing delays and technical challenges related to scalability, performance
optimization, and feature integration.

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1.3 Hardware Specification

Recommended Minimum Specs (for individual developer machines):

• Processor (CPU): Quad-core Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 or equivalent

• Memory (RAM): 16 GB (recommended for running MongoDB,

Node.js, and react with additional tools like compilers, debuggers, etc.)

• Storage: SSD with at least 512 GB (for fast read/write speeds and space for
large datasets, especially when dealing with MongoDB)

Operating System: Windows, macOS, or Linux (Ubuntu is popular for MERN

development).

1.4 Software Specification

1) MongoDB (Database):

• Version: MongoDB 5.x

Role: NoSQL database used to store product details, user information, orders,
and session data. Its flexible schema allows easy scalability and adaptability as
your data requirements evolve.

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 2) Express.js (Backend Framework):

• Version: Express 4.x or higher.

• Role: Web application framework for Node.js, handling routing,

middleware, and server-side logic. It serves as the backend API,
responding to HTTP requests from the front end.

3)React.js (Frontend Framework):

• Version: React 17.x or higher.

• Role: Client-side JavaScript library for building user interfaces,

particularly for single-page applications (SPA). It handles all customer
interactions and user experience for browsing products, managing
shopping carts, and completing purchases.

4)Node.js (Runtime Environment):

• Version: Node.js 18.x or higher (LTS version).

• Role: Server-side JavaScript runtime, handling server logic, API

endpoints, and real-time communication. It powers the backend,
ensuring that Express.js runs smoothly.

2. LITERATURE SURVEY
2.1 Existing System
The existing system for E-Commerce website development with the MERN
stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) offers a dynamic, full-stack

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 solution for online stores. MongoDB stores user data, products, and orders,
while Express.js and Node.js handle backend logic, including user
authentication, API requests, and order processing. React.js powers the front-
end, delivering a responsive, single-page application (SPA) for seamless
browsing, cart management, and checkout. Key features include user
registration/login, product listings with filtering and sorting, secure payments via
integrations with payment gateways like Stripe, and order tracking.

2.2 Proposed System

The proposed system for E-Commerce website development using the MERN
stack aims to enhance scalability, performance, and user experience. Leveraging
MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js, it will incorporate server-side
rendering (SSR) using Next.js for improved SEO, and real-time updates for
inventory and orders through WebSocket’s. Enhanced security measures like
OAuth 2.0 for user authentication and PCIcompliant payment gateways will be
integrated. Cloud-native deployment using Kubernetes and auto-scaling
features will handle traffic surges, while caching via Redis will ensure faster
load times and smoother user interactions.

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2.3 Literature Review Summary

Year Article/ Tools/ Technique Source Evaluation

and Author Software Parameter
Citation

MERN Case Study Journal of Web Scalability,

2020 Smith, J. STACK Development Performance

Johnson, A. React, International

Node.js Journal of
Comparative Software
2021 Analysis Engineering Usability, Speed

Wang, L. MongoDB, E – Commerce User

Express User Studies Satisfaction,
2022 Research Engagement

Zhang, Y. Jest, Software Testing

Testing Bug
Cypress Review
2023 Frameworks Detection

Kumar, S. Various Security Cybersecurity Risk

2022 Analysis Journal Management

Davis, M. Kubernetes Deployment Cloud Computing Scalability,

2023 Docker Framework Review Reliability

Patel, R. Docker Agile

Development
2021 Case Study Journal Flexibility
.

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2. PROBLEM FORMULATION
E-commerce platforms face increasing demands for scalability,
performance, and seamless user experiences. Traditional ecommerce
systems often struggle with handling high traffic, dynamic content updates,
and real-time interactions, leading to slower load times, poor user
engagement, and difficulties in scaling infrastructure. Furthermore,
security concerns, such as secure payments and user authentication, along
with the need for improved SEO, are critical challenges.

The problem is to develop an efficient, secure, and scalable e-commerce

platform using the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js,
Node.js), addressing issues like real-time data updates, SEO optimization,
traffic handling, and smooth user interaction.
4. OBJECTIVES
1. Scalability: Design an architecture that supports horizontal scaling to handle
increasing traffic and a growing number of users without compromising
performance.

2. Performance Optimization: Implement best practices such as server-side

rendering (SSR), lazy loading, and caching mechanisms (e.g., Redis) to
enhance page load times and user experience.

3. User-Friendly Interface: Develop a responsive and intuitive user interface

using React.js, ensuring seamless navigation, product searching, and cart
management for an enhanced shopping experience.

4. Secure Transactions: Integrate secure payment gateways (e.g., Stripe,

PayPal) and adopt robust authentication methods (e.g., OAuth 2.0) to protect
sensitive user data and transactions.

5. Real-Time Data Handling: Enable real-time updates for inventory, order

status, and user interactions through technologies like WebSockets, ensuring
users have access to the latest information.

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6. METHODOLOGY

The development of an e-commerce website using the MERN stack follows

a structured methodology to ensure successful project delivery. It begins
with planning and requirements gathering, where project objectives,
scope, and stakeholder requirements are defined. The design phase
involves creating wireframes and prototypes to visualize the user interface
and planning the database schema for efficient data management.

During the development phase, the frontend is built using React.js for
interactive user experiences, while the backend is developed with Node.js
and Express.js to create a RESTful API. Following development, testing
and quality assurance ensure all components function correctly through
unit, integration, and User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

After successful testing, the application is deployed in a production

environment with appropriate security and performance configurations. The
final phase involves ongoing maintenance and updates to fix bugs and
enhance features, using agile methodologies for iterative improvements.

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6.EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

The experimental setup for developing an e-commerce website using the

MERN stack includes essential hardware and software configurations.

Hardware Requirements:

• A computer/server with at least 8 GB RAM and a 2.5 GHz processor.

Software Requirements:

• Node.js and MongoDB: Latest versions installed.

• React.js and Express.js: Installed via npm or yarn.

• A code editor like Visual Studio Code.

• Git for version control.

Development Environment:

• Frontend: Set up a React project using create-react-app.

• Backend: Create an Express project using express-generator.

• Database: Configure MongoDB for integration with Express.

Testing and Deployment:

• Use Jest and Enzyme for testing; Selenium or Cypress for UAT.

• Deploy using Docker or Kubernetes, ensuring security measures like HTTPS

are in place.

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7.CONCLUSION
In conclusion, developing an e-commerce website using the MERN stack offers
a powerful combination of technologies that cater to the needs of modern web
applications. The integration of MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js
enables developers to build a scalable and responsive platform that enhances
user experience and optimizes data management. The agile methodology
facilitates iterative development, allowing teams to adapt to evolving
requirements effectively. Comprehensive testing, including unit, integration,
and user acceptance testing, ensures the delivery of highquality software.
Furthermore, employing deployment strategies such as Docker and Kubernetes
support scalability and reliability, essential for handling varying traffic loads.
Continuous maintenance and updates post-launch are vital for ensuring security
and performance. Overall, the MERN stack equips businesses with the tools
necessary to create dynamic e-commerce solutions, positioning them for
success in the competitive online marketplace.

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