Anichat- A real time chat application

AniChat is a full-featured real-time messaging platform built from the ground up with the MERN stack and Socket.io. It supports one-on-one direct messages and group chats with admin controls including member management, role promotion, and group customization. Messages update instantly via WebSockets with features like soft/hard delete, emoji reactions, seen indicators, and image sharing through Cloudinary. Users can build personal GIF and custom sticker galleries for quick media sharing. The app includes a DB-backed online presence system with heartbeat polling as a fallback, ensuring accurate live status even through network interruptions. The frontend features a fully responsive UI with a space-themed login page complete with a physics-based meteor shower canvas animation, twinkling star fields, and customizable chat backgrounds. Authentication is handled via JWT with bcrypt-hashed passwords.