A full-stack, real-time implementation of the Dots and Boxes game. This project demonstrates backend game logic, real-time communication, and a modern frontend.

• Real-time multiplayer gameplay using WebSockets
• Server-authoritative game logic and move validation
• Interactive SVG-based UI in React
• Persistent game state and chat stored in a database
• Solo play against a bot

Backend

• Go (Echo framework)
• WebSockets for real-time gameplay and chat

Frontend

• React
• SVG-based board rendering
• Real-time updates via WebSockets

Database

• Postgres: persistent storage for users, game state, and chat history

Infrastructure

• Redis: in-memory Pub/Sub for events
• Docker: containerized environment
• Caddy: reverse proxy and HTTPS handling

Prerequisites: Go (1.24+), Node.js (18+), npm

One-command setup for running the full stack

# clone repository
# from project root
docker compose --env-file .env up --build  

This will:

• Build and run the Go API server
• Build the React frontend
• Start Caddy, Redis, and Postgres

Access the frontend at https://localhost (Caddy handles routing to backend API and WebSockets)

• backend: Go + Echo backend (serves API and WebSockets)
• frontend: React frontend container
• db: Postgres container
• caddy: Caddy reverse proxy container
• redis Redis container

# clone repository

# install dependencies
go mod tidy

# run API server
go run ./cmd

The backend runs on http://localhost:8484 and serves both the API and WebSocket connections.

cd frontend
npm install
npm run dev

Must have docker setup running, tests need a running redis setup.

• User tests (needs updating will fail)
• Game tests
• Infra tests
• Lobby tests

go test ./internal/user
go test ./internal/game
go test ./internal/infra
go test ./internal/lobby

1. Users authenticate and join a global chat
2. Players create or join a game session or play against a bot
3. Each move selects a side of a square
4. The server validates moves and updates state
5. Completing a box awards a point and an extra turn

• Designing a turn-based multiplayer game
• Real-time synchronization across clients
• Managing shared state safely on the server
• Deploying full-stack applications with Docker and Caddy

Actively developed. Core gameplay and multiplayer features are complete.