This is the official backend API for SkillSquare, a platform designed to connect users with local skilled professionals. It is built using modern .NET technologies and follows a robust repository pattern architecture.

Swagger UI: View Live API Documentation

• Framework: ASP.NET Core 8/9 Web API
• Language: C#
• Database: Azure SQL Database & Entity Framework Core
• Authentication: ASP.NET Core Identity & JWT (JSON Web Tokens)
• Real-time Communication: SignalR (WebSockets)
• Cloud Hosting: Microsoft Azure App Service

• N-Tier Architecture: Separation of concerns using Data Access Layer (DAL) and Controllers.
• Repository Pattern: Clean abstraction of database operations.
• Role-Based Authorization: Distinct access levels for Admins, Providers, and standard Users.
• Real-time Notifications: Instant alerts using SignalR Hubs.

To help reviewers and developers test the API, the following demo accounts are available:

• Email: test@gmail.com
• Password: Test@123

• Email: provider22@gmail.com
• Password: Provider@123

• Email: admin@skillsquare.com
• Password: Admin@123

This API uses Bearer JWT for security. To test endpoints in Swagger:

1. Go to the /api/Auth/login endpoint.
2. Enter your credentials to receive a JWT Token.
3. Click the green Authorize button at the top of the Swagger page.
4. Type Bearer followed by a space, and paste your token.

1. Clone the repository.
2. Update the DefaultConnection string in appsettings.json with your local SQL Server details.
3. Ensure you have your JwtSettings configured in appsettings.json.
4. Run Update-Database in the Package Manager Console to apply EF Core migrations.
5. Press F5 to run the project locally via IIS Express or Kestrel.