Kvarow Server: Real-Time Skill Marketplace & Instructor Booking Backend Engine
Kvarow Server is a production-grade backend engine engineered to power the Kvarow Skill Marketplace & Instructor Booking Platform for mobile and web clients. The server handles secure user authentication, multi-role onboarding, skill cataloging, instructor availability scheduling, hourly booking orders, Stripe payments and transfers, real-time messaging via Socket.IO, and media file uploads.
Architectural Overview
Connecting students with verified skill instructors for online and in-person learning sessions requires a high-throughput, low-latency API architecture. Kvarow Server provides role-based user onboarding, dynamic availability scheduling, automated marketplace fee splits via Stripe Connect, and instant WebSocket messaging.
Core System Features
Authentication & Multi-Role Onboarding
Role-Based Access Control: Granular access control supporting Student (USER), Instructor (TEACHER), and Administrator (ADMIN) roles.
JWT Security: Access token validation, refresh token rotation, and bcrypt password hashing.
Email OTP Workflows: Account registration and password reset verification via automated email OTP.
Onboarding Profile System: Instructor skill profiles with skill levels (BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE, EXPERT), location coordinates (lat/lng), and FCM push tokens.
Skill Marketplace Catalog & Scheduling
Hierarchical Skill Taxonomy: Managed categories, sub-categories, and individual skills with image icons.
Instructor Teaching Profiles: Instructors can list skills with custom hourly rates, teaching modes (ONLINE, IN_PERSON, BOTH), and weekly availability schedules.
Marketplace Discovery API: Search and filter API for finding instructors based on skills, location radius, and rating.
Booking Orders & Stripe Marketplace Finance
Hourly Booking Orders: End-to-end booking lifecycle for hiring instructors for dedicated training hours.
Automated Platform Fee Splits: Instant price calculations separating student payment amounts, teacher payouts, and platform commission.
Stripe Connect Integration: Stripe Payment Intents, Connect Express accounts, and webhook listeners for order confirmations and payouts.
Real-Time Socket.IO Messaging
Private & Group Chat Rooms: Socket.IO powered messaging system supporting 1-on-1 private rooms and group chats.
Read Receipts & Message History: Real-time message status tracking, timestamping, and chat history retrieval.
Dual Cloud Storage & Notifications
DigitalOcean Spaces & Cloudinary: Dual-engine media storage setup delivering high-speed image and document CDN URLs.
Push & Email Dispatch: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) push notifications paired with Brevo, SendGrid, and Nodemailer.
Technology Stack
| Domain | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Runtime & Language | Node.js, TypeScript |
| API Framework | Express.js |
| Database & ORM | MongoDB Atlas, Prisma ORM |
| Real-Time Communication | Socket.IO, WebSockets |
| Payment Gateway | Stripe SDK (Payment Intents & Connect Accounts) |
| Media Storage | DigitalOcean Spaces CDN, Cloudinary SDK |
| Push & Email Services | Firebase Admin (FCM), Brevo API, SendGrid, Nodemailer |
| Security & Validation | Zod Middleware, JWT, Bcrypt |
Future Roadmap
Automated Payout Scheduling: Automatic weekly payout transfers for instructors via Stripe Connect.
Video Call Session Integration: WebRTC video conferencing sessions embedded directly into active booking orders.
In-App Audio Notes: Voice message attachments in real-time instructor-student chat rooms.
Advanced Analytics Dashboard: Admin dashboard charts tracking total booking hours, top skills, and revenue growth.