DropPal

Abstract

The DropPal e-commerce platform, developed as our Graduation Project, is a comprehensive real-time communication system designed to facilitate seamless interaction between merchants and customers within an integrated e-commerce environment. The system comprises three main components: a Flutter- based mobile application, a Node.js backend server with WebSocket support [3], and a web-based ad- ministrative dashboard. Key achievements include: • Multi-platform support (mobile, web, and admin interfaces) • Role-based authentication and routing system • Scalable architecture supporting both MongoDB and PostgreSQL databases [4, 5] • Responsive design with modern UI/UX principles • Comprehensive chat system with message persistence and delivery confirmation • Merchant-friendly tools enabling sellers to create their own store within the platform and manage all orders independently The system successfully handles multiple user roles (customers, merchants, guests, and administra- tors) with appropriate access controls and feature sets tailored to each user type. DropPal empowers users not only to shop and communicate in real-time, but also to manage e-commerce operations across multiple independent merchants in a unified ecosystem.