FreshCut | AI-Powered Salon Booking React Native App

FreshCut is an innovative, AI-powered multi-application platform built for modern salon appointment booking, business management, and platform administration. This complete solution provides a centralized Node.js backend and three beautifully designed, highly functional React Native mobile applications tailored for customers, salon owners, and platform administrators.

The code is clean, scalable, and well-structured, utilizing a modular architecture with reusable components. Built with the latest React Native (Expo) and TypeScript, it ensures a smooth and engaging user experience across both Android and iOS devices. The styling is handled with NativeWind (TailwindCSS) for a pixel-perfect modern interface.

Important Note – External Services and API Keys

Warning: This platform includes features that rely on third-party external services. For the following features to function properly, you will need to provide your own API keys and may incur additional costs depending on the service provider’s pricing plan:

• AI Features: Requires a Google Gemini AI or Groq API Key to power the smart AI chat and AI vision functionalities within the User App.
• Payments: Requires a Stripe Account for secure in-app payment processing.
• Cloud Storage: Requires Cloudinary for fast image hosting and file uploads.
• Database: Requires a MongoDB instance (local or MongoDB Atlas).
• Notifications: Uses Expo Push Notifications service for cross-platform delivery.

Key Platform Features

• Integrated AI Assistant powered by Google Gemini (Chat & Vision)
• Supported natively on Android and iOS (via Expo)
• Built with React Native, latest Expo SDK, and TypeScript
• Robust Node.js, Express, and MongoDB RESTful Backend
• Modern UI/UX Design using NativeWind (Tailwind CSS) and Gorhom Bottom Sheets
• Real-time Updates via Socket.io (Instant booking status changes)
• Secure In-App Payments with Stripe React Native Integration
• Clean and Professional Layout with Smooth Animations
• Redux Toolkit for scalable state management

Included Modules & Application Features

1. USER APP (CUSTOMER APPLICATION)

• Smart AI Assistant: Includes an intelligent AI Chat to help customers discover styles, and an AI Vision tool to analyze uploaded photos and suggest matching salon services.
• Authentication: Secure Login, Sign Up, and session management.
• Discovery: Browse nearby salons, view rich portfolios, and discover services.
• Booking Flow: Select services, choose specific staff members, and pick available calendar time slots.
• Payments: Secure checkout process via Stripe.
• Booking Management: View upcoming and past appointments, with options to manage them.
• Notifications: Real-time push notifications for booking confirmations and important reminders.

2. OWNER APP (SALON MANAGEMENT DASHBOARD)

• Shop Management: Edit shop details, business hours, and portfolio images dynamically.
• Booking Oversight: Accept, decline, or mark customer appointments as completed in real-time.
• Staff Management: Add employees, assign working hours, and track individual schedules.
• Service Menu: Add, edit, or remove salon services and update pricing.
• Financials: Monitor revenue, track earnings, and manage platform fee payouts.

3. ADMIN APP (PLATFORM CONTROL CENTER)

• Global Dashboard: View platform-wide metrics, active users, and total registered shops.
• Onboarding Moderation: Review and approve or reject new salon applications to maintain quality.
• User & Shop Management: Oversee platform activity and maintain integrity.
• Dispute & Ticket Resolution: Manage support tickets and user/owner interactions.
• Platform Settings: Configure global settings such as platform-wide commission rates.

4. CENTRALIZED BACKEND (NODE.JS API)

• RESTful Architecture: Secure, rate-limited endpoints for all mobile applications.
• Database: Strict Mongoose schemas and optimized queries for fast data retrieval.
• Security: JWT-based secure authentication, Bcrypt password hashing, Helmet, and CORS protection.
• Real-time Sockets: Live bi-directional updates for booking statuses using Socket.io.
• Background Jobs: Automated scheduled tasks using Node-cron.

Project Requirements

• Node.js (v18 or higher)
• MongoDB Instance (Local or Cloud)
• Latest Expo CLI
• Basic React Native and Node.js knowledge for deployment and customization
• Android Studio or VS Code for development