API_DOCS.md

API Documentation: Smart Attendance System

The backend provides a RESTful API for common operations, supplemented by Socket.io for real-time events.

Authentication Endpoints

1. Register User

POST /api/auth/register

• Body: { name, email, password, role, className, rollNo }
• Description: Creates a new user profile. Roles are teacher or student.

2. Login User

POST /api/auth/login

• Body: { email, password }
• Returns: { token, user: { id, name, role, ... } }

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Attendance & Session Endpoints

3. Create Session (Teacher Only)

POST /api/attendance/session

• Header: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Body: { targetClass, coords: { lat, lng }, radius, expiresAt }
• Description: Generates a new unique joinCode and starts a session.

4. Join/Verify Session (Student Only)

POST /api/attendance/mark

• Header: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Body: { joinCode, coords: { lat, lng }, faceImage (FormData) }
• Description: Validates GPS distance and registers attendance for the student.

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Real-time Events (Socket.io)

Client Emissions

• connection: Triggered on socket initialization.

Server Emissions

• attendance-update: Emitted to the teacher whenever a student successfully marks attendance.
• session-ended: Emitted to students when the teacher terminates the session.