Parallax

A life simulation application that uses AI to help users compare different life choices and visualize their potential outcomes over a 10-year timeline.

Features

• AI-Powered Life Simulations: Generate realistic 10-year projections for major life decisions
• Interactive Timeline Visualization: Explore simulation results with D3-powered data visualizations
• User Authentication: Secure login and profile management with Clerk
• Freemium Model: Free tier with 3 simulations per week, premium tier with unlimited access
• Payment Processing: Secure payments handled through Stripe integration
• Responsive Design: Modern React interface with smooth animations

Tech Stack

Frontend

• React
• Tailwind CSS
• D3.js
• Clerk
• Stripe.js

Backend

• Python (FastAPI)
• MongoDB
• Stripe

DevOps & Infrastructure

• Docker
• nginx

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Python 3.8+
• MongoDB instance
• OpenRouter API key
• Stripe account

Environment Setup

Create environment files:

Frontend (frontend/.env):

VITE_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_clerk_key
VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:8000
VITE_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_stripe_key

Backend (backend/.env):

MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=your_openrouter_key
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=your_stripe_secret_key
CLERK_SECRET_KEY=your_clerk_secret_key

Installation & Development

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd Parallax

2. Install frontend dependencies

   cd frontend
   npm install

3. Install backend dependencies

   cd backend
   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Start development servers

   Backend (runs on port 8000):

   cd backend
   python server.py

   Frontend (runs on port 3000):

   cd frontend
   npm run dev

Testing

Run the comprehensive backend test suite:

python backend_test.py

The test suite validates:

• API health endpoints
• MongoDB connectivity and SSL/TLS configuration
• AI simulation functionality with realistic data
• User simulation retrieval
• Stripe payment integration