Verizon Smart Campus Competition: Scarlet Connect

This is a demo frontend app for Scarlet Connect, built using React, Vite, TailwindCSS, and Leaflet.
The theme is inspired by Rutgers University colors — scarlet red and black.

Scarlet Connect is a Rutgers-specific friend-making app that uses Verizon Smart Campus Concepts to help students naturally connect with people they already spend time around. By using NetID login and campus WiFi signals, the app detects how long users spend in Rutgers academic buildings (never dorms or off-campus) and anonymously matches students with others who share similar study spots, class locations, and schedules.

Note: Students can opt in or out at any time, and all location data appears only as anonymous “pings,” ensuring privacy while still enabling matches—similar to TikTok’s viewer profile system. The demo showcases real-time building pings, match percentages, and examples of how students with overlapping campus habits can become study buddies or friends.

⚙️ How to Run the App Locally

1️⃣ Make sure Node.js is installed

Check that Node and npm are installed:

node -v
npm -v

If not, download Node.js (LTS version recommended).

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2️⃣ Navigate to the project folder

In your terminal:

cd Scarlet-Connect

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3️⃣ Install all dependencies

This will install React, Vite, Tailwind, and Leaflet (from your package.json):

npm install

You’ll see a node_modules folder appear — that’s where everything gets installed.

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4️⃣ Start the development server

Run:

npm run dev

After a few seconds, you should see output like:

VITE v5.4.0  ready in 500ms

➜  Local:   http://localhost:5173/

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5️⃣ Open the app in your browser

Go to:

http://localhost:5173/

You should see:

• A navbar with Scarlet Connect
• Rutgers scarlet/black theme
• A button to open the campus map

Click “Open Campus Map” or the “Map” link — you’ll see an interactive map with demo people markers on Rutgers–New Brunswick.

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6️⃣ Stop the server (when you’re done)

Press:

Ctrl + C

in the terminal to stop the local development server.

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✅ Optional: Build for production

If you want to create a production-ready build (for deployment or sharing):

npm run build

Preview the build locally:

npm run preview

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📦 Quick Commands Recap

Command	Description
npm install	Installs dependencies
npm run dev	Starts local development server
npm run build	Builds for production
npm run preview	Previews built app