Introduction:

The Expense Tracker System is a web-based application that helps users monitor and manage their income and expenses in a simple, intuitive, and efficient way. Using Node.js and Express on the backend and MongoDB as a NoSQL database, the system ensures scalability and performance. The front end, built using Bootstrap, ensures a responsive and user-friendly interface across all devices. This project is ideal for individuals who want better control over their finances and to visualize their spending patterns.

Objective:

The main aim of the Expense Tracker System is to:

• Enable users to add and manage income and expenses.

• Categorize transactions for better insights.

• Visualize financial data through charts.

• Offer real-time balance tracking.

• Maintain user data securely through authentication.

User Roles:

1. Regular User:

   • Register/Login/Logout

   • Add income or expense entries

   • View financial summary

   • Edit or delete previous records

   • Filter and search transactions by category or date

2. Admin (optional):

   • View all users and transactions (for multi-user system)

   • Monitor system usage

   • Manage user accounts

Core Features:

Authentication System:

• User registration and login using Express and sessions (or JWT)

• Secure password storage using bcrypt hashing

• Session or token-based login with timeout functionality

Add Transactions:

• Input fields for amount, type (Income/Expense), date, category, and notes

• Validation to ensure correct data entry

• Option to update or delete transactions

Transaction History:

• List of all transactions with filtering and sorting

• Pagination support for long history

• Search functionality for quick access

Financial Summary & Dashboard:

• Display of current balance = Total Income - Total Expenses

• Show monthly income and expenses separately

• Charts using libraries like Chart.js or Google Charts

  • Pie chart for category-wise breakdown

  • Line/bar chart for monthly trends

Technology Stack:

Backend:

• Node.js (runtime environment)

• Express.js (web framework)

Database:

• MongoDB (document-based NoSQL database)

• Mongoose (MongoDB ORM for schema and queries)

Frontend:

• HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap 5

• JavaScript (for dynamic behavior