freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/09-information-security/information-security-projects/anonymous-message-board.md

---
id: 587d824a367417b2b2512c45
title: Anonymous Message Board
challengeType: 4
forumTopicId: 301568
dashedName: anonymous-message-board
---

# --description--

Build a full stack JavaScript app that is functionally similar to this: <https://anonymous-message-board.freecodecamp.rocks/>.

Working on this project will involve you writing your code using one of the following methods:

-   Clone [this GitHub repo](https://github.com/freeCodeCamp/boilerplate-project-messageboard/) and complete your project locally.
-   Use [our Replit starter project](https://replit.com/github/freeCodeCamp/boilerplate-project-messageboard) to complete your project.
-   Use a site builder of your choice to complete the project. Be sure to incorporate all the files from our GitHub repo.

When you are done, make sure a working demo of your project is hosted somewhere public. Then submit the URL to it in the `Solution Link` field. Optionally, also submit a link to your project's source code in the `GitHub Link` field.

# --instructions--

1.  Set `NODE_ENV` to test without quotes when ready to write tests and DB to your databases connection string (in `.env`)
2.  Recommended to create controllers/handlers and handle routing in `routes/api.js`
3.  You will add any security features to `server.js`

Write the following tests in `tests/2_functional-tests.js`:

-   Creating a new thread: POST request to `/api/threads/{board}`
-   Viewing the 10 most recent threads with 3 replies each: GET request to `/api/threads/{board}`
-   Deleting a thread with the incorrect password: DELETE request to `/api/threads/{board}` with an invalid `delete_password`
-   Deleting a thread with the correct password: DELETE request to `/api/threads/{board}` with a valid `delete_password`
-   Reporting a thread: PUT request to `/api/threads/{board}`
-   Creating a new reply: POST request to `/api/replies/{board}`
-   Viewing a single thread with all replies: GET request to `/api/replies/{board}`
-   Deleting a reply with the incorrect password: DELETE request to `/api/replies/{board}` with an invalid `delete_password`
-   Deleting a reply with the correct password: DELETE request to `/api/replies/{board}` with a valid `delete_password`
-   Reporting a reply: PUT request to `/api/replies/{board}`

# --hints--

You can provide your own project, not the example URL.

```js
(getUserInput) => {
  assert(
    !/.*\/anonymous-message-board\.freecodecamp\.rocks/.test(
      getUserInput('url')
    )
  );
};
```

Only allow your site to be loaded in an iFrame on your own pages.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const data = await fetch(getUserInput('url') + '/_api/app-info');
  const parsed = await data.json();
  assert.isTrue(parsed.headers['x-frame-options']?.includes('SAMEORIGIN'));
};
```

Do not allow DNS prefetching.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const data = await fetch(getUserInput('url') + '/_api/app-info');
  const parsed = await data.json();
  assert.isTrue(parsed.headers['x-dns-prefetch-control']?.includes('off'));
};
```

Only allow your site to send the referrer for your own pages.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const data = await fetch(getUserInput('url') + '/_api/app-info');
  const parsed = await data.json();
  assert.isTrue(parsed.headers['referrer-policy']?.includes('same-origin'));
};
```

You can send a POST request to `/api/threads/{board}` with form data including `text` and `delete_password`. The saved database record will have at least the fields `_id`, `text`, `created_on`(date & time), `bumped_on`(date & time, starts same as `created_on`), `reported` (boolean), `delete_password`, & `replies` (array).

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const date = new Date();
  const text = `fcc_test_${date}`;
  const deletePassword = 'delete_me';
  const data = { text, delete_password: deletePassword };
  const url = getUserInput('url');
  const res = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });
  if (res.ok) {
    const checkData = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test');
    const parsed = await checkData.json();
    try {
      assert.equal(parsed[0].text, text);
      assert.isNotNull(parsed[0]._id);
      assert.equal(new Date(parsed[0].created_on).toDateString(), date.toDateString());
      assert.equal(parsed[0].bumped_on, parsed[0].created_on);
      assert.isArray(parsed[0].replies);
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a POST request to `/api/replies/{board}` with form data including `text`, `delete_password`, & `thread_id`. This will update the `bumped_on` date to the comment's date. In the thread's `replies` array, an object will be saved with at least the properties `_id`, `text`, `created_on`, `delete_password`, & `reported`.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');
  const body = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test');
  const thread = await body.json();

  const date = new Date();
  const text = `fcc_test_reply_${date}`;
  const delete_password = 'delete_me';
  const thread_id = thread[0]._id;
  const replyCount = thread[0].replies.length;

  const data = { text, delete_password, thread_id };
  const res = await fetch(url + '/api/replies/fcc_test', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });
  if (res.ok) {
    const checkData = await fetch(`${url}/api/replies/fcc_test?thread_id=${thread_id}`);
    const parsed = await checkData.json();
    try {
      assert.equal(parsed.replies.length, replyCount + 1);
      assert.equal(parsed.replies[0].text, text);
      assert.equal(parsed._id, thread_id);
      assert.equal(parsed.bumped_on, parsed.replies[0].created_on);
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a GET request to `/api/threads/{board}`. Returned will be an array of the most recent 10 bumped threads on the board with only the most recent 3 replies for each. The `reported` and `delete_password` fields will not be sent to the client.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');
  const res = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test');

  if (res.ok) {
    const threads = await res.json();
    try {
      assert.equal(res.status, 200);
      assert.isAtMost(threads.length, 10);
      for (let i = 0; i < threads.length; i++) {
        assert.containsAllKeys(threads[i], ["_id", "text", "created_on", "bumped_on", "replies"]);
        assert.isAtMost(threads[i].replies.length, 3);
        assert.notExists(threads[i].delete_password);
        assert.notExists(threads[i].reported);
        for (let j = 0; j < threads[i].replies.length; j++) {
          assert.notExists(threads[i].replies[j].delete_password);
          assert.notExists(threads[i].replies[j].reported);
        }
      }
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a GET request to `/api/replies/{board}?thread_id={thread_id}`. Returned will be the entire thread with all its replies, also excluding the same fields from the client as the previous test.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');
  let res = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test');
  const threads = await res.json();
  const thread_id = threads[0]._id;
  res = await fetch(`${url}/api/replies/fcc_test?thread_id=${thread_id}`);

  if (res.ok) {
    const thread = await res.json();
    try {
      assert.equal(res.status, 200);
      assert.isObject(thread);
      assert.containsAllKeys(thread, ["_id", "text", "created_on", "bumped_on", "replies"]);
      assert.isArray(thread.replies);
      assert.notExists(thread.delete_password);
      assert.notExists(thread.reported);
      for (let i = 0; i < thread.replies.length; i++) {
        assert.notExists(thread.replies[i].delete_password);
        assert.notExists(thread.replies[i].reported);
      }
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a DELETE request to `/api/threads/{board}` and pass along the `thread_id` & `delete_password` to delete the thread. Returned will be the string `incorrect password` or `success`.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');
  let res = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test');
  const threads = await res.json();
  const thread_id = threads[0]._id;
  let data = { thread_id, delete_password: "wrong_password" };
  const res_invalid = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test', {
    method: 'DELETE',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });
  data = { thread_id, delete_password: "delete_me" };
  res = await fetch(url + '/api/threads/fcc_test', {
    method: 'DELETE',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });

  if (res.ok) {
    const deleted = await res.text();
    const not_deleted = await res_invalid.text();
    try {
      assert.equal(res.status, 200);
      assert.equal(deleted, "success");
      assert.equal(not_deleted, "incorrect password");
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a DELETE request to `/api/replies/{board}` and pass along the `thread_id`, `reply_id`, & `delete_password`. Returned will be the string `incorrect password` or `success`. On success, the text of the `reply_id` will be changed to `[deleted]`.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');

  const thread_data = {
    text: "fcc_test_thread",
    delete_password: "delete_me",
  };
  await fetch(`${url}/api/threads/fcc_test`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(thread_data)
  });
  let res = await fetch(`${url}/api/threads/fcc_test`);
  let threads = await res.json();
  const thread_id = threads[0]._id;
  
  const reply_data = { thread_id, text: "fcc_test_reply", delete_password: "delete_me" };
  await fetch(`${url}/api/replies/fcc_test`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(reply_data)
  });
  res = await fetch(`${url}/api/threads/fcc_test`);
  threads = await res.json();
  const reply_id = threads[0].replies[0]._id;

  const data = { thread_id, reply_id, delete_password: "delete_me" };
  res = await fetch(url + '/api/replies/fcc_test', {
    method: 'DELETE',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });

  if (res.ok) {
    const deleted = await res.text();
    try {
      assert.equal(res.status, 200);
      assert.equal(deleted, "success");
      res = await fetch(`${url}/api/replies/fcc_test?thread_id=${thread_id}`);
      const thread = await res.json();
      assert.equal(thread._id, thread_id);
      assert.equal(thread.replies[0]._id, reply_id);
      assert.equal(thread.replies[0].text, "[deleted]");
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a PUT request to `/api/threads/{board}` and pass along the `thread_id`. Returned will be the string `reported`. The `reported` value of the `thread_id` will be changed to `true`.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');

  let res = await fetch(`${url}/api/threads/fcc_test`);
  const threads = await res.json();
  const report_id = threads[0]._id;
  const data = { report_id };
  
  res = await fetch(`${url}/api/threads/fcc_test`, {
    method: 'PUT',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });

  if (res.ok) {
    const reported = await res.text();
    try {
      assert.equal(res.status, 200);
      assert.equal(reported, "reported");
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

You can send a PUT request to `/api/replies/{board}` and pass along the `thread_id` & `reply_id`. Returned will be the string `reported`. The `reported` value of the `reply_id` will be changed to `true`.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const url = getUserInput('url');

  let res = await fetch(`${url}/api/threads/fcc_test`);
  const threads = await res.json();
  const thread_id = threads[0]._id;
  const reply_id = threads[0].replies[0]._id;
  const data = { thread_id, reply_id };
  
  res = await fetch(`${url}/api/replies/fcc_test`, {
    method: 'PUT',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(data)
  });

  if (res.ok) {
    const reported = await res.text();
    try {
      assert.equal(res.status, 200);
      assert.equal(reported, "reported");
    } catch (err) {
      throw new Error(err.responseText || err.message);
    }
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }
};
```

All 10 functional tests are complete and passing.

```js
async (getUserInput) => {
  const tests = await fetch(getUserInput('url') + '/_api/get-tests');
  const parsed = await tests.json();
  assert.isTrue(parsed.length >= 10);
  parsed.forEach((test) => {
    assert.equal(test.state, 'passed');
    assert.isAtLeast(test.assertions.length, 1);
  });
};
```

# --solutions--

```js
/**
  Backend challenges don't need solutions, 
  because they would need to be tested against a full working project. 
  Please check our contributing guidelines to learn more.
*/
```