Published Dec 5, 2025
⦁ 4 min read

Build a Full-Stack AI Chatbot with React & OpenAI

Build a Full-Stack AI Chatbot with React & OpenAI

Build a Full-Stack AI Chatbot with React & OpenAI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming digital interactions, making chatbots an essential tool for businesses to engage with their customers. Creating an AI chatbot might sound complex, but with the right tools and technologies, the process can be accessible and manageable for both developers and businesses. This article dives deep into building a full-stack AI chatbot using React, OpenAI, and supporting technologies like MongoDB, Stripe, and ImageKit.

Whether you're a business owner or a developer, this guide outlines the step-by-step process of building and deploying a chatbot capable of generating text and images while ensuring scalability and ease of use.

Introduction: What You’ll Learn

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the development and deployment of a full-stack AI chatbot. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to:

  • Set up a full-stack project using React (frontend) and Express (backend).
  • Incorporate OpenAI’s API for generating text-based and image-based responses.
  • Manage user accounts with MongoDB for data storage.
  • Implement credit-based usage and a payment gateway with Stripe.
  • Optimize and store AI-generated images with ImageKit.
  • Deploy the application to the cloud using Vercel.

Project Overview

The chatbot allows users to:

  1. Log in or register for an account.
  2. Create new chats and interact through text-based prompts.
  3. Generate AI-powered images based on user prompts.
  4. View and publish AI-generated images in a community gallery.
  5. Purchase additional credits via an integrated Stripe payment system.

Technologies used:

  • Frontend: React (with TailwindCSS for styling).
  • Backend: Node.js and Express.
  • Database: MongoDB for user and chat storage.
  • APIs: OpenAI, ImageKit, and Stripe.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building the AI Chatbot

1. Setting Up the Project Environment

The first step in building the chatbot is creating the frontend and backend environments.

Frontend:

  • Use Vite to set up a React project for faster builds.
  • Add React Router DOM to manage navigation between pages (e.g., login, community, and credits).
  • Configure TailwindCSS for responsive and modern styling.

Backend:

  • Initialize a Node.js project with Express as the web server framework.
  • Install necessary packages:
    • Mongoose for MongoDB connection.
    • JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for authentication.
    • Bcrypt.js for password encryption.
    • CORS for handling cross-origin requests.

2. User Authentication and Database Integration

To ensure secure access, implement user authentication and connect it to a MongoDB database.

Database Setup:

  • Use MongoDB Atlas to create a database and configure connection settings.
  • Create Mongoose models for:
    • User: Store user data (name, email, password, and credits).
    • Chat: Manage chat messages and store image generation details.

Authentication:

  • Implement a JWT-based system for secure login and registration.
  • Encrypt passwords using bcrypt.js before storing them in the database.

3. Chat Functionality

Creating New Chats:

  • Add a REST API endpoint to create chats for users. A default "New Chat" is initialized when a user logs in for the first time.

Sending Text Prompts:

  • Use the OpenAI API to handle text queries.
  • Structure the backend API to accept user prompts and return AI-generated responses.

Handling AI Images:

  • Integrate ImageKit for generating and optimizing images based on user prompts.
  • Allow users to publish generated images to a public community gallery.

4. Credit Management with Stripe

Stripe

To manage user credits:

  • Implement a credit system where users need credits to interact with the chatbot (1 credit for text, 2 for images).
  • Use Stripe Checkout to allow users to purchase credits securely.
  • Verify payment success via Stripe Webhooks and update user credits accordingly.

5. Deploying the Application

Frontend Deployment:

  • Use Vercel for hosting the React frontend.
  • Configure an .env file for environment-specific variables, such as the backend server URL.

Backend Deployment:

  • Deploy the Express backend to Vercel.
  • Ensure the backend is configured to handle API requests securely.

Key Functionalities

The chatbot includes several user-friendly features:

a. Login & Registration

  • Users can create accounts or log in using their email and password.
  • Passwords are encrypted, and JWTs are used for session management.

b. Chat Interface

  • A sidebar displays recent chats, allowing users to switch between conversations.
  • Chats are displayed in an intuitive format with AI responses styled for clarity.

c. Image Generation

  • Users can choose between generating text or images via a dropdown menu.
  • Images can be shared publicly by marking them as "published."
  • A page displays all AI-generated public images, along with attribution to their creators.

e. Credit Purchase

  • Integrated with Stripe, users can easily purchase credits to continue using premium chatbot functionalities.

Key Takeaways

  • Integrated AI Capabilities: The chatbot combines OpenAI for text/image generation and ImageKit for image optimization.
  • Scalable Backend: A robust Express backend ensures secure user authentication and database management.
  • User-Friendly Design: TailwindCSS and React Router make the app intuitive and visually appealing.
  • Payment Integration: With Stripe, users can securely purchase credits for enhanced functionality.
  • Deployment Ready: The project is fully deployable using Vercel, ensuring scalability.

Conclusion

Building a full-stack AI chatbot is now more accessible than ever, thanks to powerful libraries and APIs. By combining React, OpenAI, and supporting tools like Stripe and ImageKit, developers can create chatbots that are not only engaging but also scalable and feature-rich.

This project demonstrates the potential of AI-driven applications in enhancing digital user experiences. Whether for customer support, content generation, or creative endeavors, chatbots are becoming indispensable across industries. With this guide, you’re well-equipped to implement your own chatbot solution tailored to your needs.

Source: "Build Your Own Full Stack ChatGPT using React js, OpenAI, ImageKit | AI MERN Stack Project" - GreatStack, YouTube, Aug 21, 2025 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEPH-DWnDPE

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