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+# Backend API Documentation
+
+This document provides an overview of the backend API endpoints and their usage.
+
+To get to that information, go to the `backend_API_docs` directory.
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diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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+# Borrow System
+
+![React](https://img.shields.io/badge/React-20232A?logo=react&logoColor=61DAFB)
+![TypeScript](https://img.shields.io/badge/TypeScript-3178C6?logo=typescript&logoColor=white)
+![Vite](https://img.shields.io/badge/Vite-646CFF?logo=vite&logoColor=white)
+![TailwindCSS](https://img.shields.io/badge/Tailwind_CSS-38B2AC?logo=tailwind-css&logoColor=white)
+![Node.js](https://img.shields.io/badge/Node.js-339933?logo=node.js&logoColor=white)
+![Express](https://img.shields.io/badge/Express-000000?logo=express&logoColor=white)
+![MySQL](https://img.shields.io/badge/MySQL-4479A1?logo=mysql&logoColor=white)
+![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/Docker-2496ED?logo=docker&logoColor=white)
+![JWT](https://img.shields.io/badge/JWT-000000?logo=jsonwebtokens&logoColor=white)
+
+A small full‑stack system to log in, view available items, reserve them for a time window, and manage personal loans.
+
+- Frontend: React + TypeScript + Vite + Tailwind CSS
+- Backend: Node.js + Express + MySQL + JWT (jose)
+- Orchestration: Docker Compose (backend + MySQL)
+
+## Contents
+
+- Frontend: [frontend/](frontend)
+  - Vite/Tailwind config: [frontend/vite.config.ts](frontend/vite.config.ts), [frontend/tailwind.config.js](frontend/tailwind.config.js)
+  - App entry: [frontend/src/main.tsx](frontend/src/main.tsx), [frontend/src/App.tsx](frontend/src/App.tsx)
+  - UI: [frontend/src/layout/Layout.tsx](frontend/src/layout/Layout.tsx), [frontend/src/components](frontend/src/components)
+  - Data/utilities: [frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts](frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts), [frontend/src/utils/userHandler.ts](frontend/src/utils/userHandler.ts), [frontend/src/utils/toastify.ts](frontend/src/utils/toastify.ts)
+- Backend: [backend/](backend)
+  - Server: [backend/server.js](backend/server.js)
+  - Routes: [backend/routes/api.js](backend/routes/api.js), [backend/routes/apiV2.js](backend/routes/apiV2.js)
+  - DB + services: [backend/services/database.js](backend/services/database.js), [backend/services/tokenService.js](backend/services/tokenService.js)
+  - Schema/seed: [backend/scheme.sql](backend/scheme.sql)
+- Docs: [docs/](docs)
+  - API docs (see below): [docs/backend_API_docs/README.md](docs/backend_API_docs/README.md)
+
+## Features (high‑level)
+
+- Auth via JWT (login -> token cookie) using the backend route in [backend/routes/api.js](backend/routes/api.js).
+- After login, the app loads items, loans, and user loans and keeps them in localStorage.
+- Choose a date range to fetch borrowable items, select items, and create a loan.
+- Manage personal loans list (and delete a loan).
+
+Key frontend utilities:
+
+- [`utils.fetchData.fetchAllData`](frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts): loads items, loans, and user loans after login.
+- [`utils.fetchData.getBorrowableItems`](frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts): fetches borrowable items for the selected time range.
+- [`utils.userHandler.createLoan`](frontend/src/utils/userHandler.ts): creates a new loan for selected items.
+- [`utils.userHandler.handleDeleteLoan`](frontend/src/utils/userHandler.ts): deletes a loan and syncs local state.
+- [`utils.toastify.myToast`](frontend/src/utils/toastify.ts): toast notifications.
+
+UI flow (main screens):
+
+- Period selection: [frontend/src/components/Form1.tsx](frontend/src/components/Form1.tsx)
+- Borrowable items + selection: [frontend/src/components/Form2.tsx](frontend/src/components/Form2.tsx)
+- User loans table: [frontend/src/components/Form4.tsx](frontend/src/components/Form4.tsx)
+
+## Quick start
+
+You can run the backend + MySQL via Docker, and run the frontend locally.
+
+### 1) Environment
+
+Root `.env` (used by docker-compose):
+
+```env
+DB_PASSWORD=yourStrongPassword
+```
+
+Backend `.env` (used by Node in the backend container or local dev):
+
+```env
+# DB (only needed for local dev; in Docker these are provided by compose)
+DB_HOST=mysql
+DB_USER=root
+DB_PASSWORD=yourStrongPassword
+DB_NAME=borrow_system
+
+# Security
+SECRET_KEY=yourVerySecretJwtKey
+ADMIN_ID=yourAdminApiKey
+```
+
+### 2) Start backend + DB (Docker)
+
+From the repo root:
+
+```sh
+docker compose up -d
+```
+
+- Backend: http://localhost:8002
+- MySQL: localhost:3309 (mapped to container 3306)
+
+Initialize schema and mock data in MySQL:
+
+```sh
+# copy schema into the mysql container
+docker cp backend/scheme.sql borrow_system-mysql:/scheme.sql
+
+# run it
+docker exec -i borrow_system-mysql sh -c 'mysql -u root -p"$MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD" borrow_system < /scheme.sql'
+```
+
+### 3) Run the frontend (local)
+
+```sh
+cd frontend
+npm install
+npm run dev
+```
+
+- Frontend: http://localhost:8001 (configured in [frontend/vite.config.ts](frontend/vite.config.ts))
+
+The frontend expects the backend on http://localhost:8002 (see fetches in [frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts](frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts) and [frontend/src/utils/userHandler.ts](frontend/src/utils/userHandler.ts)).
+
+## Development
+
+- Scripts: see [frontend/package.json](frontend/package.json) and [backend/package.json](backend/package.json)
+  - Frontend: `npm run dev`, `npm run build`, `npm run preview`, `npm run lint`
+  - Backend: `npm start`
+- Linting: ESLint configured via [frontend/eslint.config.js](frontend/eslint.config.js)
+- TypeScript configs: [frontend/tsconfig.app.json](frontend/tsconfig.app.json), [frontend/tsconfig.node.json](frontend/tsconfig.node.json)
+
+## Configuration notes
+
+- Vite/Tailwind integration via [frontend/vite.config.ts](frontend/vite.config.ts) and `@tailwindcss/vite`; CSS entry uses `@import "tailwindcss"` in [frontend/src/index.css](frontend/src/index.css).
+- Toasts wired in [frontend/src/main.tsx](frontend/src/main.tsx) with `react-toastify`.
+- Local state is stored in `localStorage` keys: `allItems`, `allLoans`, `userLoans`, `borrowableItems`. Cross‑component updates are signaled via window events from [`utils.fetchData`](frontend/src/utils/fetchData.ts).
+
+## API documentation
+
+Do not use this README for API details. Refer to the dedicated API docs:
+
+- Web/API