📄 LetterGenie

LetterGenie is a modern web application that helps users generate tailored cover letters using AI. Whether you're applying for your first job or pivoting careers, LetterGenie creates personalized, concise, and professional letters based on your input and profile.

Built using Next.js 15 and powered by Google Gemini, it simplifies the cover letter process while maintaining flexibility and customization.

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✨ Features

• 🧠 AI-Powered Generation using Google Gemini API
• 🔐 Secure Authentication with Clerk
• 📁 Save, View, Download, and Delete cover letters
• ✍️ Custom Instructions to fine-tune tone or focus
• 📄 User Profile Management
• 📜 Legal Pages: Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and Contact
• 🌈 Modern UI using Tailwind CSS + shadcn

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🧪 Test Credentials

To explore the app without signing up, use the following dummy account:

• Email: jane+clerk_test@gmail.com
• Password: Test@424242

✅ This account works in test mode with Clerk. Useful for demos and development.

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🧱 Tech Stack

Category	Technology
Framework	Next.js 15 (App Router)
Language	TypeScript
Styling	Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui
Forms	React Hook Form + Zod
Auth	Clerk
Database	PostgreSQL (via Neon)
ORM	Prisma
AI Integration	Google Gemini API
Actions	next-safe-action
Notifications	Sonner

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⚙️ Getting Started

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/mdarfatwork/lettergenie.git
cd lettergenie

2. Install Dependencies

Using npm:

npm install

3. Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env file in your project root and copy the contents from .env.example.

Replace the placeholders with your actual API keys and configuration values:

🔐 Authentication - Clerk

Get your Clerk keys from: https://clerk.com/

• Sign up for a free account
• Create a new application
• Navigate to API Keys in your dashboard
• Copy your NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY and CLERK_SECRET_KEY

🗄️ Database - Neon

Get your database URL from: https://neon.tech/

• Create a free account
• Create a new project
• Go to Connection Details
• Copy the DATABASE_URL (PostgreSQL connection string)

🤖 AI Integration - Google AI Studio

Get your Gemini API key from: https://aistudio.google.com/

• Sign in with your Google account
• Click Get API Key in the left sidebar
• Create a new API key
• Copy your GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY

⚠️ Important: Never commit your .env file to version control. It's already included in .gitignore for security.

4. Run Local Dev Server

npm dev

Visit: http://localhost:3000

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🌐 Routes Overview

Public Routes (available to everyone)

• /contact - Contact page
• /terms - Terms of Service
• /privacy - Privacy Policy

Non-Authenticated Routes (only for non-logged-in users)

• / - Home page
• /sign-in - Sign in page
• /sign-up - Sign up page

Authenticated Routes (login required)

• /cover - Cover letter generator
• /profile - User profile management

These are protected using Clerk middleware in middleware.ts.

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🚀 Deployment

Recommended: Vercel

1. Push the project to GitHub
2. Import into Vercel
3. Set environment variables in the dashboard
4. Deploy!

Also works with:

• Railway
• Netlify (with Next.js adapter)
• Render (using custom serverless config)

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🙋 FAQ

🔐 Why Clerk?

Clerk provides easy and secure auth with email/password, social logins, and user management—perfect for modern apps with minimal setup.

🧠 Why Google Gemini?

Google Gemini (via GenAI SDK) offers fast and high-quality text generation, suitable for professional writing use cases like cover letters.

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📄 License

MIT License

You are free to use, modify, and distribute this project for personal or commercial purposes.

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📬 Contact

For suggestions or issues, please reach out via the Contact Page or create an issue on GitHub.

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👨‍💻 Made by

Mohammed Arfat – Full Stack Developer

LinkedIn • Github

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