HostelDesk: A Web-Based Hostel Management System Using MERN Stack

University hostel management is a critical yet administratively demanding function involving attendance tracking, complaint resolution, and daily communication of information such as mess menus to hundreds of students. Traditional paper-based systems are inefficient, error-prone, and lack real-time visibility for both students and wardens. This paper presents "HostelDesk," a full-stack web-based Hostel Management System that digitizes and centralizes these operations through a role-based dual-portal architecture. The system integrates three core modules: a Complaint Management System allowing students to submit and track maintenance requests by category and priority, a Daily Attendance Tracking System enabling wardens to monitor student presence in real time, and a Digital Mess Menu Module providing students with always-accessible weekly meal schedules. The application is built on the MERN stack — MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js — following a RESTful API architectural pattern secured by JSON Web Token (JWT) based authentication. A novel 3-layer role authorization mechanism ensures strict separation between the Student and Warden portals, preventing unauthorized access. Experimental evaluation across 20 manual test cases demonstrates 100% functional accuracy. The system reduces complaint resolution time, eliminates manual attendance registers, and provides students with digital access to mess information without physical visits to the warden's office