diff --git a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/.env b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/.env
deleted file mode 100644
index e34d17d6cc..0000000000
--- a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/.env
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-DB_CLOUD_URI=mongodb+srv://default:yN2zzXYyZz9CTwsB@peerprep-collab-service.c0em2.mongodb.net/
-DB_LOCAL_URI=mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/peerprepCollabServiceDB
-PORT=1234
-
-# Will use cloud MongoDB Atlas database
-ENV=PROD
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/.gitignore b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d09104f042
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.env
+
+node_modules
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/package.json b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/package.json
index ea60abe041..f43330d2bd 100644
--- a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/package.json
+++ b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/package.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     ]
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "axios": "^1.7.7",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
     "express": "^4.21.1",
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/controller/gptController.js b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/controller/gptController.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8291b6ef52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/controller/gptController.js
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+const axios = require('axios');
+
+const assessCode = async (req, res) => {
+    console.log('assessCode controller activated');
+    try {
+        const { codeDetails } = req.body;
+        if (!codeDetails) {
+            res.status(400).json({ error: 'Code content is required' });
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const instructionalPrompt =
+            "Analyze the following: 1: Question, and its 2: Description, and 3: The code attempt. " + "\n" +
+            "Assess the code, focusing on its efficiency and style. Determine the correctness of the code, given the language and question specified. " +
+            "Your response should include:" + "\n" +
+            "\n" +
+            "\t1. Time Complexity – Provide the Big-O notation." + "\n" +
+            "\t2. Space Complexity – Provide the Big-O notation." + "\n" +
+            "\t3. Code Style – Briefly assess readability, naming conventions, and formatting." + "\n" +
+            "\t4. Optimization Hints – Suggest improvements if the time or space complexity could be reduced." + "\n" +
+            "\t5. General Comments – Summarize any other relevant observations and assess correctness to question requirements " +
+            "(e.g., potential edge cases, overall structure)." + "\n" +
+            "\n" +
+            "Keep each response concise but comprehensive.";
+
+        console.log('Submitting code to OpenAI API:', instructionalPrompt, codeDetails);
+
+        // API request to OpenAI for code assessment
+        const response = await axios.post(
+            'https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions',
+            {
+                model: 'gpt-4',
+                messages: [
+                    { role: 'system', content: "You are a coding assistant." },
+                    { role: 'user', content: `${instructionalPrompt}\n\n${codeDetails}` }
+                ],
+                temperature: 0
+            },
+            {
+                headers: {
+                    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                    'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY}`
+                }
+            }
+        );
+
+        const feedback = response.data.choices[0].message.content;
+        res.json({ feedback });
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Error in assessCode controller:', error);
+        res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to process code assessment' });
+    }
+};
+
+module.exports = {
+    assessCode
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/routes/gptRoutes.js b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/routes/gptRoutes.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fec36ac692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/routes/gptRoutes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+const { Router } = require('express');
+const { assessCode } = require('../controller/gptController');
+
+const router = Router();
+
+// Route for handling code assessment with GPT
+router.post('/gpt/assess', assessCode);
+
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/server.js b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/server.js
index d37a4ed280..76f03ab3e1 100644
--- a/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/server.js
+++ b/peerprep/backend/collab-service/src/server.js
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ const connectDB = require('../config/db');
 const { storeDocument, getDocument } = require('./controller/collab-controller');
 const { Server } = require("socket.io");
 const cors = require("cors");
+const gptRoutes = require('./routes/gptRoutes');
+const dotenv = require('dotenv');
 
 const app = express();
 const server = http.createServer(app);
-const wss = new WebSocket.Server({ server });
+const wss = new WebSocket.Server({ noServer: true });
 
 app.use(cors());
 app.use(express.json());
@@ -20,6 +22,8 @@ app.use(express.json());
 // Connect to MongoDB
 connectDB();
 
+app.use('/api', gptRoutes);
+
 // Endpoint to save a document to MongoDB
 app.post('/api/saveDocument', async (req, res) => {
   try {
@@ -62,19 +66,38 @@ const io = new Server(server, {
 io.on("connection", (socket) => {
   console.log(`User Connected: ${socket.id}`);
 
-  socket.on("join_room", (data) => {
-    socket.join(data);
+  socket.on("join_room", (room) => {
+    try {
+      socket.join(room);
+      console.log(`User ${socket.id} joined room ${room}`);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(`Error joining room: ${error.message}`);
+      socket.emit("error_message", { message: "Failed to join room. Try again later." });
+    }
   });
 
   socket.on("send_message", (data) => {
-    socket.in(data.room).emit("receive_message", data); // Send to all clients except sender
+    try {
+      socket.in(data.room).emit("receive_message", data);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(`Error sending message: ${error.message}`);
+      socket.emit("error_message", { message: "Failed to send message. Try again later." });
+    }
+  });
+
+  socket.on("disconnect", (reason) => {
+    console.log(`User Disconnected: ${socket.id} - Reason: ${reason}`);
+    if (reason === "io server disconnect") {
+      socket.connect(); // Reconnect on server-side disconnect
+    }
   });
 
-  socket.on("disconnect", () => {
-    console.log(`User Disconnected: ${socket.id}`);
+  socket.on("error", (error) => {
+    console.error(`Socket error: ${error.message}`);
   });
 });
 
+
 const PORT = process.env.PORT || 1234;
 server.listen(PORT, () => {
   console.log(`Server is running at http://localhost:${PORT}`);
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/controllers/gptController.ts b/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/controllers/gptController.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2ec75268d7..0000000000
--- a/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/controllers/gptController.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-import { Request, Response } from 'express';
-import axios from 'axios';
-
-export const assesCode = async (req: Request, res: Response): Promise<void> => {
-  console.log('assesCode controller activated');
-  try {
-    const { codeDetails } = req.body;
-
-    if (!codeDetails) {
-      res.status(400).json({ error: 'Code content is required' });
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const instructionalPrompt = 
-    "Analyze the following: 1: Question, and its 2: Description, and 3: The code attempt. " + "\n" +
-    "Asses the code, focusing on its efficiency and style. Determine the correctness of the code, given the language and question specified. " +
-    "Your response should include:" + "\n" + 
-         "\n" + 
-         "\t1. Time Complexity – Provide the Big-O notation." + "\n" + 
-         "\t2. Space Complexity – Provide the Big-O notation." + "\n" + 
-         "\t3. Code Style – Briefly assess readability, naming conventions, and formatting." + "\n" + 
-         "\t4. Optimization Hints – Suggest improvements if the time or space complexity could be reduced." + "\n" + 
-         "\t5. General Comments – Summarize any other relevant observations and asses correctness to question requirements " +
-         "(e.g., potential edge cases, overall structure)." + "\n" + 
-         "\n" + 
-         "Keep each response concise but comprehensive.";
-    console.log('Submitting code to OpenAI API:', instructionalPrompt, codeDetails);
-
-    // API request to OpenAI for code assessment
-    const response = await axios.post(
-      'https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions',
-      {
-        model: 'gpt-4',
-        messages: [
-          { role: 'system', content: "You are a coding assistant." },
-          { role: 'user', content: `${instructionalPrompt}\n\n${codeDetails}` }
-        ],
-        temperature: 0
-      },
-      {
-        headers: {
-          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
-          'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY}`
-        }
-      }
-    );
-
-    const feedback = response.data.choices[0].message.content;
-    res.json({ feedback });
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error('Error in assessCode controller:', error);
-    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to process code assessment' });
-  }
-};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/routes/gptRoutes.ts b/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/routes/gptRoutes.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index ab681a46c9..0000000000
--- a/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/routes/gptRoutes.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-import { Router } from 'express';
-import { assesCode } from '../controllers/gptController';
-
-const router: Router = Router();
-
-// Route for handling code assessment with GPT
-router.post('/gpt/asses', assesCode);
-
-export default router;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/server.ts b/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/server.ts
index 72b8f8fbe0..166fdd5a9f 100644
--- a/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/server.ts
+++ b/peerprep/backend/question-service/src/server.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ dotenv.config();
 import connectDB from '../config/db';
 import questionRoutes from './routes/questionRoutes';
 import databaseRoutes from './routes/databaseRoutes';
-import gptRoutes from './routes/gptRoutes';
 import testcaseRoutes from './routes/testcaseRoutes';
 import loadSampleData from './sampleData';
 import { normalizeQuestionData } from './middleware/normalizationMiddleware';
@@ -56,8 +55,6 @@ app.use('/api', questionRoutes);
 // Database routes
 app.use('/api', databaseRoutes);
 
-app.use('/api', gptRoutes);
-
 app.use('/api', testcaseRoutes);
 
 // Health check route
diff --git a/peerprep/frontend/src/api/assescodeApi.ts b/peerprep/frontend/src/api/assesscodeApi.ts
similarity index 82%
rename from peerprep/frontend/src/api/assescodeApi.ts
rename to peerprep/frontend/src/api/assesscodeApi.ts
index b44918cfbb..a7333726cf 100644
--- a/peerprep/frontend/src/api/assescodeApi.ts
+++ b/peerprep/frontend/src/api/assesscodeApi.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import axios, { AxiosError } from 'axios';
 
-const API_URL = 'http://localhost:8080/api/gpt/asses';
+const API_URL = 'http://localhost:1234/api/gpt/assess';
 
 // Define a custom error class for API errors
 export class ApiError extends Error {
@@ -25,16 +25,16 @@ const handleApiError = (error: unknown): never => {
   }
 };
 
-export const assesCode = async (currentCode: string): Promise<string> => {
+export const assessCode = async (currentCode: string): Promise<string> => {
   try {
     console.log('Submitting code to backend API:');
 
     // Call the backend API instead of OpenAI directly
-    const response = await axios.post(API_URL, { currentCode });
+    const response = await axios.post(API_URL, { codeDetails: currentCode });
 
     // Extract and display the response content from the backend
     const feedback = response.data.feedback;
-    //console.log('Backend API response:', feedback);
+    console.log('Backend API response:', feedback);
     return feedback;
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error executing backend API call:', error);
diff --git a/peerprep/frontend/src/components/Chat.tsx b/peerprep/frontend/src/components/Chat.tsx
index 871bb8c887..28452bd9ba 100644
--- a/peerprep/frontend/src/components/Chat.tsx
+++ b/peerprep/frontend/src/components/Chat.tsx
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import io from 'socket.io-client';
 
-const socket = io('http://localhost:1234');
+const socket = io('http://localhost:1234', {
+  reconnectionAttempts: 3, // attempt reconnection 3 times
+  timeout: 5000,            // connection timeout
+});
 
 interface ChatProps {
   sessionId: string;
 }
 
 const Chat: React.FC<ChatProps> = ({ sessionId }) => {
-  // Room State
   const [room, setRoom] = useState<string>(sessionId);
-
-  // Messages States
   const [message, setMessage] = useState<string>('');
   const [messages, setMessages] = useState<{ text: string; sender: boolean }[]>([]);
+  const [connectionError, setConnectionError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   const joinRoom = () => {
     if (room !== '') {
@@ -22,15 +23,37 @@ const Chat: React.FC<ChatProps> = ({ sessionId }) => {
   };
 
   const sendMessage = () => {
+    if (!message) return; // Checking if there's a message to send
+  
     const messageData = { message, room, senderId: socket.id };
-    socket.emit('send_message', messageData);
+  
     setMessages((prevMessages) => [...prevMessages, { text: message, sender: true }]);
-    setMessage(''); // Clear the input field after sending the message
+    setMessage('');
+  
+    socket.emit('send_message', messageData, (ackError: string | null) => {
+      if (ackError) {
+        setConnectionError("Failed to send message. Please try again.");
+        console.error("Message not sent:", ackError);
+      }
+    });
   };
+  
 
   useEffect(() => {
     joinRoom(); // Automatically join the room based on sessionId
 
+    socket.on('connect_error', (err) => {
+      setConnectionError('Connection error. Please try again.');
+    });
+
+    socket.on('connect_timeout', () => {
+      setConnectionError('Connection timed out. Retrying...');
+    });
+
+    socket.on('reconnect_failed', () => {
+      setConnectionError('Reconnection failed. Please check your network.');
+    });
+
     socket.on('receive_message', (data) => {
       if (data.senderId !== socket.id) {
         setMessages((prevMessages) => [...prevMessages, { text: data.message, sender: false }]);
@@ -39,12 +62,16 @@ const Chat: React.FC<ChatProps> = ({ sessionId }) => {
 
     return () => {
       socket.off('receive_message');
+      socket.off('connect_error');
+      socket.off('connect_timeout');
+      socket.off('reconnect_failed');
     };
   }, [room]);
 
   return (
     <div className="chat-box">
       <h4 className='chat-heading'>Chat</h4>
+      {connectionError && <div className="error-message">{connectionError}</div>}
       <div className="messages">
         {messages.map((msg, index) => (
           <div key={index} className={`message ${msg.sender ? 'sent' : 'received'}`}>
@@ -66,4 +93,4 @@ const Chat: React.FC<ChatProps> = ({ sessionId }) => {
   );
 };
 
-export default Chat;
\ No newline at end of file
+export default Chat;
diff --git a/peerprep/frontend/src/views/CollabServiceViews/CollabServiceIntegratedView.tsx b/peerprep/frontend/src/views/CollabServiceViews/CollabServiceIntegratedView.tsx
index 2d9aa49707..db7a2572b4 100644
--- a/peerprep/frontend/src/views/CollabServiceViews/CollabServiceIntegratedView.tsx
+++ b/peerprep/frontend/src/views/CollabServiceViews/CollabServiceIntegratedView.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import 'codemirror/mode/clike/clike'; // For C, C++, Java (these use the 'clike'
 import 'codemirror/mode/python/python'; // For Python
 import 'codemirror/mode/swift/swift'; // For Swift
 
-import { assesCode } from '../../api/assescodeApi.ts';
+import { assessCode } from '../../api/assesscodeApi.ts';
 
 // @ts-check
 import { CodemirrorBinding } from 'y-codemirror';
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ const CollaborationServiceIntegratedView: React.FC = () => {
   const editorRef = useRef<any>(null);
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const [yText, setYText] = useState<Y.Text | null>(null);
+
+  // const [commentoutput, setCommentOutput] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  // console.log(commentoutput);
+
   const [commentoutput, setCommentOutput] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [testcases, setTestcases] = useState<Testcase>({
     questionId: 0,
@@ -46,6 +50,7 @@ const CollaborationServiceIntegratedView: React.FC = () => {
   });
   
   console.log(commentoutput);
+
   //let topic = 'topic';
   //let difficulty = 'difficulty';
   // Declare question object
@@ -54,7 +59,7 @@ const CollaborationServiceIntegratedView: React.FC = () => {
   const [difficulty, setDifficulty] = useState<string>('N/A');
   const [questionTitle, setQuestionTitle] = useState<string>('N/A');
   const [questionDescription, setQuestionDescription] = useState<string>('N/A');
-  console.log(sessionId);
+  console.log("session id is " + sessionId);
   const questionId = sessionId ? sessionId.split('-Q')[1] : "N/A";
 
   //set topic, difficulty, questionId by calling the API
@@ -233,24 +238,27 @@ const CollaborationServiceIntegratedView: React.FC = () => {
     }
   };
 
-  const handleAssesCode = async () => {
+  const handleAssessCode = async () => {
     try {
       if (!yText) {
         console.error('Error: Yjs text instance is not available');
-        setCommentOutput('Error: Yjs text instance is not available');
+        setOutput('Error: Yjs text instance is not available');
         return;
       }
 
+      setOutput('Waiting for code assessment...');
+
       const currentCode = yText.toString();
       const questionInput = "1: Question - " + questionTitle + "\n" + "2: Description" + questionDescription + "\n";
       const codeAttempt = "3: Code attempt in - " + syntaxFullLang + "\n" + currentCode;
       const inputString = questionInput + codeAttempt;
-      const responseContent = await assesCode(inputString);
+      const responseContent = await assessCode(inputString);
       //setCommentOutput(responseContent);
+      console.log(responseContent)
       setOutput(responseContent)
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error executing OpenAI API call:', error);
-      setCommentOutput('Error executing code');
+      setOutput('Error executing code');
     }
   };
 
@@ -298,7 +306,7 @@ const CollaborationServiceIntegratedView: React.FC = () => {
         > Run Code
         </button>
         <button
-          onClick={handleAssesCode}
+          onClick={handleAssessCode}
           className="run-btn"
           style={{ marginBottom: '0px' }}
         > Assess Code
@@ -338,7 +346,8 @@ const CollaborationServiceIntegratedView: React.FC = () => {
             }}
           />
         </div>
-        {sessionId && <Chat sessionId={sessionId} />}
+        {sessionId && <Chat sessionId={sessionId.replace("matched on Session ID: ", "")} />}
+
       </div>
 
       <h3 style={{ textAlign: 'left', marginBottom: '5px' }}>Output</h3>