SkillSwap: A Modular Peer-to-Peer Digital Ecosystem for Credit- Governed Skill Exchange and Real-Time Collaborative Learning

This paper presents SkillSwap, a modular peer-to- peer digital learning ecosystem designed to enable structured skill exchange through a credit-governed participation model. Unlike traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS) that rely on centralized, one-directional instructional delivery, SkillSwap introduces a decentralized reciprocal framework where users dynamically alternate between instructor and learner roles. The system is implemented using a full- stack architecture comprising a REST- driven backend (Node.js, Express.js), a document- oriented database (MongoDB Atlas), secure token-based authentication (JWT), encrypted credential storage (bcrypt), and a WebRTC-enabled live lecture integration layer utilizing the Jitsi Meet API. The architecture ensures secure route-level access control, atomic credit transaction validation, and optimized indexed database queries. Performance benchmarking demonstrates stable REST API latency under concurrent usage conditions and reliable live session handling within browser- native environments. SkillSwap establishes a calable, secure, and institution-ready framework for decentralized academic collaboration and structured knowledge governance.