Developer Guide

This chapter provides a comprehensive guide for developers who want to extend and customize the software. It covers topics such as the software's architecture, setting up a development environment, coding standards, and best practices for contributing to the project.

Architecture Overview

The software is built using a React frontend, Node.js backend, and MongoDB database. The system follows a Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, which helps to keep the codebase organized and maintainable. The architecture overview outlines the major components of the system, including the frontend, backend, database, and their interactions.

Frontend:

  • The frontend is built using React, which is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
  • The frontend utilizes Redux for state management, ensuring data consistency and predictability.
  • The frontend components are responsible for rendering the user interface and handling user interactions.

Backend:

  • The backend is built using Node.js, which is a JavaScript runtime environment.
  • The backend exposes an API that is used by the frontend to access data and functionality.
  • The backend utilizes Express framework for efficient routing and API handling.

Database:

  • The database is a MongoDB database, which is a NoSQL database.
  • The database stores all of the application data, including user information, logs, and other relevant information.

Interaction:

  • The frontend makes API calls to the backend to fetch and manipulate data.
  • The backend interacts with the database to store, retrieve, and update data.
  • The frontend displays data retrieved from the backend, allowing users to interact with the software.

Development Environment Setup

Before you can start developing the software, you need to set up your development environment. Here are the steps to set up your development environment:

  1. Install Node.js: You can download and install Node.js from the official website https://nodejs.org/.

  2. Install npm: Node.js comes bundled with npm (Node Package Manager), which is used for managing project dependencies.

  3. Clone the repository: Clone the project repository from GitHub:

    git clone <repository_url>

  4. Install dependencies: Navigate to the project directory and install the project dependencies using npm:

    npm install

  5. Start the development server: Run the development server to launch the application:

    npm start

  6. Set up a database: You will need to set up a MongoDB database instance for the software to work correctly. See the MongoDB documentation for instructions.

Coding Standards

The project follows a set of coding standards to ensure code consistency, readability, and maintainability. These standards are outlined in the Coding Standards section and should be followed by all developers.

  • Linting: The project utilizes ESLint for code linting, which helps identify potential errors and enforce code style.
  • Code Formatting: The project uses Prettier to automatically format code, ensuring consistent code style across the project.
  • Naming Conventions: The project uses a consistent naming convention for variables, functions, and components. Refer to the Coding Standards for specific naming rules.

Contributing to the Project

We encourage developers to contribute to the project. Here are some ways you can contribute:

  • Submit bug reports: If you encounter any bugs, please submit a bug report through the project's issue tracker.
  • Suggest new features: If you have any ideas for new features, please submit them through the project's issue tracker.
  • Contribute code: You can contribute code by submitting pull requests to the project's repository. Ensure that your code adheres to the project's coding standards.

Conclusion

This chapter provides a comprehensive guide for developers working on the software project. By following the information outlined here, developers can effectively extend and customize the software, ensuring code quality, maintainability, and consistency.