Nexforce Case Study - FullStack Application

Overview

The Nexforce case study involves developing a full-stack application to manage an inventory system. This application includes a backend built with Node.js and Express, a frontend developed in React.js, and a Python script for data analysis. This project aims to demonstrate my ability to integrate multiple technologies and follow agile development principles.

Project Structure

The project is divided into three main components:

• Backend: Node.js server with Express.
• Frontend: React.js application.
• Python Script: For analyzing inventory data.

Technologies Used

Backend

• Node.js: Runtime environment for server-side code.
• Express.js: Web framework for building APIs.
• PostgreSQL: Database system.
• Sequelize: ORM for database interactions.
• Nodemon: Tool for auto-reloading during development.

Frontend

• React.js: JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
• Vite: Build tool and development server.
• Axios: HTTP client for making API requests.
• CSS Modules: For component-scoped styles.

Python Script

• Python: Programming language for data analysis.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v16 or later)
• Python (v3.8 or later)
• PostgreSQL (v16 or later)

Backend

1. Navigate to the backend directory:

   cd backend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables: Copy the .env.example file to a new file named .env in the backend directory and fill in your environment variables:

   cp .env.example .env

   Edit the .env file with your actual values:

   PORT=3000
   POSTGRES_USER=your_database_user
   POSTGRES_PASSWORD=your_database_password
   POSTGRES_DB=your_database_name
   POSTGRES_HOST=your_database_host
   POSTGRES_PORT=your_database_port
   

4. Start the server:

   npm run dev

5. Run migrations and seeders:

   npx sequelize-cli db:migrate
   npx sequelize-cli db:seed:all

Frontend

1. Navigate to the frontend directory:

   cd frontend

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables: Copy the .env.example file to a new file named .env in the frontend directory and edit it if needed:

   cp .env.example .env

4. Start the development server:

   npm run dev

5. Open your browser and go to view the application.

Python Script

1. Navigate to the Python script directory:

   cd scripts

2. Run the script:

   python analyze_inventory.py --help
   
   usage: inventory_analysis.py [-h] --type {lowest_stock,highest_stock} [--num_records NUM_RECORDS]
   
   Analyze product inventory.
   
   options:
     -h, --help            show this help message and exit
     --type {lowest_stock,highest_stock}
                           Type of analysis: 'lowest_stock' for products with the lowest stock, 'highest_stock' for products with the
                           highest stock
     --num_records NUM_RECORDS
                           Number of records to include in the report

API Endpoints

Backend API

• GET /api/products: Retrieve a list of products.
• POST /api/products: Create a new product.
• PUT /api/products/:id: Update an existing product.
• DELETE /api/products/:id: Delete a product.
• GET /api/categories: Retrieve a list of product categories.

Frontend Components

• Home: Displays the list of products.
• CreatePage: Form to add a new product.
• UpdatePage: Form to edit an existing product.
• Category: View products by category.

Python Script Functionality

• Data Analysis: Analyzes inventory data to identify products with the lowest and highest stock.
• Report Generation: Outputs results in CSV.

Agile Practices

I used the Trello for managing project tasks, organizing sprints, and tracking progress: link.