CRUD app to create and save code snippets, Flask/Python restful Api/backend and React

MS3 Cheat-Hub

A cheatsheet hub.

An app that organizes your code snippets into collections of cheat sheets and allows you to view, like and save others'.

The project is developed as part of MS3 Data Centric module at Code Institute. It is written with a Flask/Python restful backend API, and a React/Typescript CRA frontend.

Please visit the project at cheathub.vercel.app.

Additionally, the restful backend API can be viwed at cheathub-backend.herokuapp.com. For a sample response, please visit the /api/snippets endpoint.

UX

User Stories

New Visitor Goals

• As a new vistor, I want to have a good understanding of what the website does.
• As a new visitor, I want to be able to register for an account.

Returning Visitor Goals

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to log in securely.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to create a code snippet.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to see my code snippet.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to edit my code snippet.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to delete my code snippet(s).
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to create a collection of my code snippets.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to see collections of my code snippets.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to edit collections of my code snippets.
• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to delete a collection of my code snippets.

Frequent Visitor Goals

• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to search code snippets I have created.
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to search code snippets created by others.
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to like/fave code snippets created by others.
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to see my favorite code snippets created by others.
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to unlike/unfave code snippets created by others I have previously liked.
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to reference and copy code snippets to the the clipboard.
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to able to delete my account.

Wireframes

Concept

The project can be understood as a library of user-created Albums or Playlists with the ability to organize, query and add items or tracks to those collections

Code Snippet (item)

Collection (playlist)

Search (filter)

Design

Accordion Cards

• A consistent border is applied to all nodes with dynamic content. These discrete borders are designed to convey the scale of snippet item relative to a collection. These containers only vary in spacing and height and are responsible for visually conveying open and closed states of snippets in collections of snippets.

Theme

• Chakra-UI's ThemeProvider wraps the app in order to pass styles down the component tree. See Chakra-UI.

Colors

• The app features two sets of neutral tones for light mode and dark mode. Tones are applied to backgrounds while borders are rendered to highlight items and convey feedback. Tones are minimally set to three values within #fafafa and #010f08 in order to reserve state-changes to border sizes and scales.

Features

Existing Features

User Registration

• The website features the ability to sign up, sign in and sign out in order to conditionally access existing features. A user is based on the user model, which requires username, email and password for new users and only the latter two for existing users. For security, only usernames are stored in local storage while tokens are stored in memory. To ensure sign out across multiple open windows, a logout event triggers a storage event listener which clears tokens and usernames in the memory of the current window.

• Actions:

• Ability to create an account. (any User)
• Ability to sign in to an account. (Registered Owner)
• Ability to sign out of an account. (Registed Owner)

Code Snippets

• The website features the ability to create, update and delete a code snippet. A snippet is based on the snippet model and each field is represented as either a form field or a section in an article depending on whether a code snippet is being edited or being featured.

• Actions:

• Ability to create, edit and delete a code snippet. (Registered Owner)
• Ability to fave and unfave a code snippet. (Registered User)

Collections

• The website features the ability to group any and all existing code snippets into named collections aka cheat sheets. A collection is based on the collection model, which is a name and a list of snippets. Each field is represented as either a form field or a header followed by a ul depending on whether a collection is in edit or display mode.

• Actions:

• Ability to create, edit and delete a named collection. (Registered Owner)
• Ability to add and remove snippets to/from a collection. (Registered Owner)

Search

• search_text indices are attached to the title and description fields of the snippets cluster. The frontend UI of the search feature is designed to return snippet cards that match a query. Additionally, the ability to query by tags and language is enabled by filtering these existing fields in the database.

• Actions:

• Ability to search code snippets created by others. (any User)
• Ability to filter snippets by language. (any User)
• Ability to filter snippets by tags. (any User)
• Ability to copy snippets to the clipboard. (any User)
• Ability to fave or unfave snippet results from search. (Registered User)
• Ability to perform crud operations on snippet results from search. (Registered Owner)

Features Left to Implement

• Add query params to all resources
• Extend query parser to parse more than one query at a time
• Optimize performance by dereferencing database records
• User profile page
• Ability to add friends
• Ability to share snippets

Technologies

Frameworks and Libraries

• cd frontend

  Please visit the frontend sub directory for details on ReactJS Typescript frameworks and libraries.\

Go to frontend

• cd backend

  Please visit the backend root directory for details on Python Flask frameworks and libraries.

Go to backend

Programs and Software

• VSCode: Visual Studiio Code 2020.3.2 by Microsoft is the IDE used to locally construct the project
• Git: Git is used as the version control system and is utilized via the WebStorm terminal to commit to Git and push to GitHub.
• GitHub: GitHub is used to store the project's code and directory upon concurrent pushes via Git.
• Adobe InDesign: Adobe InDesign is used to mock wireframes.

Notes

• Styles are written in-component and merge both Chakra-format and Framer-motion-format to achieve desired UI results. This is done by declaring motion boxes in Typescript to accespt Motion-Framer's HTML style props and Chakra's.
• Pagination is only for search endpoint.
• Access Token is stored in memory. Only usernames are stored in local storage, along with storage event listener for key app-logout which is triggered on logout and ensures all windows are logged out while the tokens are stored in a token blocklist cluster.

Testing

User Testing

Arrival

• As a new vistor, I want to have a good understanding of what the website does
  • User arrives at home page.
    • The screen for Cheathub appears with a description of its functionality.
    • User reads description.
  • User continues.

Sign Up

• As a new visitor, I want to be able to register for an account.
  • User is clicks Switch to sign up
    • The sign up form appears
      • The username field is in focus
      • User types types a username, email and password.
        • The username is taken.
        • An error toast alert appears.
      • User modifies username
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues
  • Review:
  • A user is able to securely create an account.

Sign In

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to log in securely.
  • User clicks Switch to sign in
    • The sign in form appears
      - The email field is in focus
      - User types types email and password.
      - User hits enter.
      - A success toast alert appears.
      • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues

Add and View Snippet

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to create a code snippet.

  • User clicks Add new snippet
    • A form appears.
      • The title field is in focus.
        • User inputs title, description, language
        • User pastes a code snippet.
      • User clicks submit.
        • A success toast alert appears.
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to see my code snippet.

  • User arrives at Collections profile.
    • A snippet card appears.
      • User sees code snippet interface with his/her
  • User continues

Add Another Snippet

Add Collection

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to create a collection of my code snippets.
  • User clicks Add New Collection
    • A form appears.
      • The name field is in focus.
        • User inputs names collection
        • User selects existing code snippets to add.
      • User clicks submit.
        • A success toast alert appears.
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues

View Collection

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to see collections of my code snippets.
  • User arrives at Collections profile.
    • A collections card appears.
      • User sees collection interface that includes snippets added.
  • User continues

Edit Collection Details

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to edit collections of my code snippets.
  • User clicks Edit this Collection
    • A form appears.
      • The name field is in focus.
        • User renames collection.
        • User uses select input add more snippets.
        • User uses select input to remove previous snippets.
      • User clicks submit.
        • A success toast alert appears.
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
    • An updated collection appears.
  • User continues

Edit and View Snippet

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to edit my code snippet.
  • User clicks Edit this snippet
    • A form appears.
      • The title field is in focus.
        • User modifies description
        • User updates code snippet.
        • User adds optional source url.
        • User adds optional tags
      • User clicks submit.
        • A success toast alert appears.
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues

Edit Another Snippet

Delete Snippet

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to delete my code snippet(s).
  • User clicks Edit this snippet
    • A form appears.
      • The title field is in focus.
        • User clicks Delete
          • Modal appears
          • The cancel button is in focus
          • User confirms
        • The modal is closed
        • A success toast alert appears.
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues

Delete Another Snippet

• As a Returning Visitor, I want to be able to delete a collection of my code snippet(s).
  • User clicks Edit this Collection
    • A form appears.
      • The name field is in focus.
        • User clicks Delete
          • Modal appears
          • The cancel button is in focus
          • User confirms
        • The modal is closed
        • A success toast alert appears.
    • User is redirected to his/her collections profile.
  • User continues

Search Snippets

• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to search code snippets I have created.
  • User clicks Snippets
    • User is rerouted to Snippets page.
    • A feed of all public snippet cards appear.
    • The Snippets Search input appears.
    • The search field is in focus.
      • User types a search text
        • The snippet cards return snippets that match search text
      • User uses select input to query by language
        • The snippet cards return snippets written in language
      • User uses select input to query by tags
        • The snippet cards return snippets that include input tag
      • User clickes Show All
        • The snippet cards return most recent snippets posted.
      • User scrolls to end of page
        • The pagination buttons appear
        • User clicks Next
          • Snippet cards for next page appear.
    • User continues

Fave/Unfave Snippet and View Faved/Unfaved Snippets

• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to like/fave code snippets created by others.
  • User is in Snippets page.
    • A feed of all public snippet cards appear.
      • User finds a snippet card.
      • User clicks Fave
        • A success toast appears
  • User continues
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to unlike/unfave code snippets created by others.
  • User is in Snippets page.
    • A feed of all public snippet cards appear.
      • User finds a snippet card.
      • User clicks Unfave
        • A success toast appears
      • User clicks Collections
      • The faves collection appears.
      • User sees updated Faves.
  • User continues
• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to see my favorite code snippets created by others.
  • User is in Collections page.
    • A collection named Faves appears.
      • User finds all favorite snippts as a collection.
  • User continues

Copy Snippet to Clipboard

• I want to be able to reference and copy code snippets to the clipboard.
  • User is in Search page.
    • A feed of all public snippet cards appear.
      • User finds a snippet card.
      • User clicks Copy button
        • The copy button changes to a success icon.
        • The code snippet is copied to the clipboard.
  • User continues

Delete Account

• As a Frequent Visitor, I want to be able to delete my account.
  • User is clicks Delete my account
    • Modal appears
      • The cancel button is in focus
        • User confirms
      • The modal is closed
      • Page is redirected to /
      • User is no longer able to log in with credentials
  • User continues
  • Review:
  • A user is able to securely remove his/her history from the database.

Switch Theme

Note: All screen shots of expected results of User testing can be viewed in the public docs directory.
Please view them here

Code Testing

Frontend

Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, SEO, PWA

View Latest Results

• Lighthouse via Vercel is used to test performace, which produces unique results on every git push. lighthouse-badges is used to generate new badges for every deployment by installing npm i -g lighthouse-badges and pushing the new hashed url to the array of urls:

  lighthouse-badges 
  -o docs/badges -r 
  -u https://cheathub.vercel.app/ [... all other urls]
                     
  # Output to docs/badges
  # Badges will contain the respective
    average score(s) of all the urls 
    supplied, combined
  

• Lighthouse's metrics, namely Accessibility and Performance generate specific flags on each audit. Adjustments are made on each push that specifically address any issues.

Accessibility Testing

• ChromeVox Extension was used to ensure that screen-reader accessibility standards are met. This was done by walking through the entire project with the screen-reader plugin enabled. Various adjustments were made following these tests. Notably, the tab-index order of nav elements, and changing refining HTML5 semantic elements for role clarity.

Browser Testing

• Throughout the development of the project, in-browser dev tools were used to test for consistency across browsers. The browsers themselves were equally used for general use-case testing. The following browsers' per-device applications were accessed with an iPhone 11 Pro, MacBook Pro 15" and iPad Pro 12.9":
• Chrome Version: 83
• Firefox 82
• Opera 72
• Safari 14

Deployment

• The project frontend is written in Typescript developed with React, bootstrapped with Create React App and deployed with Vercel. The backend is written in Python, developed with Flask to serve a restful database via Mongo DB.

  cd frontend

  Please visit the frontend root directory for details on deployment steps.

  cd backend

  Please visit the backend root directory for details on deployment steps.

Cloning This Repo

• Clone this repo by running git clone httpsL//github.com/israelias/cheathub
• at the jump, cd to the name of this repo:
  cd cheathub

  cd frontend

  Please visit the frontend root directory for details on required modules via yarn install and to start the frontend development server on localhost:3000.

  cd backend

  Please visit the backend root directory for details on required modules via requirements.txt and to start the backend development server on localhost:5000.

Go to frontend
Go to backend

Credits

Content and Media

• Code snippets used to fill the database are public cheat sheets gathered throughout the development of the project include url references in the snippet cards. The hello world feature collection is references from Say hello world in 28 different languages

Acknowledgments

ESLint and Typescript Configuration

• ESlint Typescript with Prettier
• Create-React-App: Typescript, ESLint & Prettier with Airbnb style guides on VSCode
• Airbnb Javascript style guide — Key takeaway
  -Config ESLint, Prettier in Typescript React App

ReactJS and Typescript References

• ReactJS Typescript components

Flask backend with React frontend References

• Subdirectory Heroku Deployment
• Deploying Flask Restful Backend

Mentoring

• Aaron Sinnott
• Code Institute tutors
• Fellow Code Institute students

GitHub

https://github.com/israelias/cheathub