StudyBuddy 🎓

StudyBuddy is a dynamic chatroom application built using Python Django and SQLite (for local development) and PostgreSQL (for production). It provides a platform for users to create and join chatrooms, engage in discussions, and connect with others on various topics. The project is designed with a user-friendly interface, offering seamless CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functionality and RESTful API integration.

Features 🌟

• Create, Update, Delete Chatrooms: Users can easily create their own chatrooms, update existing ones, or delete them when no longer needed.
• Profile Management: Each user can manage their own profile, including updating personal information and customizing their chatroom experience.
• Join and Engage: Users can join available chatrooms and participate in discussions on a wide range of topics.
• RESTful API: The application is powered by RESTful APIs, ensuring smooth and efficient communication between the frontend and backend.
• Aesthetic User Interface: The UI is designed to be both functional and visually appealing, enhancing the overall user experience.

Technologies Used 🛠️

• Backend: Python Django
• Database: SQLite (Local Development), PostgreSQL (Production)
• Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Media Storage: Cloudinary for storing and delivering user profile images and other media files
• APIs: RESTful API for data handling
• CI/CD: Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment tested with staging, feature addition, and merging

Deployment 🌐

The StudyBuddy chatroom application is deployed on Render.com, which simplifies the server setup, scaling, and deployment process.

• Live Server: StudyBuddy Live
• Media Storage: Cloudinary is used to efficiently manage and serve media content like user profile images.

How to Set Up and Run Locally ⚙️

Prerequisites

• Python (3.x)
• Django
• PostgreSQL
• Cloudinary account (for media storage)
• Render account (for deployment, if required)

Setup Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/studybuddy.git
   cd studybuddy

2. Set up a virtual environment:

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate   # On Windows use `venv\Scripts\activate`

3. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure PostgreSQL (for production):

   • Set up a PostgreSQL database.
   • Update your settings.py file with the PostgreSQL configuration:

   DATABASES = {
       'default': {
           'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
           'NAME': 'your_db_name',
           'USER': 'your_db_user',
           'PASSWORD': 'your_db_password',
           'HOST': 'localhost',
           'PORT': '5432',
       }
   }

5. Run migrations:

   python manage.py migrate

6. Configure Cloudinary for media storage:

   • Add Cloudinary credentials in your settings.py file:

   CLOUDINARY_STORAGE = {
       'CLOUD_NAME': 'your_cloud_name',
       'API_KEY': 'your_api_key',
       'API_SECRET': 'your_api_secret',
   }
   DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = 'cloudinary_storage.storage.MediaCloudinaryStorage'

7. Create a superuser:

   python manage.py createsuperuser

8. Run the development server:

   python manage.py runserver

Now, you should be able to access the application at http://127.0.0.1:8000/.

CI/CD Implementation 🔄

StudyBuddy incorporates a basic CI/CD pipeline, where features are staged, tested, and merged into production. This ensures that updates and new features can be reliably added with minimal disruption to the live environment.