Remember to take your time and work through each question diligently! Test your code, make sure it works, and try to find ways to improve. Once you are happy and satisfied with your code, upload it to Github, then turn in your Github link at the bottom of the page!

Don't forget. Make sure this assignment is in it's own repository. Not mixed in with others!

In today's digital age, online shopping has become an integral part of our lives. E-commerce platforms have revolutionized the way we purchase products, offering convenience, variety, and accessibility like never before. However, building a robust e-commerce application from scratch can be a complex task, involving various components such as user management, product listings, shopping carts, and order processing.

Imagine you are tasked with creating an e-commerce application that empowers both customers and administrators. The goal is to build a user-friendly platform where customers can effortlessly browse products, add them to their shopping carts, and place orders. Simultaneously, administrators should have tools to manage product inventory, track orders, and ensure a seamless shopping experience.

To tackle this challenge, we will leverage the power of Python and two essential libraries: Flask and Flask-SQLAlchemy. Flask is a lightweight web framework that simplifies web application development, while Flask-SQLAlchemy provides a robust toolkit for database interactions. Together, they form the perfect duo to craft our e-commerce solution.

In this project, we will guide you through the process of building an e-commerce application that closely mimics real-world scenarios.

Project Requirements

To successfully build our e-commerce application and achieve the learning objectives, we need to establish clear project requirements. These requirements outline the key features and functionalities that our application must encompass. Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of project requirements based on our learning objectives:

Customer and CustomerAccount Management: Create the CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) endpoints for managing Customers and their associated CustomerAccounts:
- Create Customer: Implement an endpoint to add a new customer to the database. Ensure that you capture essential customer information, including name, email, and phone number.
- Read Customer: Develop an endpoint to retrieve customer details based on their unique identifier (ID). Provide functionality to query and display customer information.
- Update Customer: Create an endpoint for updating customer details, allowing modifications to the customer's name, email, and phone number.
- Delete Customer: Implement an endpoint to delete a customer from the system based on their ID.
- Create CustomerAccount: Develop an endpoint to create a new customer account. This should include fields for a unique username and a secure password.
- Read CustomerAccount: Implement an endpoint to retrieve customer account details, including the associated customer's information.
- Update CustomerAccount: Create an endpoint for updating customer account information, including the username and password.
- Delete CustomerAccount: Develop an endpoint to delete a customer account.
Product Catalog: Create the CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) endpoints for managing Products:
- Create Product: Implement an endpoint to add a new product to the e-commerce database. Capture essential product details, such as the product name and price.
- Read Product: Develop an endpoint to retrieve product details based on the product's unique identifier (ID). Provide functionality to query and display product information.
- Update Product: Create an endpoint for updating product details, allowing modifications to the product name and price.
- Delete Product: Implement an endpoint to delete a product from the system based on its unique ID.
- List Products: Develop an endpoint to list all available products in the e-commerce platform. Ensure that the list provides essential product information.
- View and Manage Product Stock Levels (Bonus): Create an endpoint that allows to view and manage the stock levels of each product in the catalog. Administrators should be able to see the current stock level and make adjustments as needed.
- Restock Products When Low (Bonus): Develop an endpoint that monitors product stock levels and triggers restocking when they fall below a specified threshold. Ensure that stock replenishment is efficient and timely.
Order Processing: Develop comprehensive Orders Management functionality to efficiently handle customer orders, ensuring that customers can place, track, and manage their orders seamlessly.
- Place Order: Create an endpoint for customers to place new orders, specifying the products they wish to purchase and providing essential order details. Each order should capture the order date and the associated customer.
- Retrieve Order: Implement an endpoint that allows customers to retrieve details of a specific order based on its unique identifier (ID). Provide a clear overview of the order, including the order date and associated products.
- Manage Order History (Bonus): Create an endpoint that allows customers to access their order history, listing all previous orders placed. Each order entry should provide comprehensive information, including the order date and associated products.
- Cancel Order (Bonus): Implement an order cancellation feature, allowing customers to cancel an order if it hasn't been shipped or completed. Ensure that canceled orders are appropriately reflected in the system.
- Calculate Order Total Price (Bonus): Include an endpoint that calculates the total price of items in a specific order, considering the prices of the products included in the order. This calculation should be specific to each customer and each order, providing accurate pricing information.
Database Integration:
- Utilize Flask-SQLAlchemy to integrate a MySQL database into the application.
- Design and create the necessary Model to represent customers, orders, products, customer accounts, and any additional features.
- Establish relationships between tables to model the application's core functionality.
- Ensure proper database connections and interactions for data storage and retrieval.
User Interface (Insomnia):
- Develop Insomnia collections that categorize and group API requests according to their functionality. Separate collections for Customer Management, Product Management, Order Management, and Bonus Features should be created for clarity.
GitHub Repository:
- Create a GitHub repository for the project and commit code regularly.
- Maintain a clean and interactive README.md file in the GitHub repository, providing clear instructions on how to run the application and explanations of its features.
- Include a link to the GitHub repository in the project documentation.

Project Tips

Building an e-commerce application can be both exciting and challenging. To help you navigate this journey successfully and achieve the project requirements, here are some valuable tips to keep in mind:

1. Start with a Strong Foundation:

Code Reusability: As mentioned in the project requirements, consider reusing the Flask-SQLAlchemy project you developed during the "Module 6: API REST Development" lessons. This will save you time and maintain consistency in your codebase, making it easier to integrate new features.

2. Plan Your Database Structure:

Model Design: Carefully design your database models to accurately represent customers, orders, products, customer accounts, and any additional features you plan to incorporate. Ensure that you establish the necessary relationships between tables to model your application's core functionality effectively.

3. Data Validation and Error Handling:

Data Validation: Implement robust data validation mechanisms to ensure that user inputs meet specified criteria. This is crucial for maintaining data integrity and preventing issues down the line.
Error Handling: Utilize try, except, else, and finally blocks to handle errors gracefully. Provide informative error messages that guide users in troubleshooting and resolving issues.

4. Thorough Testing with Postman:

Postman Collections: Create organized Postman collections that categorize and group API requests based on functionality. This will make it easier to test and validate different parts of your application.
Documentation: Include clear documentation within your Postman collections and requests. This documentation should guide users on how to use each request effectively. Comments and descriptions should be concise and informative.

5. GitHub Repository and Version Control:

Repository Management: Establish a GitHub repository for your project and commit code regularly. Utilize version control to keep track of changes and collaborate effectively with team members if applicable.
README.md: Maintain a clean and interactive README.md file in your GitHub repository. Provide clear instructions on how to run the application and explanations of its features. Include a link to your GitHub repository in your project documentation.

Remember that building a robust e-commerce application is a process that involves careful planning, coding, testing, and documentation. By following these project tips and adhering to the requirements, you'll be well on your way to creating a successful and feature-rich e-commerce platform. Good luck with your project! 🚀

Conclusion

Our e-commerce project presents an exciting opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout our learning journey. By following the project requirements and tips provided, we can develop a robust and feature-rich e-commerce application.

We've emphasized the importance of code reusability, efficient database design, data validation, and thorough testing using Postman. Additionally, maintaining a well-documented GitHub repository and effectively communicating project details demonstrate our commitment to producing a high-quality solution.

As we embark on this project, we're not only building an e-commerce application but also gaining practical experience in software development, database integration, and API design. This project serves as a significant step toward becoming proficient developers and showcases our ability to tackle real-world challenges.

By following these guidelines and giving our best effort, we're well-prepared to create an impressive e-commerce platform that meets the project's objectives and showcases our skills as developers. So, let's dive in and make this e-commerce project a success!

Happy coding! 📚🔍🖥️

Mini Project: E-commerce API