Cybonix Solutions Trainer (CYSTR)

The Cybonix Solutions Trainer (CYSTR) is an Android application designed to provide users with easy access to do-it-yourself (DIY) computer troubleshooting videos. The app fetches video content from the YouTube API and presents it in a simple, user-friendly interface.

Features

• Video Playback: Watch computer troubleshooting tutorials directly within the app.
• Search Functionality: Quickly find specific videos by searching for keywords.
• Dynamic Content: Video content is fetched from the YouTube API, ensuring an up-to-date library of tutorials.
• Sample Videos: Includes a set of sample videos for offline use or when the YouTube API is unavailable.
• Playback Controls: Standard video controls, including play, pause, rewind, and fast-forward.

Technology Stack

• Language: Kotlin
• Platform: Android
• API: YouTube Data API v3
• Libraries:
  • Google API Client Library for Java
  • AndroidX AppCompat
  • AndroidX RecyclerView
  • Coroutines for asynchronous programming.
  • Jackson for JSON parsing.

How to Build and Run

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/Cybonix-Solutions-Trainer---CYSTR.git

2. Open in Android Studio:
   • Open Android Studio and select "Open an existing Android Studio project".
   • Navigate to the cloned repository and select the build.gradle file.
3. Set up YouTube API Key:
   • Create a file named local.properties in the root directory of the project.
   • Add your YouTube API key to this file:

     YOUTUBE_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
     

   • Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual YouTube Data API key.
4. Build and Run:
   • Build the project using the "Build" menu in Android Studio.
   • Run the app on an Android emulator or a physical device.

Security Note

The YouTube API key is loaded from a local.properties file, which is included in the .gitignore file and should not be checked into version control. This prevents the API key from being exposed in the client-side code.

Future Improvements

• Secure API Key Storage: The API key is now stored in local.properties, which is a good practice for development. For production apps, consider using more advanced techniques like storing the key in a secure backend or using obfuscation with ProGuard/R8.
• Enhanced Video Player: Replace the VideoView with a more robust video player library. Previously, ExoPlayer was a recommended option, but it is now deprecated and has been merged into AndroidX Media3. All new development should use AndroidX Media3 for better support and more features.
• Improved UI/UX: Enhance the user interface with better layouts, animations, and a more modern design.
• Pagination: Implement pagination for loading more videos as the user scrolls, instead of loading a fixed number of videos at once.
• Error Handling: Improve error handling for network requests and video playback to provide more informative feedback to the user.
• User Accounts: Add user accounts to allow users to save their favorite videos or create playlists.