Final Exam Preparation Repository

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Initial Configuration

This application requires composer and laravel pre-installed in the computer in order for it to work. The following link provides the guide on how to set up Laravel for the first time.

Composer installation - https://getcomposer.org/doc/00-intro.md

Laravel installation for version 8.x - https://laravel.com/docs/8.x/installation

Steps to run the application:

1. Import classicmodels.sql to PhpMyAdmin. This file is available in the project directory when it is cloned from this repository.

2. In order for the database to properly work, please kindly configure the .env file first. The following information needs to be adjusted according to your PhpMyAdmin database parameters:

DB_PORT=
DB_DATABASE=
DB_USERNAME=
DB_PASSWORD=

3. Utilizing the terminal, please move to the project's directory and run php artisan serve. Alternatively, this can be done using the IDE's terminal.

4. Access the application by accessing http://127.0.0.1 followed by : and your laravel's port number. As an example: http://127.0.0.1/8000.

5. Simply create an account or use the following credentials to access store management features:

email : [email protected]
password : finalexam

Requirements Fullfilment

1. Develop the requested amarketplace website for resellers and buyers using HTML5,CSS3, Javascript and PHP with some frameworks, like bootstrap and Laravel.

This repository utilizes only bootstrap and laravel frameworks.

2. Use proper methods of object-oriented web development

Since laravel is OOP oriented at its core, Database access is only used by the Eloquents (Models) object heavily. Whenever possible, raw DB queries feature of laravel e.g. DB::query(...)->get() is not used. All access to database is intended to be implemented completely with Eloquents model to gain full benefit of Laravel framework.

3. Implement Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern for this marketplace web development

Since Laravel main feature is to offer MVC, appropriate Models, Views and Controllers are implemented for this project. Please kindly check these directories for:
+ Models : /app/Models/
+ Controllers : app/Http/Controllers/
+ Views : app/resources/views/

4. Utilize at least Orders, Products, and Customers tables of the classic model database in MySQL database to be connected to your web application through mysqli or PDO API

Laravel uses PDO for all its queries. Please kindly verify this information in: https://laravel.com/docs/8.x/database, in 'Using Multiple Database Connections' where a raw PDO instance can be accessed with the following code: `$pdo = DB::connection()->getPdo();

5. Manage product image files to be stored and retrieved into/from a server directory or in database.

To fulfill this requirement, a demonstration of implementation of a simple image upload for profile pictore is done. Please refer to the following commit for related files for such features:
https://github.com/fradvocatus/awp-final-exam/commit/6cc9775185da997351f0618535d1c9df159bc180

6. Add capabilities for CRUD: create a new record, read the existing data using keyword filtering, update and delete a particular record as well as for shopping cart

To fulfill this requirement, a complete CRUD for customers, orders, and products is implemented for the store admin.

7. Insert search facility to look up some products based on a certain keyword.

This requirement is fulfilled by the search feature that is available on the navigation bar of the web application.

8. Manage sessions with some required storage.

The simplest form of session implemented in this project is the remember_token user data dimension that is available in user table of the database. The eloquent (model) of user uses this token to verify whether the user is logged in or not during a session.

9. Handle user login authentication and security management

Store administrators require login since they have many ability that buyer doenst have. As such, in order to access products, orders and customers management features, a secure login is required.

10. Employ some techniques of user input validations and error handling.

Each form on seller's side (product, order, and customer creation and updates) triggers a request()->validate([...]) function in the controller. A great example of this implementation can be found inside $validateInputs(bool $edit) function in \App\Http\Controllers\ProductController.php.

11. Supplement your marketplace website with good layout, tables, images, form with good component functionalities, such as radio button tab selection, tooltips, button, input text fields, and others.

The web application as a solution to this final exam utilizies a simplified user interface that take advantage of bootstrap elements (e.g. tables, dropdowns, input text fields) whenever possible. This is apparent for every creation of Products, Customers, and Orders.