Software Project Checklist: End Of Semester Requirements

As the semester draws to a close, it's crucial to ensure your software project is not only functional but also well-documented and easily maintainable for future teams. This comprehensive checklist outlines the essential requirements for your code to be considered acceptable, guaranteeing a smooth handover and preventing any last-minute hiccups. Adhering to these guidelines ensures that anyone can run your code without encountering errors and that all necessary information is readily accessible. Failing to meet these requirements may result in a significant reduction in your final project grade or an incomplete until the necessary information is provided. Let's dive into the key areas to focus on:

Project Structure and Files: The Foundation of a Successful Project

At the heart of any successful software project lies a well-organized structure. This not only aids in navigation but also ensures that all components are easily accessible and understandable. By the final report deadline, your project's main branch should meticulously adhere to the following file structure requirements. These guidelines are designed to create a cohesive and easily navigable repository, setting the stage for future development and collaboration. Adhering to these standards not only reflects professionalism but also ensures the long-term viability of your project.

Up-to-Date Code

The cornerstone of any software project is, undoubtedly, the code itself. Ensuring that the most recent version of both frontend and backend code is readily available is paramount. This not only reflects the culmination of your efforts but also serves as the foundation for future development and collaboration. This might seem self-evident, but it's easy to overlook in the rush to finalize other aspects of the project. Including the latest code ensures that subsequent teams or individuals can seamlessly pick up where you left off, avoiding potential compatibility issues or the need to sift through outdated versions.

Database Files: The Heart of Your Application

Databases are the backbone of many applications, and ensuring their proper setup and accessibility is crucial. All necessary database files should be included, providing a clear blueprint of your data structure and relationships. The database files are the heart of your application, containing the crucial data that drives its functionality. Whether you're using a relational database or a NoSQL solution, including the necessary files ensures that future developers can understand, modify, and extend your data model without starting from scratch.

Docker Configuration (If Applicable)

For projects leveraging Docker, a docker-compose.yml file at the top level is essential. This file acts as a blueprint for your application's containerized environment, ensuring consistency and portability across different systems. Docker has revolutionized software deployment by allowing developers to package applications and their dependencies into isolated containers. This eliminates the "it works on my machine" problem and makes it easy to deploy applications in various environments, from development to production. By including a docker-compose.yml file, you're providing a clear and concise way for others to set up and run your project, regardless of their operating system or development environment.

Database Schema: A Clear Blueprint

The database schema is the structural blueprint of your data, outlining tables, fields, and relationships. Including this schema is vital for understanding and interacting with your application's data. For Prisma users, the schema.prisma file within a top-level prisma folder should be included. This file serves as a single source of truth for your database schema, making it easy to visualize and modify your data structure. For projects using other database technologies, a file with a descriptive name, such as schema.sql, should be provided to facilitate database creation. A well-documented schema is essential for any project that involves data storage and retrieval. It allows developers to understand the structure of the database, the relationships between different tables, and the types of data that are stored. Without a clear schema, it can be difficult to query the database, modify the data structure, or even understand how the application works.

Environment Variables: Configuration Made Easy

The .env.example file plays a crucial role in managing environment variables. This file should contain non-sensitive environment variables such as Auth0 Issuer and development database URLs. Sensitive variables, such as client secrets, should be replaced with example data like CLIENT_SECRET='EXAMPLE_CLIENT_SECRET' to clearly indicate their necessity. Environment variables are essential for configuring applications in different environments, such as development, testing, and production. They allow you to customize the behavior of your application without modifying the code itself. This is particularly important for sensitive information, such as API keys and database passwords, which should never be hardcoded into your application.

Figma Design Files: Visualizing the User Interface

Design is an integral part of any user-facing application. Storing Figma design files in a top-level folder named figma ensures that the visual aspects of your project are readily accessible. These files provide valuable insights into the user interface and user experience, facilitating future design iterations. Figma has become the industry standard for collaborative interface design, and including your design files allows others to understand the visual direction of your project, the user flows, and the overall aesthetic. This can be particularly helpful for designers who are joining the project later or for developers who need to implement new features.

Scripts: Automating Development Tasks

Migration scripts and development scripts streamline various project tasks. These scripts should reside in a top-level scripts folder. In projects with separate frontend and backend folders, this folder should be located within the backend directory. Automation is a key principle of modern software development, and scripts play a vital role in streamlining repetitive tasks. Migration scripts, for example, can be used to update the database schema or migrate data from one system to another. Development scripts can automate tasks such as building the application, running tests, and deploying to a staging environment. By including these scripts, you're making it easier for others to work on the project and reducing the likelihood of errors.

Additional Documentation: Going the Extra Mile

Any other important files, such as documentation, notes, or supporting materials, should be organized within appropriately named folders like docs, documentation, or notes. Clear organization and comprehensive documentation are hallmarks of a well-managed project. This ensures that all relevant information is easily accessible and understandable. Documentation is often an afterthought in software projects, but it's crucial for long-term maintainability and collaboration. By including documentation, you're making it easier for others to understand how the project works, how to use it, and how to contribute to it. This can save countless hours of frustration and ensure that the project continues to evolve and improve over time.

Documentation: Guiding Future Development

A well-crafted README.md file is the cornerstone of project documentation. It serves as the entry point for anyone new to the project, providing a comprehensive overview of its purpose, functionality, and setup. This file should be located at the top level of your repository and contain the following essential elements:

Conceptual Overview: Defining the Project's Purpose

Start with a clear and concise description of the project's intended purpose. What problem does it solve? What are its goals? This section should provide a high-level understanding of the project's objectives and target audience. Imagine you're explaining the project to someone who has never heard of it before. What would you tell them? What are the key features? What makes it unique? This section should answer these questions and provide a clear context for the rest of the documentation.

Functional Requirements: Detailing App Capabilities

Break down the discrete operations the app needs to be capable of, organized by page. This section should provide a comprehensive list of features and functionalities, allowing developers to quickly understand the scope of the project. Functional requirements are the specific things that the application should be able to do. For example, a social media application might have functional requirements such as "users should be able to create profiles," "users should be able to post messages," and "users should be able to follow other users." By listing these requirements in a clear and organized way, you're making it easier for others to understand what the application is supposed to do and how it works.

Third-Party Integrations: Understanding External Dependencies

Clearly describe any third-party integrations, such as HubSpot, Stripe, or Auth0, and their role within the project. Understanding these integrations is crucial for maintaining and extending the application's functionality. Many modern applications rely on third-party services for various functionalities, such as payment processing, authentication, and marketing automation. It's important to document these integrations clearly, including the purpose of each integration, the specific services that are used, and any configuration details. This will help future developers understand how the application interacts with external services and how to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

Tech Stack: Defining the Technological Foundation

List the technologies used in the project, including:

• Frontend framework (React, Vue, Svelte, etc.)
• Backend framework (Express.js, etc.)
• Meta framework (Next, Nuxt, Sveltekit, etc.) if applicable
• Database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, etc.)
• Other important packages (UI plugins, database connectors like Prisma)
• Other tools used/needed (such as Postman)

This section provides a comprehensive overview of the technological foundation of the project, enabling developers to quickly grasp the technologies involved and their versions. The tech stack is the set of technologies that are used to build the application. This includes the programming languages, frameworks, libraries, databases, and other tools that are used. Documenting the tech stack is essential for future developers who need to understand the project's architecture, set up the development environment, and troubleshoot any issues. It also helps to ensure that the project remains maintainable and scalable over time.

Deployment Notes: Guiding the Deployment Process

If the project is currently deployed or in the process of being deployed, include detailed deployment notes. Specify whether the partner is running the application on their own servers or using services like AWS or Azure. Deployment is the process of making the application available to users. This can involve deploying to a production server, a cloud platform, or a mobile app store. Documenting the deployment process is crucial for ensuring that the application can be deployed successfully and that any necessary configurations are in place. This includes information about the deployment environment, the deployment steps, and any troubleshooting tips.

Migration Scripts: Handling Data Transitions

Describe any migration scripts required to import data from an existing system. This is crucial for projects involving data migration from legacy systems. Migration scripts are used to transfer data from one system to another, typically when upgrading to a new version of the application or migrating to a new database. Documenting these scripts is essential for ensuring that the data migration process is successful and that no data is lost or corrupted. This includes information about the source and destination systems, the migration steps, and any data transformations that are required.

Development Environment Setup: Getting Started Quickly

Provide clear and concise instructions for setting up the development environment. Assume that the necessary software (Node.js, Docker, etc.) is already installed. Include details on:

• How to start the project
• How to initialize the database
• How to set up authentication
• Etc.

Setting up the development environment can be a complex and time-consuming process, especially for new developers who are unfamiliar with the project. Providing clear and concise instructions can significantly reduce the time and effort required to get started. This includes information about the required software, the installation steps, and any configuration details. It's also helpful to include troubleshooting tips for common issues.

Optional Additional Documentation: Enhancing Project Understanding

For a more comprehensive project understanding, consider including the following in the repo's GitHub wiki:

User Workflows: Mapping User Interactions

Provide a list of user workflows for each different type of user, along with corresponding wiki pages that detail the workflow information or a TODO placeholder. This documentation should outline the steps users take to accomplish specific tasks within the application. User workflows describe the steps that users take to interact with the application and accomplish specific tasks. This can include everything from logging in to creating a new account to completing a purchase. Documenting user workflows helps to ensure that the application is user-friendly and that users can easily accomplish their goals. It also helps to identify potential usability issues and areas for improvement.

User Roles: Defining Access and Permissions

Clearly define the different user roles within the application and their respective capabilities. This documentation should outline the permissions and access levels associated with each role. User roles define the different types of users who will interact with the application and the level of access they have to different features and data. For example, an e-commerce application might have user roles such as "customer," "administrator," and "guest." Each role would have different permissions and access levels. Documenting user roles helps to ensure that the application is secure and that users only have access to the features and data they need.

Third-Party Integration Details: In-Depth Service Descriptions

Create a dedicated page for each third-party integration, describing the parts of the service used, how they are used, and the reasoning behind their integration. This documentation should provide a comprehensive understanding of the application's external dependencies. As mentioned earlier, many modern applications rely on third-party services for various functionalities. Documenting these integrations in detail helps to ensure that future developers can understand how the application interacts with external services, how to troubleshoot any issues that may arise, and how to make changes or upgrades to the integrations.

Remember, these documentation elements should focus on high-level explanations, avoiding detailed code-level descriptions. The goal is to provide a clear and concise overview of the project's architecture, functionality, and usage. By providing high-level explanations, you're making it easier for others to understand the project without getting bogged down in technical details. This is particularly important for stakeholders who may not have a technical background.

By diligently adhering to this software project checklist, you'll not only ensure a successful end to the semester but also lay a solid foundation for future development and collaboration. A well-structured, well-documented project is a valuable asset, setting the stage for continued success.

For additional information on software development best practices and project management, consider exploring resources from reputable organizations like the IEEE Computer Society.