DevNet StudyLab

A full-stack study platform for the Cisco DevNet Associate (200-901) certification exam. Built with Next.js, PostgreSQL, and mock Cisco APIs to provide an interactive, hands-on learning experience.

Features

• Study Hub -- Track progress across all 6 exam domains with 61 objectives and completion checkboxes
• Flashcards -- SM-2 spaced repetition algorithm with 199 cards across all domains, synced to the database when authenticated
• Practice Exams -- 2 full 40-question practice exams and focused domain quizzes with scoring and attempt history
• Study Guides -- In-depth study guides for all 6 exam domains with objective-level progress tracking
• Hands-on Labs -- 7 labs (Python, REST API, Git, Docker, Bash, Ansible, NETCONF) with a CodeMirror editor featuring syntax highlighting, bracket matching, and autocompletion
• AI Tutor -- Claude-powered conversational tutor with domain-specific system prompts and persistent conversation history
• Progress Persistence -- All study progress saved to PostgreSQL (flashcards, exams, labs, objectives)
• Authentication -- Auth.js v5 with credentials provider and JWT sessions

Tech Stack

Layer	Technology
Frontend	Next.js 16, React 19, TailwindCSS v4, shadcn/ui, CodeMirror 6, Lucide icons
Backend	Next.js API Routes, Drizzle ORM
Database	PostgreSQL 16
Auth	Auth.js v5 (NextAuth 5 beta)
AI	Anthropic Claude API
Lab Engine	FastAPI (Python) with sandboxed code execution
Mock APIs	Meraki Dashboard, Catalyst Center, Webex Teams
Testing	Playwright (E2E), Vitest (unit)
Infrastructure	Docker Compose, Gitea (Git labs)

Quick Start

macOS: Install Docker Desktop first (brew install --cask docker) and make sure it's running before step 2.

# 1. Clone and install
git clone https://github.com/E-Conners-Lab/DevNet_StudyLab.git devnet-studylab
cd devnet-studylab
npm install
cd apps/web && npm install && cd ../..

# 2. Start PostgreSQL (Docker Desktop must be running)
docker compose -f docker/docker-compose.yml up -d postgres

# 3. Configure environment
cp apps/web/.env.example apps/web/.env.local
# Edit .env.local: generate AUTH_SECRET and optionally uncomment
# TUTOR_ANTHROPIC_KEY with your API key to enable the AI Tutor
# (see docs/ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES.md for details)

# 4. Run migrations and seed data
cd apps/web
npm run db:generate
npm run db:migrate
npm run db:seed

# 5. Start the dev server
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 and log in with student@devnet.lab / devnet123.

Downloading as ZIP instead of cloning? Click the green "Code" button on GitHub and select "Download ZIP". After extracting, cd into the extracted folder (DevNet_StudyLab-main) and continue from npm install in step 1.

See SETUP.md for the full setup guide.

Project Structure

devnet-studylab/
  apps/web/              Next.js frontend + API routes
  content/               Exam blueprint, flashcards, practice exams, labs, study guides
  docker/                Docker Compose and database init scripts
  docs/                  Architecture, API reference, routes, schema docs
  labs/                  Lab solution files
  scripts/               Database seeding and doc generation scripts
  services/lab-engine/   FastAPI lab execution engine + mock Cisco APIs
  tests/                 Content validation tests

Documentation

• SETUP.md -- Step-by-step setup guide
• apps/web/REFACTOR.md -- 8-phase codebase refactor: shared modules, extracted components, and migration patterns
• docs/ARCHITECTURE.md -- System architecture and design decisions
• docs/API_REFERENCE.md -- Complete API documentation
• docs/DATABASE_SCHEMA.md -- Database schema reference
• docs/ROUTES.md -- Frontend route map
• docs/CONTENT_STRATEGY.md -- Content authoring guidelines
• docs/ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES.md -- Environment variable reference

Running Tests

# Unit tests
cd apps/web && npm test

# E2E tests (starts dev server automatically)
cd apps/web && npm run test:e2e

# Content validation
cd apps/web && npm run test:content

# All tests
cd apps/web && npm run test:all

Exam Domains (200-901 v1.1)

#	Domain	Weight
1	Software Development and Design	15%
2	Understanding and Using APIs	20%
3	Cisco Platforms and Development	15%
4	Application Deployment and Security	15%
5	Infrastructure and Automation	20%
6	Network Fundamentals	15%

License

ISC