Backend for Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Keywords: Java backend, NoSQL (Neo4j), REST API, Maven

1. Descriptions

This is an Java implementation of the backend for a service that computes Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.This problem can be restated as finding the shortest path between Kevin Bacon and a given actor (via shared movies).

• The backend is running on port 8080.
• Neo4j Username: neo4j;
• Password: 1234;

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2. Examples

• Consider the actor George Clooney:
  • George Clooney acted in “Good Night, and Good Luck” with Patricia Clarkson
  • Patricia Clarkson acted in “Beyond All Boundaries” Kevin Bacon
    

So we would say that George Clooney has a “Bacon number” of 2.

• Consider the actor Bud Collyer:
• Bud Collyer was in “Secret Agent” with Jackson Beck
• Jackson Beck was in “Hysterical History” with Mae Questel
• Mae Questel was in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” with Frank Welker
• Frank Welker was in “Balto” with Kevin Bacon

So we would say that Bud Collyer has a “Bacon number” of 4.

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3. Project/IDE Setup

• Command Line:
  • Install maven
  • To compile your code simply run mvn compile in the root directory (the folder that has pom.xml)
  • To run your code run mvn exec:java
• Eclipse:
  • File → Import → Maven → Existing Maven Projects
  • Navigate to the project location
  • Right click the project → Maven Build…
  • Input compile exec:java in the Goals input box
  • Click apply then run/close
  • You can now run the project by pressing the green play button
• Intellij:
  • Import project
  • Navigate to the project location
  • Import project from external model → Maven
  • Next → Next → Next → Finish
  • Add Configuration → + Button → Maven
  • Name the configuration and input exec:java in the Command Line box
  • Apply → Ok
  • You can now run the project by pressing the green play button

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4. Node/Relationship Property

• Actor:

  • node label actor
  • node properties: id, Name

• Movie:

  • node label movie
  • node properties: id, Name

• Relationship:

  • relationship label ACTED_IN

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5. Testing

• Response Body:

  • JSON format

• Response Status:

  • 200 OK for a successful add
  • 400 BAD REQUEST if the request body is improperly formatted or missing required information
  • 404 NOT FOUND if the actors or movies do not exist when adding a relationship
  • 500 INTERNAL SERVER ERROR if save or add was unsuccessful (Java Exception is thrown)

• Existing endpoints:

  • (PUT) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/addActor
    • parameter:
      • name: string
      • actorID: string
  • (PUT) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/addMovie
    • parameter:
      • name: string
      • movieID: string
  • (PUT) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/addRelationship
    • parameter:
      • name: string
      • movieID: string
  • (GET) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/getActor
    • parameter:
      • actorID: string
  • (GET) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/getMovie
    • parameter:
      • actorID: string
  • (GET) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/hasRelationship
    • parameter:
      • actorID: string
      • movieID: string
  • (GET) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/computeBaconNumber
    • parameter:
      • actorID: string
  • (GET) http://localhost:8080/api/v1/computeBaconPath
    • parameter:
      • actorID: string

• PostMan Testing Package: You can download it from the PostMan folder.