Architecture
Our app will be written in JavaScript using the react native framework. Some of the libraries that we plan on using include: react-native-maps (to display a map), axios (to fetch information from external APIs), react, react-native, and react-native-async-storage (to maintain the data that is processed and use in the app). There will also be using expo-router to deal with navigation throughout the app (how the user moves between screens). We will be using Firebase to help authenticate the users on the account (firebase authentication and to help save information relating to individual user accounts (firestore). We are going to be accessing classes.sc.edu, and treat it like an API, to pull information relating to available classes and the information about them (professor, class times, class locations, etc.). Lastly we will be using node package manager (npm) as our package manager throughout the project.
The app is going to be released via expo.dev for testing. This allows the testers to access the full app using Expo Go (mobile app on their phones). There will be a QR code and link that can be used for testing (and we'll include this QR code in our build instructions)
Virtual machines will be used throughout the development process. When we want to see how the app works on an IOS device, an iphone may be used, or a iPhone emulator can be used. If working on a windows computer, a MacOS virtual machine will be used to run the iPhone emulator (since X-Code is only available on macs). The same is true for android testing, where android device emulators will be used to test the app.
- Ryan: Developing the staff directory page, the professor information page, and the login/register/forgot password pages
- Johnny: Developing the main schedule page, the add course page/components, and the add course search results view, as well as assisting with the login/register/forgot password pages
- Issac: Developing the map page to be filled with waypoints, locations, search features, and navigation/favorite features
- Chloe: Developing the map page to be filled with waypoints, locations, search features, and navigation/favorite features
- Jacob: Developing the settings pages, favorite locations page, and other backend development relating to Firestore
Although we will have our own pages that we will be responsible for, as we go to develop we will likely do peer coding where we can ask for help from others as we are introduced to new issues and bugs
- The tab bar at the bottom will have different options for each of the main screens (Map, Staff Directory, Schedule, and Settings)
- The icons that the user can select to navigate to a page/view
(each icon will have it's own prefix such as mapIcon, directoryIcon, scheduleIcon, and settingsIcon)
- the profile icon can be selected to navigate to the login screen on the app to ensure user-specifc data is being pulled/saved from Firebase
- the page's header will contain the name of the page and the profile icon
- The search bar will allow users to search for professors by their names
- The alphabet bar will be used to allow users to easily go to a section of the list based on the first name of the professor. They can slide down the bar to go to the professors in the list whose names start with that letter
- This is the main part of the page where user's will be able to see professors names. This is a clickable component.
The user will find the professor's name that they are interested in learning more about, then click on it to learn more about them on the professor's information page