Library Management System (LMS)

A comprehensive web-based Library Management System built with PHP, MySQL, HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. This system automates library operations including book management, member registration, book issue/return tracking, and report generation.

Features

Core Functionality

User Management: Registration, authentication, and role-based access control
Book Management: Add, update, delete, and search books with real-time availability
Issue/Return System: Automated book lending with due date tracking
Fine Calculation: Automatic fine calculation for overdue books
Search & Catalog: Advanced search functionality with multiple filters
Reports: Comprehensive reporting system for library analytics
Dashboard: Role-specific dashboards for admin and students

Technical Features

Responsive Design: Mobile-friendly interface that works on all devices
Security: Password hashing, input sanitization, and SQL injection prevention
Data Validation: Client-side and server-side validation
Real-time Updates: Live availability status and notifications
Database Optimization: Indexed tables and optimized queries
Error Handling: Comprehensive error logging and user-friendly messages

Requirements

Software Requirements

PHP: Version 7.4 or higher with required extensions
Database: MySQL 5.7+/MariaDB 10.3+ (Local, Docker, or Cloud)
Web Server: Apache 2.4+, Nginx, or PHP built-in server
Browser: Modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Required PHP Extensions

The following PHP extensions are required:

pdo - Database abstraction layer
pdo_mysql - MySQL driver for PDO
mbstring - Multi-byte string handling
openssl - Encryption functions
session - Session management
json - JSON handling

Hardware Requirements

Development: Minimum 2GB RAM, 100MB storage
Production: Minimum 4GB RAM, 500MB storage
Client: Any device with internet connection

Installation

Quick Setup (Automated)

RECOMMENDED: Complete Docker Setup (Zero Local Installations)

For detailed Docker setup: See docker-setup-guide.md

# Everything in Docker - No PHP, MySQL, or Apache installation needed!

git clone https://github.com/csfahad/library-ms-php

cd library-ms-php/

./setup_complete_docker.sh

# Then open: http://localhost:8000

Complete Docker Setup Features:

✅ Zero local software required - just Docker Desktop
✅ PHP 8.1 + Apache web server in container
✅ MySQL 8.0 database with persistent storage
✅ phpMyAdmin web interface (localhost:8080)
✅ Redis for session storage and caching
✅ Professional container architecture
✅ One-command setup and deployment
✅ Automatic browser opening to your app

Manual Setup (Step by Step)

If you prefer to set up manually or the automated script doesn't work:

Option 1: Docker MySQL Database (Recommended for Development)

Docker provides an isolated, consistent MySQL environment that's easy to set up and tear down.

Prerequisites

# Install Docker Desktop

# macOS/Windows: Download from https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

# Ubuntu:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER  # Logout and login again

# Verify Docker installation
docker --version
docker-compose --version

1. Create Docker Compose Configuration

Create docker-compose.yml in your project root:

version: "3.8"

services:
    mysql:
        image: mysql:8.0
        container_name: lms_mysql
        restart: unless-stopped
        environment:
            MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root_password_123
            MYSQL_DATABASE: library_management_system
            MYSQL_USER: lms_user
            MYSQL_PASSWORD: lms_password_123
        ports:
            - "3306:3306"
        volumes:
            - mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
            - ./database/library_management_system.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init.sql
        command: --default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password

    phpmyadmin:
        image: phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin
        container_name: lms_phpmyadmin
        restart: unless-stopped
        ports:
            - "8080:80"
        environment:
            PMA_HOST: mysql
            PMA_PORT: 3306
            PMA_USER: lms_user
            PMA_PASSWORD: lms_password_123
        depends_on:
            - mysql

volumes:
    mysql_data:

2. Start Docker Containers

# Start the containers (from project root directory)
docker-compose up -d

# Check if containers are running
docker-compose ps

# View logs if needed
docker-compose logs mysql

3. Configure Database Connection

Update config/database.php:

// Database Configuration for Docker
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');  // or '127.0.0.1'
define('DB_NAME', 'library_management_system');
define('DB_USER', 'lms_user');
define('DB_PASS', 'lms_password_123');
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8mb4');

4. Verify Database Setup

# Connect to MySQL container
docker exec -it lms_mysql mysql -u lms_user -p

# Or use phpMyAdmin at http://localhost:8080
# Username: lms_user
# Password: lms_password_123

5. Docker Management Commands

# Stop containers
docker-compose down

# Stop and remove all data (BE CAREFUL!)
docker-compose down -v

# Restart containers
docker-compose restart

# View container logs
docker-compose logs -f mysql

# Access MySQL shell
docker exec -it lms_mysql mysql -u lms_user -p library_management_system

6. Database Persistence & Management

IMPORTANT: Database Schema Persistence

The database schema and all changes are automatically persisted through:

Main Schema: database/library_management_system.sql (automatically loaded on container creation)
Migrations: database/migrations/*.sql (versioned schema changes)
Docker Volume: mysql_data volume ensures data persistence across container restarts

Database Management Commands:

# Manual migration runner
php database/migrate.php run
php database/migrate.php status

What's automatically included:

✅ All required tables (users, books, admin, system_settings, etc.)
✅ Default admin account: admin@library.com / password
✅ Sample user account: john@example.com / password
✅ 5 sample books with proper categories
✅ System settings (library info, fine rates, etc.)
✅ Database constraints and indexes

Option 2: Local MySQL Database (Traditional Setup)

1. Install MySQL Server

# macOS (using Homebrew)
brew install mysql
brew services start mysql

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install mysql-server
sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

# Windows
# Download MySQL installer from https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/installer/
# Run the installer and follow the setup wizard

2. Secure MySQL Installation

# Run MySQL secure installation (recommended)
sudo mysql_secure_installation

# Follow the prompts to:
# - Set root password
# - Remove anonymous users
# - Disable root login remotely
# - Remove test database
# - Reload privilege tables

3. Create Database and User

# Login to MySQL as root
mysql -u root -p

# Create database
CREATE DATABASE library_management_system CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;

# Create a dedicated user (recommended for security)
CREATE USER 'lms_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_secure_password';

# Grant privileges
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON library_management_system.* TO 'lms_user'@'localhost';

# Flush privileges and exit
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

4. Import Database Schema

# Navigate to your project directory
cd /path/to/lms

# Import the database schema
mysql -u lms_user -p library_management_system < database/library_management_system.sql

# Or if using root user:
mysql -u root -p library_management_system < database/library_management_system.sql

5. Install PHP (Required)

Note: PHP installation is required regardless of database choice.

# Quick install commands:

# macOS
brew install php

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install php php-mysql php-pdo php-mbstring

# Windows
# Download from https://windows.php.net/download/ or use package managers

6. Configure Database Connection

Edit config/database.php with your database credentials:

// Database Configuration
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('DB_NAME', 'library_management_system');
define('DB_USER', 'lms_user');        // Your MySQL username
define('DB_PASS', 'your_secure_password'); // Your MySQL password
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8mb4');

Option 2: Using XAMPP/WAMP (Alternative)

1. Environment Setup

# Install XAMPP (Windows/Mac/Linux) or WAMP (Windows)
# Start Apache and MySQL services from control panel

2. Database Setup via phpMyAdmin

# Open http://localhost/phpmyadmin
# Create new database: library_management_system
# Import database/library_management_system.sql

3. Configuration for XAMPP

# Edit config/database.php
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('DB_NAME', 'library_management_system');
define('DB_USER', 'root');
define('DB_PASS', '');  # Usually empty for XAMPP

7. Configure Web Server

For Apache:

# Create a virtual host (optional but recommended)
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/lms.conf

# Add the following configuration:
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName lms.local
    DocumentRoot /path/to/lms
    <Directory /path/to/lms>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/lms_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/lms_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

# Enable the site
sudo a2ensite lms.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2

# Add to /etc/hosts (optional)
echo "127.0.0.1 lms.local" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts

For PHP Built-in Server (Development only):

# Navigate to project directory
cd /path/to/lms

# Start PHP built-in server
php -S localhost:8000

# Access via http://localhost:8000

8. Set File Permissions

# Set appropriate permissions (Linux/Mac)
chmod -R 755 /path/to/lms
chmod -R 777 uploads/ # If file uploads are needed

# For web server user (usually www-data on Ubuntu)
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /path/to/lms
sudo chmod -R 755 /path/to/lms
sudo chmod -R 775 uploads/ # If file uploads are needed

9. Test Database Connection

Create a test file test_db.php in your project root:

<?php
require_once 'config/database.php';

try {
    $database = new Database();
    $pdo = $database->getConnection();

    if ($pdo) {
        echo "Database connection successful!<br>";
        echo "Server info: " . $pdo->getAttribute(PDO::ATTR_SERVER_INFO) . "<br>";

        // Test if tables exist
        $stmt = $pdo->query("SHOW TABLES");
        $tables = $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_COLUMN);
        echo "Found " . count($tables) . " tables: " . implode(', ', $tables);
    }
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo "Database connection failed: " . $e->getMessage();
}
?>

10. Access the System

# If using virtual host:
http://lms.local

# If using document root:
http://localhost/lms/

# If using PHP built-in server:
http://localhost:8000

Default Login Credentials

Admin Access

Email: admin@library.com
Password: password

Student Access

Email: john@example.com
Password: password

Project Structure

lms/
├── admin/                 # Admin panel files
│   ├── dashboard.php      # Admin dashboard
│   ├── books.php          # Book management
│   ├── users.php          # User management
│   ├── issue-book.php     # Issue books
│   ├── return-book.php    # Return books
│   ├── books-requests.php # View all books request
│   ├── reports.php        # Reports generation
│   └── settings.php       # System settings
├── student/               # Student panel files
│   ├── dashboard.php      # Student dashboard
│   ├── search-books.php   # Search books
│   ├── my-books.php       # Current issues
│   ├── history.php        # Borrowing history
│   ├── profile.php        # User profile
│   └── feedback.php       # Submit feedback
├── assets/                # Static assets
│   ├── css/
│   │   └── style.css      # Main stylesheet
│   ├── js/
│   │   └── script.js      # Main JavaScript
│   └── images/            # Image assets
├── config/                # Configuration files
│   └── database.php       # Database config
├── includes/              # PHP includes
│   ├── auth.php           # Authentication functions
│   ├── functions.php      # Library functions
│   └── logout.php         # Logout handler
├── database/              # Database files
│   └── library_management_system.sql
├── index.php              # Login page
└── README.md              # Documentation

Usage Guide

For Administrators

Login with admin credentials
Manage Books: Add, edit, or delete books from the collection
Manage Users: Register new users and manage existing ones
Issue Books: Issue books to registered users
Return Books: Process book returns and calculate fines
View Reports: Generate various reports for analysis
System Settings: Configure library rules and settings

For Students

Register for a new account or login with existing credentials
Search Books: Browse and search the library catalog
View Availability: Check real-time book availability
Track Issues: Monitor currently borrowed books and due dates
View History: Check complete borrowing history
Update Profile: Manage personal information
Submit Feedback: Provide feedback to library administration

Database Schema

Main Tables

users: User information and authentication
admin: Administrator accounts
books: Book catalog and inventory
issued_books: Book lending transactions
categories: Book categories
feedback: User feedback and suggestions
system_settings: Configurable system parameters

Key Relationships

Users can have multiple book issues
Books can be issued to multiple users (over time)
Categories organize books by subject/genre
System settings control library rules

Configuration Options

Library Settings (configurable)

MAX_BOOKS_PER_USER = 5;        # Maximum books per user
DEFAULT_ISSUE_DAYS = 14;       # Default lending period
FINE_PER_DAY = 2.00;           # Daily fine amount
SESSION_TIMEOUT = 3600;        # Session timeout (seconds)

Security Settings

Password hashing using PHP's password_hash()
CSRF token protection
Input sanitization and validation
SQL injection prevention with prepared statements

Advanced Features

Automated Workflows

Auto-Fine Calculation: Automatically calculates fines for overdue books
Availability Tracking: Real-time inventory management
Due Date Reminders: System tracks and displays due dates
Status Updates: Automatic status updates for books and users

Reporting System

Book Statistics: Most popular books, category distribution
User Activity: Borrowing patterns and user engagement
Overdue Analysis: Overdue books and fine collection
System Health: Database statistics and system status

Search Capabilities

Multi-field Search: Search by title, author, ISBN, category
Real-time Filtering: Instant search results
Availability Filter: Show only available books
Category Browsing: Browse by book categories

Mobile Responsiveness

The system is fully responsive and provides optimal experience across:

Desktop: Full-featured interface with all functionalities
Tablet: Touch-optimized interface with adapted layouts
Mobile: Streamlined interface optimized for small screens

Security Features

Authentication & Authorization

Secure password hashing (bcrypt)
Session management with timeout
Role-based access control (Admin, Librarian, Student)
CSRF protection for forms

Data Protection

Input sanitization and validation
SQL injection prevention
XSS attack prevention
Error message sanitization

Troubleshooting

Database Setup Issues

MySQL Connection Refused

# Check if MySQL is running
sudo systemctl status mysql          # Linux
brew services list | grep mysql      # macOS
net start mysql                      # Windows

# Start MySQL if not running
sudo systemctl start mysql           # Linux
brew services start mysql            # macOS
net start mysql                      # Windows

Access Denied for User

# Reset MySQL root password if forgotten
sudo mysql
ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'new_password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

# Or use MySQL safe mode
sudo systemctl stop mysql
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &
mysql -u root

Database Import Errors

# Check MySQL version compatibility
mysql --version

# Import with specific character set
mysql -u root -p --default-character-set=utf8mb4 library_management_system < database/library_management_system.sql

# Import with verbose output to see errors
mysql -u root -p -v library_management_system < database/library_management_system.sql

PHP PDO MySQL Extension Missing

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install php-mysql php-pdo

# macOS
brew install php
# PDO MySQL is usually included

# Windows
# Uncomment in php.ini:
# extension=pdo_mysql

Connection Charset Issues

// In config/database.php, ensure UTF8MB4 is set:
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8mb4');

// And in database DSN:
$dsn = "mysql:host=" . $this->host . ";dbname=" . $this->db_name . ";charset=" . $this->charset;

Common Issues

Database Connection Error
- Check database credentials in config/database.php
- Ensure MySQL service is running
- Verify database exists and is accessible
- Test connection with the test file provided above
Login Issues
- Clear browser cache and cookies
- Check username/password combination
- Verify user account is active
- Check if sample data was imported correctly
File Permission Issues
- Ensure web server has read access to files
- Set appropriate directory permissions
- Check PHP error logs for detailed messages
Port Conflicts

# Check what's running on port 3306 (MySQL default)
sudo netstat -tlnp | grep :3306       # Linux
lsof -i :3306                         # macOS
netstat -an | findstr :3306           # Windows

# Check what's running on port 80/8000 (Web server)
sudo netstat -tlnp | grep :80         # Linux
lsof -i :80                           # macOS

Debug Mode

Enable debug mode by adding to the top of config/database.php:

error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
ini_set('log_errors', 1);
ini_set('error_log', '/tmp/php_errors.log');

Testing Your Setup

Test MySQL Connection

# Command line test
mysql -u lms_user -p -h localhost library_management_system

# Should connect without errors

Test PHP MySQL Extension Create phpinfo.php in your project root:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Look for "PDO" and "mysql" sections.

Test Application Visit your application URL and check for:

Login page loads correctly
No PHP errors in browser console
Database connection test passes

Backup & Maintenance

Database Backup

# Create backup with your database user
mysqldump -u lms_user -p library_management_system > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Or with root user
mysqldump -u root -p library_management_system > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Create compressed backup
mysqldump -u lms_user -p library_management_system | gzip > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql.gz

# Restore backup
mysql -u lms_user -p library_management_system < backup_file.sql

# Restore from compressed backup
gunzip < backup_file.sql.gz | mysql -u lms_user -p library_management_system

Automated Backup Script

Create a backup script backup_lms.sh:

#!/bin/bash
BACKUP_DIR="/path/to/backups"
DB_USER="lms_user"
DB_PASS="your_password"
DB_NAME="library_management_system"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)

# Create backup directory if it doesn't exist
mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Create backup
mysqldump -u $DB_USER -p$DB_PASS $DB_NAME | gzip > $BACKUP_DIR/lms_backup_$DATE.sql.gz

# Remove backups older than 30 days
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "lms_backup_*.sql.gz" -mtime +30 -delete

echo "Backup completed: lms_backup_$DATE.sql.gz"

Make it executable and add to crontab:

chmod +x backup_lms.sh

# Add to crontab for daily backup at 2 AM
crontab -e
# Add: 0 2 * * * /path/to/backup_lms.sh

Regular Maintenance

Monitor database size and optimize tables
Review error logs regularly
Update PHP and MySQL as needed
Backup database weekly
Monitor system performance

Database Optimization

-- Check table sizes
SELECT
    table_name AS 'Table',
    ROUND(((data_length + index_length) / 1024 / 1024), 2) AS 'Size (MB)'
FROM information_schema.tables
WHERE table_schema = 'library_management_system'
ORDER BY (data_length + index_length) DESC;

-- Optimize all tables
OPTIMIZE TABLE books, users, issued_books, categories, admin, feedback, system_settings;

-- Check for unused indexes
SELECT * FROM sys.schema_unused_indexes WHERE object_schema = 'library_management_system';

Backup database weekly
Monitor system performance

Future Enhancements

Planned Features

Email Notifications: Automated email reminders for due dates
Barcode Integration: QR/Barcode scanning for books
Mobile App: Native mobile application
Digital Library: E-book integration
API Development: RESTful API for external integrations
Multi-branch Support: Support for multiple library locations
Advanced Analytics: Detailed reporting with charts
Online Payments: Integration with payment gateways

Technical Improvements

Caching System: Redis/Memcached integration
Load Balancing: Support for multiple servers
Cloud Integration: AWS/Google Cloud deployment options

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
Open a Pull Request

Development Guidelines

Follow PSR-4 coding standards for PHP
Use meaningful variable and function names
Comment complex logic thoroughly
Test all functionality before submitting
Ensure responsive design compatibility

Support

For support and questions:

Email: support@library-lms.com(dummy)
Documentation: Check this README and inline code comments
Issues: Report bugs via GitHub issues

Acknowledgments

Built with modern web technologies
Icons provided by Font Awesome
UI components inspired by Bootstrap
Database design follows normalization principles
Security practices based on OWASP guidelines

Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: September 2025
Minimum PHP Version: 7.4
Database: MySQL 5.7+

For the latest updates and documentation, visit the project repository.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 34 Commits
admin		admin
api		api
assets		assets
config		config
database		database
docker		docker
includes		includes
student		student
.dockerignore		.dockerignore
.env.example		.env.example
.gitignore		.gitignore
Dockerfile		Dockerfile
README.md		README.md
auth.php		auth.php
docker-compose.yml		docker-compose.yml
docker-setup-guide.md		docker-setup-guide.md
index.php		index.php
setup_complete_docker.sh		setup_complete_docker.sh

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