Task Management API

Overview

This project is a backend API for managing tasks with CRUD operations. It is built using Flask and MySQL, and it is containerized using Docker and Docker Compose. The API includes user authentication using JWT (JSON Web Tokens) to secure task management operations.

Video Guide

For a visual walkthrough of the setup and usage of the Task Management API, you can watch the following video:

Setup and Walkthrough Video

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Setup Instructions
• Running the API
• User Authentication
• API Endpoints
• Testing the API

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your machine:

• Docker: Used to run the application in containers.

  • Verify Installation: Run the following command in your terminal:

    docker --version

• Docker Compose: Used to define and run multi-container Docker applications.

  • Verify Installation: Run the following command in your terminal:

    docker-compose --version

• Git (optional, for cloning the repository): Version control system to manage your code.

  • Verify Installation: Run the following command in your terminal:

    git --version

• Python: Required for running the backend application.

  • Verify Installation: Run the following command in your terminal:

    python --version

    or for Python 3 specifically:

    python3 --version

• pip: Python package installer, used to install dependencies.

  • Verify Installation: Run the following command in your terminal:

    pip --version

    or for pip3 specifically:

    pip3 --version

Make sure all the above tools are installed and accessible from your command line before proceeding with the setup instructions.

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the Repository: Go to the location where you would like this code folder to be and run the code below:

   git clone https://github.com/<yourusername>/Task-Management-API.git
   cd Task-Management-API

2. Create a .env File: Create a .env file in the root of the project directory with the following content:

   DB_USER=task_user
   DB_PASSWORD=task_password
   DB_NAME=task_db
   DB_HOST=db
   

3. Build and Start the Containers: Run the following command to build the Docker images and start the containers:

   docker-compose up --build

   This command will:

   • Build the API service and the MySQL database service.
   • Initialize the database with the provided SQL script.

4. Access the API: The API will be running at http://localhost:5001.

Running the API

To run the API, ensure that the Docker containers are up and running. You can check the logs to confirm that the API is running without errors:

To check the logs to confirm that the API is running without errors, in a new terminal, run:

docker-compose logs -f

To stop the containers, press CTRL+C in the terminal where the containers are running, or, in a new terminal, run:

docker-compose down

User Authentication

Register a New User (You can see clearly how to do later using cURL or Postman)

To register a new user, send a POST request to the /auth/register endpoint with the following JSON body:

{
  "username": "your_username",
  "password": "your_password"
}

Login

To log in, send a POST request to the /auth/login endpoint with the following JSON body (You can see clearly how to do later using cURL or Postman):

{
  "username": "your_username",
  "password": "your_password"
}

On successful login, you will receive a JWT token in the response. Use this token for subsequent requests to protected endpoints.

Using the JWT Token (tokens expire after 1 hour - re-login to attain new token)

Include the JWT token in the Authorization header for requests to protected endpoints (e.g., task management endpoints):

Authorization: Bearer <your_jwt_token>

API Endpoints

• POST /auth/register: Register a new user.
• POST /auth/login: Log in and receive a JWT token.
• GET /tasks: Retrieve all tasks (requires authentication).
• POST /tasks: Create a new task (requires authentication).
• GET /tasks/{id}: Retrieve a task by ID (requires authentication).
• PUT /tasks/{id}: Update a task by ID (requires authentication).
• DELETE /tasks/{id}: Delete a task by ID (requires authentication).

Testing the API

You can test the API using tools like Postman, cURL, or your web browser. Below are examples of how to test the API endpoints. Make sure the backend is running first.

Using cURL (recommended)

1. Register a New User:

   curl -X POST http://localhost:5001/auth/register -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"username": "testuser", "password": "testpass"}'

2. Login:

   curl -X POST http://localhost:5001/auth/login -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"username": "testuser", "password": "testpass"}'

   Example token = "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVzaCI6ZmFsc2UsImlhdCI6MTczODIxODMxNiwianRpIjoiZDA4OWEwMDMtZjVmOC00ODhkLTkwZDAtMTBiOTBjNjc4N2YwIiwidHlwZSI6ImFjY2VzcyIsInN1YiI6IjA5ZjdlMjI0LWM3NzctNDBkNy1iNjkyLTkyNzM2ZmVkMjdmNSIsIm5iZiI6MTczODIxODMxNiwiZXhwIjoxNzY5NzU0MzE2fQ.oNUkFVPwhcVgSFVJwqx4ELRXBwPNV9-86diHKq4g8OY"

3. Get All Tasks (after obtaining the JWT token):

   curl -X GET http://localhost:5001/tasks -H "Authorization: Bearer <your_jwt_token>"

4. Create a New Task (after obtaining the JWT token):

   curl -X POST http://localhost:5001/tasks -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer <your_jwt_token>" -d '{"title": "Test Task", "description": "This is a test task", "dueDate": "2023-12-31T00:00:00", "status": "pending"}'

5. Update a Task (after obtaining the JWT token):

   curl -X PUT http://localhost:5001/tasks/<task_id> -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: Bearer <your_jwt_token>" -d '{"title": "Updated Task", "status": "completed"}'

6. Delete a Task (after obtaining the JWT token):

   curl -X DELETE http://localhost:5001/tasks/<task_id> -H "Authorization: Bearer <your_jwt_token>"

Using Postman

1. Register a New User: Set the request type to POST and enter the URL http://localhost:5001/auth/register. In the "Body" tab, select "raw" and set the type to "JSON". Enter the JSON data for the user.

2. Login: Set the request type to POST and enter the URL http://localhost:5001/auth/login. In the "Body" tab, select "raw" and set the type to "JSON". Enter the JSON data for the user.

3. Get All Tasks: Set the request type to GET and enter the URL http://localhost:5001/tasks. In the "Headers" tab, add a new header with the key Authorization and the value Bearer <your_jwt_token>.

4. Create a New Task: Set the request type to POST and enter the URL http://localhost:5001/tasks. In the "Body" tab, select "raw" and set the type to "JSON". Enter the JSON data for the task, and add the Authorization header as described above.

5. Update a Task: Set the request type to PUT and enter the URL http://localhost:5001/tasks/<task_id>. In the "Body" tab, select "raw" and set the type to "JSON". Enter the JSON data for the updated task, and add the Authorization header as described above.

6. Delete a Task: Set the request type to DELETE and enter the URL http://localhost:5001/tasks/<task_id>. In the "Headers" tab, add a new header with the key Authorization and the value Bearer <your_jwt_token>.

Conclusion

This README provides a comprehensive guide to setting up and using the Task Management API. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure a smooth experience. If you encounter any issues, please refer to the documentation for troubleshooting tips or reach out for support.