QR Code-Based Student Verification and Gate Access System

A secure and efficient system for student verification and gate access management using QR codes. This system is designed for university environments, providing a modern and secure way to manage student access to campus facilities.

Features

• 🔒 Secure QR code generation with encryption and expiration
• 📱 Mobile-friendly interface
• ⚡ Real-time verification
• 📊 Admin dashboard for user management
• 🔐 Role-based access control
• 📝 Activity logging and monitoring
• 🎨 Modern, responsive UI
• 🔄 Automatic QR code refresh

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher
• Django 4.2 or higher
• PostgreSQL database
• Virtual environment (recommended)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone [repository-url]
cd qr-verification-system

2. Create and activate a virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install required packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Set up environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your configuration

5. Run database migrations:

python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate

6. Create a superuser:

python manage.py createsuperuser

Configuration

1. Update settings in settings.py:

   • Database configuration
   • Email settings
   • Security settings
   • QR code settings

2. Configure your email settings for QR code delivery:

EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend'
EMAIL_HOST = 'your-smtp-host'
EMAIL_PORT = 587
EMAIL_USE_TLS = True
EMAIL_HOST_USER = 'your-email@example.com'
EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = 'your-email-password'

Usage

1. Start the development server:

python manage.py runserver

2. Access the admin interface:

   • URL: http://localhost:8000/admin
   • Login with your superuser credentials

3. Generate QR codes for students:

   • Navigate to the admin interface
   • Select a student
   • Generate and send QR code

4. Use the scanner interface:

   • URL: http://localhost:8000/scanner
   • Scan student QR codes for verification

Security Features

• JWT-based QR code encryption
• Rate limiting for API endpoints
• CSRF protection
• XSS protection
• SQL injection prevention
• Secure session management
• Input validation and sanitization

Deployment

Self-Hosted Server (Recommended)

1. Server Requirements:

   • CPU: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
   • RAM: 8GB minimum
   • Storage: 256GB SSD
   • Network: Gigabit Ethernet

2. Software Requirements:

   • Ubuntu Server LTS
   • Nginx
   • PostgreSQL
   • Python 3.8+
   • SSL certificate

3. Deployment Steps:

   # Install system dependencies
   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install python3-pip python3-venv nginx postgresql
   
   # Set up PostgreSQL
   sudo -u postgres psql
   CREATE DATABASE qr_system;
   CREATE USER qr_user WITH PASSWORD 'your_password';
   ALTER ROLE qr_user SET client_encoding TO 'utf8';
   ALTER ROLE qr_user SET default_transaction_isolation TO 'read committed';
   ALTER ROLE qr_user SET timezone TO 'UTC';
   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE qr_system TO qr_user;
   \q
   
   # Configure Nginx
   sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/qr_system

   Add the following configuration:

   server {
       listen 80;
       server_name your_domain.com;
   
       location = /favicon.ico { access_log off; log_not_found off; }
       
       location /static/ {
           root /path/to/your/project;
       }
   
       location / {
           include proxy_params;
           proxy_pass http://unix:/run/gunicorn.sock;
       }
   }

   # Enable the site
   sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/qr_system /etc/nginx/sites-enabled
   sudo nginx -t
   sudo systemctl restart nginx
   
   # Set up Gunicorn
   sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/gunicorn.service

   Add the following configuration:

   [Unit]
   Description=gunicorn daemon
   Requires=gunicorn.socket
   After=network.target
   
   [Service]
   User=your_user
   Group=www-data
   WorkingDirectory=/path/to/your/project
   ExecStart=/path/to/venv/bin/gunicorn \
       --access-logfile - \
       --workers 3 \
       --bind unix:/run/gunicorn.sock \
       qr_system.wsgi:application
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

   # Start Gunicorn
   sudo systemctl start gunicorn
   sudo systemctl enable gunicorn

Maintenance

1. Regular Tasks:

   • Database backups
   • Log rotation
   • Security updates
   • Performance monitoring

2. Backup Commands:

   # Database backup
   pg_dump -U qr_user qr_system > backup.sql
   
   # Media files backup
   tar -czf media_backup.tar.gz media/

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

1. Database Connection:

   • Check PostgreSQL service status
   • Verify database credentials
   • Ensure database exists

2. QR Code Generation:

   • Check email settings
   • Verify file permissions
   • Check storage space

3. Scanner Issues:

   • Verify camera permissions
   • Check browser compatibility
   • Clear browser cache

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For support, please contact:

• Email: ongjamesdaryl@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

• Django Framework
• QR Code Library
• All contributors and maintainers