Job Application Tracker (PostgreSQL Version)

This is a web application to track the status of job applications, featuring a Node.js backend and a PostgreSQL database.

Architecture

This application uses a client-server architecture:

• Backend: A Node.js server using the Express framework connects to a PostgreSQL database to retrieve and update application data. It exposes a simple REST API.
• Frontend: A static single-page application (HTML, CSS, vanilla JavaScript) that calls the backend API to display and manage data.

Features

• Lists job applications in a table from a PostgreSQL database.
• Dynamically generates a cover letter page from database data.
• Allows for updating the status of an application.
• Falls back to local data.json if the server is unavailable.
• Print-friendly cover letter page.

Getting Started

Follow these instructions to get the project running on your local machine.

Prerequisites

• Node.js (which includes npm)
• PostgreSQL

Installation & Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd <project-directory>

2. Install backend dependencies:

   npm install

3. Set up the database:

   • Follow the instructions in SETUP.md to create a PostgreSQL database and user.
   • Run the database.sql script to create the necessary table and populate it with sample data.

4. Configure environment variables:

   • Create a .env file in the project root by copying .env.example.
   • Fill in your PostgreSQL connection details in the .env file.

5. Start the server:

   npm start

6. Open the application:

   • Navigate to http://localhost:3000 in your web browser.