FSTEP - Used Items Barter and E-Commerce Platform

Overview

FSTEP is a web-based, multi-role barter and mini e-commerce platform designed to facilitate secure, peer-to-peer used item transactions within the FPT University student community. Developed as a Mini Capstone Project, the platform optimizes the resource lifecycle on campus by providing an efficient channel for listing, exchanging, and purchasing pre-owned academic or personal assets.

The application utilizes an optimized ASP.NET Core MVC architecture combined with a centralized Microsoft SQL Server relational database instance to handle strict transactional consistency, asynchronous operational flows, and low-latency rendering across viewports.

Architectural Layout

The system enforces a decoupled model-view-controller execution path, segregating presentation layers from core persistence engines:

• Presentation Layer (Razor Views): Composes high-performance server-side compiled screens optimized dynamically with modern responsive layouts and interactive components.
• Controller Layer: Orchestrates explicit boundaries divided into dedicated operational domains for Admins, Moderators, and Customers to regulate isolated data boundaries.
• Data Layer: Manages high-performance ORM mappings using Entity Framework Core, binding programmatic structures securely via an explicit DbContext contract.

Core Capabilities and Technical Highlights

1. Advanced Role-Based Management Networks

• Customer Hub: Empowers campus users to safely manage user profile data, publish detailed product listings, browse multi-category trade indices, and trigger direct trade inquiries.
• Moderator Verification Framework: An isolated backend pipeline designed for system auditors to review pending items, verify structural listing criteria, approve public catalog entries, and track inventory logistics.
• Administrative Operations Control: Unifies system-wide analytical tracking metrics, user identity lifecycle manipulation, reporting networks, and financial auditing visibility.

2. High-Performance Functional Modules

• Real-Time Communication Bus: Features full SignalR Hub integrations executing instant asynchronous messaging contexts and targeted system notification broadcasting directly to clients.
• Commercial Gateways Node: Programmed with automated banking checkout structures linking client processing layers securely with the VNPay financial transaction API.
• Hosted Background Automation: Employs persistent, non-blocking IHostedService background workers to execute continuous automated routines, including automated database lifecycle evaluation and trade listing expiration processing.
• Data Security Protocol: Implements data protection layers, cryptographic password hashing modules, and secure session extension protocols.

Technical Configuration Profile

• Framework: .NET Core 8.0 (ASP.NET Core MVC Pattern)
• Database Platform: Microsoft SQL Server Relational Engine
• ORM Core: Entity Framework Core
• Real-time Engine: Microsoft ASP.NET Core SignalR SDK
• Data Object Mappings: AutoMapper API optimization structures
• Presentation Engine: Razor Pages markup syntax, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap Framework

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Repository Architecture

├── FStep/
│   ├── Controllers/       # Orchestrates Admin, Customer, and Moderator access controllers
│   ├── Data/              # Encapsulates EF Core DBContext infrastructure and relational entities
│   ├── Helpers/           # Manages cryptographic extensions, AutoMapper profiles, and VNPay specs
│   ├── Hubs/              # SignalR low-latency communication sockets
│   ├── Models/            # Strongly-typed system-wide presentation data schemas
│   ├── Repostory/         # Contains transactional business service classes and hosted background workers
│   ├── Services/          # Houses centralized notification components and VNPay transaction processing
│   └── Views/             # Server-side compiled Razor template files
└── wwwroot/               # Static assets, layout styles, and third-party UI libraries