TypeScript and Express

• Develop a server using Express and TypeScript for backend applications (K9, S1, S11, S12)

• Identify the server's role within a full stack application (K1, K2, K3)

• Understand the benefits of using TypeScript over JavaScript, such as improved code quality, enhanced developer productivity, and better tooling support (K7, S1)

• Learn the basic syntax and features of TypeScript (S1, S16)

RESTFUL Api's

• Grasp the concept and purpose of RESTful APIs (K11, S12)

• Construct and implement RESTful APIs effectively (S1, S11, S12, S16)

• Determine appropriate scenarios for applying RESTful APIs (K7, S9, B2)

• Design endpoint structures for data creation, modification, and deletion (K11, S8, S12)

• Utilize Postman to test RESTful APIs independently of frontend components, ensuring proper functionality, error handling, and adherence to API specifications (S5, S6, S7)

• Gain experience in documenting the application's architecture, API endpoints, and user guides for future reference and maintenance (S15, B4, B7, B8)

• Practice creating JSON endpoints and using these endpoints to fetch and display data dynamically.

• Dynamically update web page content without needing to reload the page.

Additional

• Utilize node:fs for filesystem operations (S1, S16)

• Gain experience in using developer tooling, including IDEs, linters, and formatters, to enhance productivity (B3, B9)

Project Overview

Your project is to build the backend for a dynamic web application that combines a quiz generator with data from multiple external APIs. This backend will serve as the foundation for a future full-stack application, showcasing your skills in server-side development, API integration, and data manipulation.

Core Requirements

1. TypeScript Implementation::

   • The entire backend project must be written in TypeScript.

   • Utilize TypeScript's static typing for all modules, functions, and API interfaces.

   • Configure the TypeScript compiler (tsconfig.json) for the project's specific needs.

2. Server-Side Setup:

   • Initialize a Node.js project using Express.

   • Implement a RESTful API for quiz-related operations and external API interactions.

3. JSON Endpoints:

   • Create endpoints that fetch data from at least two external APIs and return it in JSON format.

   • Implement endpoints for quiz-related operations (e.g., get questions, submit answers, retrieve results).

4. Quiz Functionality:

   • Develop server-side logic to:

     • Generate quizzes with randomly selected questions based on a chosen subject area.

     • Process quiz answers and calculate results, including areas of strength and weakness.

5. Data Management:

   • Use a JSON object in a separate file as a mock database to store quiz questions.

   • Implement CRUD operations for managing quiz questions in this mock database.

6. External API Integration:

   • Integrate at least two external APIs to enhance the quiz experience or provide additional information related to quiz topics.

   • Implement proper error handling for failed API requests or unavailable data.

Stretch Goals

• Implement more complex quiz generation algorithms (e.g., adaptive difficulty).

• Add a favourite count feature for questions and allow filtering by this criterion.

• Develop more sophisticated results analysis.

• Implement caching mechanisms for external API calls to improve performance.

• Create comprehensive API documentation using tools like Swagger.

Project Phases

Initial Spike Stage

• Set up the basic structure of your Express server.

• Implement a single endpoint that interacts with one external API.

Core Project Development

• Develop the full set of RESTful endpoints for quiz operations.

• Integrate multiple external APIs.

• Implement the quiz generation and results calculation logic.

API Suggestions

Easier APIs

1. Open AI API - https://platform.openai.com/

2. JokeAPI - https://jokeapi.dev/

3. The Dog API - https://thedogapi.com/

4. The Cat API - https://thecatapi.com/

5. Unsplash it - https://unsplash.it/

6. REST Countries API - https://restcountries.com/

7. UK Police API - https://data.police.uk/docs/

8. Postcode Lookup - https://postcodes.io/

More Challenging APIs

1. Twitter API - https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/twitter-api

2. Google Maps API - https://developers.google.com/maps

3. Spotify API - https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/

4. Giphy API - https://developers.giphy.com/docs/api/

5. GitHub API - https://docs.github.com/en/rest

6. The Movie DB API - https://developers.themoviedb.org/3/getting-started/introduction

7. The Guardian API - https://open-platform.theguardian.com/documentation/

8. News API - https://newsapi.org/docs/endpoints

9. TfL API - https://api.tfl.gov.uk/

Submission Guidelines

• Host your code in a Git repository with clear documentation.

• Deploy your project on GitHub Pages. Feel free to deploy it elsewhere as well if you prefer and have the time.

• Include a comprehensive README.md file detailing:

  • Project setup instructions

  • API endpoints and their usage

  • External APIs used and their purpose in the project

  • Any stretch goals implemented

• Ensure your server is deployable, even though a full deployment isn't required at this stage.

Additional Considerations

• Design your API with future frontend integration in mind. The frontend part of this project will be added next week.

• Implement proper error handling and validation for incoming requests and external API responses.

• Securely store any API keys or sensitive information required by your server.

• Document your API structure and endpoints thoroughly for future development.

By completing this project, you will demonstrate your ability to create a robust backend application that combines original functionality with external data sources, showcasing your skills in API development, integration, and server-side logic implementation.

Repository naming convention

Please name your repo following this template: PRO03_BACK_Name1_Name2_Name3_Name4

Typescript

• Official TS handbook

Devtools

• How to get the most out of the JavaScript console

• Get Started with Debugging JavaScript in Chrome DevTools

• Viewing And Changing The DOM in Chrome DevTools

• Firefox Page Inspector

• Simulate Mobile Devices with Device Mode in Chrome DevTools

• A Guide To New And Experimental CSS DevTools In Firefox

Express and RESTFUL APIs

• Setting up Typescript and Express

  A guide on setting up the tools for this weeks project. Good explanation on generating and modifying a TS config file

• Node fs and Express

  Good node tutorial demonstrating using json object as a mock database

• How to parse data with Express

  A brief guide to the different ways you can deal with data in your server

• Testing your server

  Documentation on using Postman to make a collection of tests for api endpoints

Learn how to create a Discord chatbot using Node.js, integrate it with OpenAI's API, and implement testing for your bot.

Workshops

• Developer tooling. Repo name: Work15_DeveloperTooling_YourName Check resources

• Building client-side apps with React. Repo name: Work16_React_YourName

Execute Program

• Execute Program Everyday TypeScript.

Stretch

• Execute Program Advanced TypeScript

Topics

• Express server using Node

• RESTful API development

• External API integration and management

• JSON data handling and mock database operations

• Server-side logic for quiz generation and processing

• Error handling and validation in API development

• CRUD operations implementation

• API documentation techniques

• Asynchronous programming in JavaScript

• Introduce learners to the concept of an ‘elevator pitch’

• Project presentations