Project Overview

SouDest - Your Gateway to Smarter, Sustainable Travel

Project Title: SouDest's Backend Development
Duration: 2020
Role: Project Co-Developer
Technologies Used: NodeJS, Passport, SQL, Google Authentication, JWT, Express

Problem Statement and Objectives

Problem Description: The challenge was to develop a backend that can handle various travel modes and deliver the most effective routes considering user-defined criteria such as cost, journey time, and carbon emissions.
Project Objectives: Our primary goal was to create a powerful backend for our SouDest app that provides encrypted, cookie-handled routes, and authentication processes.
Target Audience/Market: The project aims to assist travelers, particularly those who prioritize efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmentally friendly solutions.

Key Challenges: Developing a system that would seamlessly authenticate users, manage encryption and cookies were among the significant hurdles in SouDest's backend development.
Solutions Developed: We employed Passport for authentication, offering direct authentication with username and password, as well as third-party authentication such as "login with Google". Stateful sessions and sessionless routes via JWT were established for various use case scenarios.
Impact of Solutions: These solutions enabled secure, seamless user experiences, encouraging increased app usage and engagement.

Lifecycle Overview: From defining requirements and designing the backend architecture to coding, testing and deploying the backend server, each stage of development was thoughtful and iterative.
Phases of Development: We commenced with planning, followed by execution. Rigorous testing was conducted to ensure system compatibility before deployment.
Collaboration: I worked in harmony with my project partner, undertaking defined roles and responsibilities to drive project success.

Milestones: The successful integration of third-party authentication and effective handling of encryption and cookies marked significant project milestones.
Final Outcomes: The resultant SouDest backend robustly supports a multimodal travel planner system, offering users optimised travel routes and a seamless app experience.
Personal Learning: This project honed my skills in backend development, particularly NodeJS. I also gained experience in designing effective user authentication and session management systems.

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Project Impact: SouDest's backend has driven efficient, user-friendly interactions within the travel planner app. It stands as a testament to innovative backend architecture and marks a significant stride in my journey as a tech entrepreneur.
Career Reflection: The SouDest project not only honed my backend development skills but also reconfirmed that my career is on the right track - towards fully automated and sustainably effective solutions.