ITECH3108 Dynamic Web Programming
Assignment 1 - Shared Interest Day
Overview
This is an individual assignment in which you are required to develop a dynamic web application as described below.
Important: Do not distribute this specification.
Timelines and Expectations
Percentage value of task: 20%
Due: Refer to Course Description
Learning Outcomes Assessed
The following course learning outcomes are assessed by completing this assessment:
K3. Detect opportunities for increasing security and privacy of web applications
S1. Develop client/server web applications using client-side and server-side code
S2. Connect to and manipulate a database management system programmatically using server-side code
A1. Design, develop, test, and debug client/server web applications to provided specifications
Assessment Details
For this assignment, you will create a web-based online networking system.
Your platform is dedicated to matching up people with a shared interest in certain topics.
Users can create accounts, indicate a set of topics that they like, and find people to message who like similar topics.
You must implement this platform using PHP and MySQL or MariaDB, with some JavaScript for validation.
Database Structure
The web application uses a relational database. The database has the following structure:
User ( id, name, email, password, profile, photo_url )
SharedInterest ( id, title )
Likes (user_id, sharedinterest_id)
Message (from_user_id, to_user_id, datetime, text)
Primary keys are indicated with underlines or bold formatting, and foreign keys are italicized.
Each record in the User table represents a member of the site who is looking for love. Members can write a short piece of text about themselves (stored in the profile field), and include the URL of a photograph (stored in the photo_url field).
Each record in the SharedInterest table represents a shared interest that a user can indicate that they like.
The Likes table stores information about which SharedInterest records each member has indicated that they like. These will be used to match with other members of the site who like similar shared interest.
If a record (1, 2) exists in Likes, this means the user with id 1 likes the shared interest with id 2.
Finally, Shared Interest Day should allow members to send messages to each other. The Message table tracks messages sent between members, along with the date and time that the message was sent.
The following constraints should be applied when implementing the application:
The user_id and sharedinterest_id fields in the Likes table form a compound primary key; The from_user_id and to_user_id fields in the Message table form a compound primary key, and both refer to the id field in the User table - you may choose to use a message_id instead if you prefer;
The datetime field should be stored as a MySQL datetime type;
The password field should be a VARCHAR of 255 characters. The name, email and photo_url fields
should be VARCHAR of a length that you determine to be reasonable and sufficient; The User profile and Message text fields should be either VARCHAR or TEXT.
Please note that you are free to extend this database schema if required.
Initial Data
When the database is created, it should be populated with data of your own invention, appropriate to the theme (keep it clean).
You should have at least:
5 topics; and
5 users, each of whom likes at least 2 topics (see note below)
One of the users must be you (even if you are not looking for love or even interested in topics). Use your student id - your student number - for the username, and your real name and email address. Invent other users as necessary - perhaps use characters from your favourite tv series or game.
Topics entires in the database can be anything that captures your interest, for instance the title of a topic could be five entries: Neuralink, Tesla, Open Water, TED, Microbiology.
One of your users must also have the username tutor and the password guest.
You do not need to include any messages in this initial data.
Include this data as part of your written report.
Database creation DDL
Create an SQL file that creates the MySQL database, creates the four tables above, and populates them with your initial data.
Use your student id and course code as the database name as follows:
ITECH3108_your student number_A1.
Passwords should be hashed using, at minimum, the crypt() PHP function. Prefer to use the PHP password_hash() function to generate password hashes.
For the password 'guest', the following hash may be used in your database:
PASSWORD = '$2y$10$MTIzcmVibXVuIHRuZWR1d.sN1bplLsAOA428thF.nik7Idz26Bo1K'
It is acceptable for all initial users to share the same password for testing.
Use of MD5 or SHA1/2 for password hashes is not acceptable.
Write SQL queries that display all of the initial data using SELECT statements, and list these queries in your report.
User accounts
Write PHP and HTML to allow new users to sign up. The form should request a username, email address and password. The password must be hashed before storing it in the database.
Using PHP, validate that the username is unique, and the password is at least 5 characters (before hashing).
Write PHP code to allow users to log in and log out. This will require the use of sessions and/or cookies.
Setting interests
Allow users to edit their profile - changing their profile text and photo URL.
Write PHP and HTML code to allow a user to choose items from the SharedInterest table that they like.
You may implement this using whatever User Interface approach makes sense to you - perhaps either a set of checkboxes, a set of buttons, or using a search box and some JavaScript.
Finding Collaborators
Create a page listing potential collaborators.
Write PHP and HTML that shows the logged-in user a list of other users who might be a good match based on their overlapping interest in topics.
A user with whom the logged-in user shares no items in common should not appear in the list.
A user with whom the logged-in user shares all items in common should appear higher in the list than a user with whom they only share a few interests.
It is up to you determine an appropriate way to sort this list. You may choose to adjust your database schema, although it's not required.
Each displayed match should include the match's name, photo and profile text.
Messages
Write PHP and HTML to allow a logged-in user to send a message to another user of the site. Sending a message should be implemented by adding an entry to the Message table.
Create a messages page that displays the messages sent and received by the logged-in user, including the date and time for each message.
Adjust your matches page so that users no longer appear as a match once they have been messaged.
Aggregate data
Create a page that displays the following information, using SQL aggregation such as COUNT and SUM, subqueries or nested SELECT statements, inner joins and (left or right) outer joins.
The total number of messages sent on the site;
The top 3 most-liked topics, ordered in descending order by number of likes;
The most popular day of the week to send messages;
Bonus challenge task (optional!) - New Topics
Extend the data model and write code to implement moderation features:
Users can add new topics
A moderator can approve new topics
Users found to be in violation of site rules for posting inappropriate topics should have their accounts disabled, but should not be deleted
There are no partial marks awarded for this bonus task – you must complete all features to attain the bonus marks.
It is possible to attain full marks for this assignment without completing this challenge task.
Further details
Documentation
Include a written report containing:
The SQL queries you used to test your database
A list of parts of the assignment you have completed or not completed.
Details of specific assistance you received from people other than your lecturer or tutor, and the names of those assisting.
Anything interesting or cool you'd like to draw your marker's attention to.
Assignment support
This assignment is supported by the first 5 lectures and the first 6 labs. Work on the assignment should be spread over several weeks after the relevant lab has been mastered.
Submission
All files should be submitted to Moodle by the due date and time. Check with your tutor as to whether a hard copy is required in addition to the electronic submission.
Marking Criteria/Rubric
Refer to the attached marking guide.
Feedback
Feedback will be supplied through Moodle. Authoritative marks will be published through fdlMarks
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation of the expressed thought or work of another person as though it is one's own without properly acknowledging that person. You must not allow other students to copy your work and must take care to safeguard against this happening. More information about the plagiarism policy and procedure for the university can be found at http://federation.edu.au/students/learning-and-study/online-help-with/plagiarism.
Marking Guide: Assignment 1
Feature Criteria Maximum Obtained
Initial data Requirements satisfied 1
Creating the database Table structure, data types, field lengths, initial data entry 1
User accounts Account sign-up 1
Validation that password meets complexity requirements (at least 5 characters) 1
Log in and Log out 1
Inappropriate password hashing (MD5, SHA1 or plain-text passwords) (-2)
Profile and Interests Edit profile text and photo URL 1
Select interests 2
Matches List of users based on overlapping interests 3
List sorted appropriately 1
Messaged users do not appear in matches 1
Messages Send a message to a user 2
List messages from other users 2
Aggregate data Top 3 most-liked items 1
Most popular day to send messages 1
Bonus optional task Moderation Meets specification (user report, moderator list, reputation system) (no partial marks) 3
Documentation Initial data and test queries 1
Completion of tasks, Assistance statement (lose 1 mark each if not included) (-2)
Quality of code Layout, structure, indentation (-1)
Appropriate and consistent naming scheme (-1)
Valid HTML5 (-1)
Total: 23
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