EF Release Management

Inspiration

As a software developer, I was frustrated with manual release tracking using markdown tables. Our team wasted hours updating spreadsheets and lost track of deployment status. I wanted to build a simple tool that solves this problem for small development teams.

What it does

EF Release Management helps teams track software releases from planning to deployment. Users can create releases, add tasks, update status, and generate release notes automatically. It provides a clear dashboard showing what's in progress, what's ready to deploy, and release history.

How we built it

Frontend: React + TypeScript + Chakra UI + Vite Backend: .NET 8 Web API + Dapper + MySQL Authentication: JWT with email/password Deployed on Hostinger VPS (frontend/backend)

Challenges we ran into

• Designing a simple but flexible data model for releases and tasks
• Implementing JWT authentication and refresh tokens properly
• Creating an intuitive UI that doesn't overwhelm users with features
• Balancing simplicity with functionality for the MVP

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Built a fully functional release management system in the hackathon timeframe
• Created clean, responsive UI that works well on all devices
• Implemented secure authentication and multi-tenancy
• Designed a scalable architecture for future Azure DevOps integration

What we learned

• The importance of starting with core features before adding complexity
• How to build efficient APIs with Dapper and .NET
• Better understanding of SaaS business models and pricing strategies
• The value of good UX in developer tools

What's next for EF Release Management

• Azure DevOps integration to auto-sync PRs and work items
• Slack/Teams notifications for release updates
• Advanced analytics and reporting features

Built With

• .net
• chakraui
• mysql
• react
• restful
• typescript