Inspiration
As Pitt students, it has always been a challenge to find an appropriate spot to study that is quiet, aesthetic, and empty. So we decided we are going to develop something to help with that: Study Pitt!
What it does
Study Pitt! is a website where students of the University of Pittsburgh can easily view all the available study spaces on campus. When they view a study space, they can check its different ratings (ex: independent study rating, group study rating, and noise level) as well as its current occupancy so they can save themselves the trip if there are no seats available. Once they find their perfect study spot, they can update the occupancy and the noise level so that other students know what to expect. This way the website has a live update on this information, making the road to the perfect study spot much easier.
How we built it
The front-end of Study Pitt! was meticulously crafted using Vue.js, a progressive JavaScript framework known for its flexibility and efficiency in building user interfaces. Vue.js was chosen for its reactivity and component-based architecture, making it ideal for handling dynamic content such as live updates of study space occupancy and ratings.
To streamline deployment and ensure a consistent environment across different development setups, Docker was utilized. Docker is a platform that enables applications to be bundled into containers—standardized executable components combining source code with the system tools and libraries needed to run that code in any environment.
Challenges we ran into
One of the primary hurdles was formatting and coding the various components that make up the application. Crafting components that not only function well but also align with the application's aesthetic took considerable effort. Integrating the appropriate Vue packages was another challenge. Selecting and managing these packages required careful consideration to ensure they met the application's needs while maintaining optimal performance.
For many team members, this was their first experience with Docker. Understanding how to correctly set up Docker containers and manage them was a significant learning curve. Integrating Vue.js with Docker posed its own set of challenges. Ensuring that the Docker environment was correctly set up to run Vue applications involved trial and error, particularly when it came to network configurations and container orchestration.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
A standout feature of Study Pitt! is the interactive map component. This intuitive and engaging element allows users to click on various study spots across the campus map, bringing up a card view with a brief summary and relevant information about each location. Developing this component was both challenging and rewarding, as it required a seamless integration of graphical elements, and user interaction.
What we learned
Through the development of Study Pitt!, the team gained invaluable experience in developing a full-fledged project using Vue.js and Docker. From overcoming the initial challenges of understanding these technologies to successfully implementing a highly interactive and user-friendly application, the journey has been rich with learning and skill development.
In summary, Study Pitt! stands as a testament to the team's dedication and technical prowess, showcasing their ability to leverage modern development tools and frameworks to create a solution that has a real impact on the daily lives of students at the University of Pittsburgh.
What's next for Study Pitt!
In the future, we want to develop a Study Pitt! app that would make it easier for students to access the information. Additionally, we want to add a live-location feature as well as a recommendation system where the student enters their preference for a study spot (ex: quiet, empty, good for group work, etc.) and an algorithm would give the student the best option based on those preferences.
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