3Q4sUBQz

1### Colab, le gestionnaire de tâche
2
3Click **[here](https://colab-task.herokuapp.com)** to visit the site on Heroku
4
5_Google Fonts are used for this app. It is recommended to open the app in Chrome_
6
7testing accounts:
8
9colab_user0@yopmail.com//1111111
10colab_admin@yopmail.com//1111111
11
12* * *
13##### Concept and functions
14
15Colab is a web app to manage your to-do lists and share a common list between collaborators. It is a one-page app for normal users, whereas admin has a dedicated page to see user details.
16
17Its original concept is as follows:
18* * *
19
20```Sujet : 
21J'ai besoin d'une application pour gérer mes taches dans plusieurs domaines.
22Il me faut donc une application qui me permet de gérer plusieurs listes de taches.
23Je dois pouvoir créer une tache, modifier une tache, cocher une tache une fois que je l'ai réalisé.
24
25Vu que personne n'a jamais créé une application qui permet de gérer des taches, j'aimerai la proposer au public et pouvoir gérer plusieurs utilisateurs qui se connecterai pour gérer leur taches dans des listes.
26
27J'aimerai qu'une fois la tache réalisé elle disparaisse de ma liste. Mais j'aimerai pouvoir la retrouver dans mes archives pour savoir que je l'ai réalisée et quand est-ce que je l'ai réalisée.
28
29Quand je termine toutes les taches d'une liste j'aimerai recevoir un mail qui me félicite. 
30Et oui, c'est important d'encourager ces utilisateurs.
31
32Pour la suite j'ai plusieurs idées de feature, dis moi ce que tu en penses:
33- J'aurais besoin d'un admin pour voir toutes les listes et toutes les taches de mes utilisateurs.
34- J'aimerai qu'on puisse rechercher les taches avec un champs texte. On m'a parlé d'Algolia, je sais pas si ça marche pour ça.
35- J'aimerai que certains utilisateurs puissent collaborer sur une liste de taches. Se serait une bonne feature payante ça!
36- J'aimerai avoir un reporting tous les matins qui me dise combien j'ai d'utilisateur, combien de taches ont été créées et combien de taches ont été terminées.
37```
38
39The above description is translated into the following realised functions,
40
41* Different users can log in the site :heavy_check_mark: 
42
43* Each user can have multiple lists :heavy_check_mark: 
44
45* Each list can contain multiple tasks :heavy_check_mark:
46
47* Each user can create, modify and check "done" their tasks :heavy_check_mark:
48
49* Multiple users can work on the same list :heavy_check_mark:
50
51* When a task is checked "done", it moves to the buttom of the list with a line through, the name of the user finished it and the date the task is finished :heavy_check_mark: (instead of "disappearing from the list" originally asked)
52
53* When the last task of the list is checked "done" or deleted, which means all tasks in the list are finished, all users working on this list recives an email of congrats :heavy_check_mark:
54
55* When the last task of the list is checked "done" or deleted, which means all tasks in the list are finished, the user no longer sees the list in his profile page :heavy_check_mark:
56 
57* Each user can click on a button to see all lists, including those completely finished :heavy_check_mark:
58
59* Each user can search in history with key words. Lists including one or more tasks containing the key words will be returned as results :heavy_check_mark:
60
61* Site admin has a dedicated page where all  users are listed. Admin can see username and email of any user, can delete their profile or see all their lists and tasks, with indication whether they are finished.:heavy_check_mark:
62
63* Admin recieves (for the sake of easy testing) every 10 min, an email reporting the number of users and tasks, as well as new users, new tasks created and finished in the last 10 mins.:heavy_check_mark:
64
65* * *
66##### Time table
67
68The first version of this app is developped in two weeks. Time spent in each part is as following (development happend more or less in the same order)
69
70* BDD diagram, model (written in TDD) : 5.5 hours
71
72* Controllers and 1st ajax : 16h 
73
74* 1st version of front : 6h
75
76* Git + Heroku + CI setup : 6h (one of the great difficulties, had to ask for help from an experienced developper)
77
78* 3 features: archived lists, search bar and admin interface: 9h (3h each)
79
80* 2nd version of front : 8h 
81
82* mailer function for 2 mails : 4h
83
84* Bug check after each Heroku deploiment : 4h
85
86* Final correction: 3h
87
88**Total: 61.5h ( 9 whole days)**
89
90A project Trello is regularly kept and uodated. Time spent in such work is not counted.
91
92Due to time limit, and to the developper's great regret, the app is delivered without controller optimization, controller and system tests nor refacto. These shall be done after delivery.
93
94* * *
95
96##### Realisation of functions
97
98Most of the functions are realised in straight-forward logics. Due to time limit, no particular effort are made to massively explore solutions that weren't known before this project, with only two exceptions:
99
100* use of Heroku scheduler and rake job to send the "daily" report
101
102_With a normal admin mailer and a mail view prepared, install the Heroku Scheduler addon. Define a rake job in `scheduler.rake`, set up to launch it every 10 min in heroku._
103
104* use of class method for the search bar
105
106_Create a `search` method in controller, linked to the User#search method, created in the model. The #search method uses `LIKE ?` sql query. Algolia suggested originally was not used, 
107mainly due to timing, but also because using and API for such a simple project seemed exagerating._
108
109
110Other solutions came up include:
111
112* For the User-List N-N relation : a join table
113
114* For double update of task (meaning the normal "update" of a task changing its name and the "check done" update which changes its status): creation of `finish` method
115
116* For deciding whether a list should be archived (thus disappearing from the user's normal profile and triggering the congrats email): creation of an instance method. 
117The model provides one List-Task 1-N relation. `archived` method is an instance method in the model `List` that checks whether a list contains at list one task and whether 
118the array containing all tasks' `finished` boolean includes `false`. 
119In the `lists controller`, after every `finish` and `destroy`, this method is called and a congrats email is sent when necessary.
120The logic is twisted, but more really intelligent alternative was found in the tight timing.
121
122* For users to be able to invite other user, use of select list within all existing user, avoiding miss typing the email or inviting unregistered user. 
123All users already related to the list are excluded from selection, avoiding duplicates.
124
125* For one page app: use of ajax. A simple "cheating" solution is found : a lot of ajax merely refreshes the page, causing a large number of queries at any action. 
126Development was made easy by this way, but an impact on the loading speed is observed.
127
128* For KPIs in the admin daily report: creation of class methods using `where`. If time had allowed, the `scope` option would have been preferred.
129
130* * *
131
132##### Development principles
133
134The developper had the following in mind during the project:
135
136* Push as early and often as possible
137
138* First find a solution. Only when it is possible, find a better one
139
140* 20% of the UI detail means 80% to the users
141
142* Don't get blocked. Ask, move on or abandon.
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144
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146
147##### Difficulties and regrets
148
149CI and testing are two major difficulties in the realisation of this project.
150
151**CI**(external help was involved)
152
153The notion of CI is new to the developper, who had just once successfully configured an app. In the attempt to reproduce the steps for [Colab](https://colab-task.herokuapp.com), 
154it turned out localhost wouldn't work, nor would postgres locally. This developper had figured out her first app configuration without guidance nor structured information, 
155causing a lot of incoherences in the CI setup of  Colab. After two days of struggle, a senior developper was consulted and corrected the configuration. This is the only external intervention 
156in the development. 
157
158The issue was detected at an early stage of development, at the beginning of controllers development. The developper had hoped to work on the app alongside and discover the solution. 
159However, by the time the 1st version of app was ready to be test in prod, the issue persisted. The developper inisisted on resolving this issue in order to push to staging, 
160so that prod bugs be detected as early as possible.
161
162Ever since correction of this difficulty, pushes to Heroku have been frequent.
163
164**Testing**
165
166The models were developped in TDD. The same method was attempted on the controllers, when the developper realized she didn't know how to test a one-page app. 
167Later on, for timing reason, no more tests were added. If time had allowed, the developper would have at least written system tests gladly and look for resources on single-page app testing.
168
169The tests are written in Minitest.
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171* * *
172
173##### Other limits 
174
175A lot of effort was deliberately put in the front of this project. Due to the timing, back has received less attention than it should. 
176
177* Only strictly the functions asked. Some "logical" functions were not available (user welcoming email. option to change user info by user or admin)
178
179* Controller hardly has control on access (who can access to what, who can modify what etc)
180
181* A lot of actions that may fails have no error messages displayed in UI
182
183* Mails have no css
184
185* Average responsiveness
186
187* Each action triggers an ajax that refreshes almost the whole page. Speed is impaired.
188
189* Things can certainly be refactored
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191
192* * *
193##### Takeaways
194
195* This developper definitly needs guidance
196
197* Asking for help does limit time loss
198
199* Pushing as early and often as possible proves to be the right thing to do. Almost no prod bugs are encountered in this project 
200
201* Maybe next time. more reflection **before** action. This time, too much back and forth in simple stuff. 
202Maybe blocking a time to explore all desired technologies would lead to more opportunites to test new stuff.
203
204* Front can be fun
205
206* * *
207##### Technical specifications
208
209* Ruby version: 2.6.4
210
211* Rails version: 6
212
213* gems: devise, faker, table_print, letter_opener, pry, simplecov among others
214
215* Google Fonts are used, Firefox doesn't show the font