Retriever's Essentials - UMBC Student Pantry Inventory Management System

Overview

Retriever's Essentials is a comprehensive inventory management system designed for UMBC's student pantry. The application helps manage inventory, track vendors, and handle transactions efficiently. It features a modern web interface built with Next.js and a robust backend API using Express.js.

Features

Inventory Management

• Add, edit, and remove items from inventory
• Track item quantities and weights
• Categorize items by type (Grain, Lentil, Legume, Snack, etc.)
• View detailed item information including descriptions and prices

Vendor Management

• Manage vendor information and contact details
• Track items associated with each vendor
• View vendor-specific inventory

User Interface

• Modern, responsive design
• Intuitive navigation
• Real-time updates
• Error handling and success notifications
• Mobile-friendly layout

Technical Stack

Frontend

• Next.js 14 (React framework)
• CSS Modules for styling
• Context API for state management
• Fetch API for HTTP requests

Backend

• Express.js
• MySQL database
• RESTful API architecture
• JWT authentication

Project Structure

Frontend (/frontend)

frontend/
├── app/                 # Next.js app directory
│   ├── components/      # Reusable UI components
│   ├── context/         # React context providers
│   ├── admin/          # Admin-specific pages
│   └── vendors/        # Vendor management pages
├── styles/             # CSS modules
└── public/             # Static assets

Backend (/backend)

backend/
├── controllers/        # Request handlers
├── routes/            # API route definitions
├── middleware/        # Custom middleware
└── db.js             # Database connection

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18 or higher)
• MySQL Server
• PowerShell (for Windows users)

Database Setup

1. Create a MySQL database
2. Import the schema from database/schema.sql
3. Update the database credentials in backend/.env

Backend Setup

cd backend
npm install
npm start

The backend server will run on port 5000.

Frontend Setup

cd frontend
npm install
npm run dev

The frontend development server will run on port 3000.

API Endpoints

Items

• GET /api/items - Get all items
• GET /api/items/:id - Get item by ID
• POST /api/items - Create new item
• PUT /api/items/:id - Update item
• DELETE /api/items/:id - Delete item
• POST /api/items/:id/update-quantity - Update item quantity

Vendors

• GET /api/vendors - Get all vendors
• GET /api/vendors/:id - Get vendor by ID
• POST /api/vendors - Create new vendor
• PUT /api/vendors/:id - Update vendor
• DELETE /api/vendors/:id - Delete vendor
• GET /api/vendors/:id/items - Get vendor's items