Cuse Circles - A Django Application

Users can explore existing circles, join them, and create their own to learn and collaborate with others.

Getting Started

Prerequisites:

• Python 3.x
• pipenv (Install with pip install pipenv)
• Git (Optional, for cloning the repository)

Instructions:

1. Clone the Repository (if using GitHub):

   git clone https://github.com/your_username/learning_circles.git

2. Navigate to the Project Directory:

   cd learning_circles

3. Set Up the Virtual Environment:

   pipenv shell

4. Install Dependencies:

   pipenv install

5. Run the Development Server:

   python manage.py runserver

This will start the Django development server at http://127.0.0.1:8000/. You can access the application in your web browser.

Development Phases

This project was developed in a phased approach:

Phase 1: Basic Functionality

• Project named learning_circles with an app called circles
• Model named Circle to represent learning circles
• Views for displaying all circles (home page)
• Templates for displaying information on the home page

Phase 2: User Authentication

• Implemented user login and signup using Django's built-in functionalities
• Created views and templates for signup and login

Phase 3: Circle Management

• Implemented creating, joining, and leaving circles for logged-in users
• Forms for collecting user input when creating circles
• Updated templates to display functionalities for logged-in users

Phase 4: Styling and Design

• Integrated Bootstrap for navigation bar, responsiveness, and basic styling
• Created logo and favicon for the application
• Implemented additional styling using CSS

Phase 5 (To Be Implemented)

• User profiles with additional information like interests and memberships
• Search functionality on the home page to find circles by keywords

Phase 6 (To Be Implemented)

• Dedicated circle pages with detailed information and member lists
• Communication channels using Slack API integration

Phase 7 (To Be Implemented)

• Recommendation service suggesting circles based on user interests and existing subscriptions