DEV Community: jdowns525

Updated the look of my Ratings app

jdowns525 — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 02:30:08 +0000

My first full stack project was deployed in april and I thought i would've just leave it as is but I've found myself periodically coming back to it and improving it in any way I can.

My latest changes have consisted in making sure that every page of this web app was consistent in its visuals and user experience.

So far, I am very happy with what I have and seeing how much it changes every month.

Made a Edible Seed Database (SeedSphere)

jdowns525 — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 02:16:09 +0000

As technology has advanced, we have become increasingly disconnected from the basics of farming and seed cultivation.

That's why I created a platform/database: to rekindle our appreciation for the bounty of the earth and celebrate the incredible diversity of edible seeds available to us.

Whether you're a food enthusiast, a survivalist, or just curious about the natural world, this database is the perfect place to rediscover new seeds and share your knowledge with others.

Then I made an update on the SeedSphere Application Database I made a few weeks after, just needed time to think of other features and information I wanted to include.

Growing up in a family of farmers and cattle ranchers, I always embraced the idea of making that aspect of my life easier through innovation and technology.

Becoming a Full Stack Software Developer gave me a new perspective and opened doors to bring my ideas to fruition.

Merging my farming knowledge with my software development skills, data gathering I came to the conclusion of making an app I would use myself.

This app is an accomplishment to the power of aligning personal interests with hard skills.

It was built with the intention of providing a centralized location for seed information, making it a tool that every farmer, gardener, or agricultural enthusiast can appreciate and enjoy.

From seed form, function, and dispersal methods, to nutritional and growth facts, and germination - this database offers a bit of everything.

It's the perfect blend of agrarian wisdom and technological convenience.

Introducing a QR Code Business Card Generator

jdowns525 — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:13:56 +0000

In today's digital age, networking has gone beyond exchanging physical business cards. With more people embracing contactless communication, there is a need for an eco-friendly solution that can easily integrate with digital wallets like Apple Wallet and Google Pay. To address this need, I have created a QR Code Business Card Generator that allows users to create scannable QR codes using their personal or professional information (or Wi-Fi info). The QR codes are then stored in a database and displayed as an SVG.

Overview:
The QR Code Business Card Generator is a web-based application that generates unique QR codes for users. The application uses a simple form that prompts users to enter their personal or professional information, including name, email, phone number, job title, and company name. Users can also choose to include their Wi-Fi information, which allows others to connect to their network easily.

Features:

Easy to use: The QR Code Business Card Generator has a simple and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to create their QR codes.

Customizable: Users can customize their QR codes by choosing from a variety of colors and designs.

Digital wallet integration: The QR codes generated by the application can be easily integrated with digital wallets like Apple Wallet and Google Pay.

Secure: All information entered into the application is securely stored in a database and is not shared with third parties.

Environmentally friendly: The QR Code Business Card Generator is an eco-friendly solution that reduces the need for physical business cards.

The QR Code Business Card Generator is a modern and eco-friendly solution for professionals who want to network in a contactless world. The application is easy to use, customizable, and secure, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to create a unique and professional business card. By embracing this digital solution, we can reduce our carbon footprint and create a more sustainable future.

Learning Python and bettering my JavaScript

jdowns525 — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:13:16 +0000

wanted to share my experience learning these two languages to keep busy while I look for employment - Python and JavaScript. Somewhat being a newbie of sorts to coding, it's been an exciting and challenging journey, and I'm happy to say that I'm making progress every day.

Python has been a fantastic language to follow up with, my prior experience has been with Ruby on Rails - with its easy-to-read syntax and straightforward coding structures. I've been learning the basics like data types, variables, and control structures, and it's been a great introduction to programming concepts.

JavaScript has been a bit trickier for me to grasp, with its many nuances and complex interactions with HTML and CSS. However, I've been pushing through and getting the hang of it, learning how to create dynamic and interactive web applications.

Throughout my learning journey, I've been using a variety of resources to help me, from online tutorials and coding challenges to YouTube videos and just figuring out on my own. I've found that it's helpful to have a mix of different learning materials to reinforce my understanding of the concepts.

I've also been working on small coding projects to practice what I've learned, like creating a basic calculator using Python and building a simple interactive form with JavaScript. These projects have been an excellent way to apply my newfound knowledge and have been incredibly rewarding.

Overall, I'm excited to continue my journey in learning these two versatile programming languages. I know that there's still so much to learn, but I'm looking forward to the challenge and the opportunities that await me in the future.

Foundations

jdowns525 — Sat, 06 May 2023 14:57:55 +0000

Introducing FoundationsMapApp, a web application I have built with Ruby on Rails that helps users find and explore non-profit foundations across different states in the United States. This app allows users to browse through a list of foundations, view their details, and add them to their favorites list. It also offers data analytics to help users better understand the distribution of foundations across different categories.

With FoundationsMapApp, users can easily search for foundations by category and state, as well as sort the results by name, date added, and impact score. They can also view a map of all the foundations and their locations. Moreover, users can get recommendations for new foundations based on their browsing history.

FoundationsMapApp is built with Bootstrap, making it responsive and mobile-friendly. It also features authentication and authorization using Devise, ensuring secure access to user data. The app uses PostgreSQL as the database management system and will be deployed on Render.

Whether you're looking to donate to a non-profit foundation or simply want to learn more about them, FoundationsMapApp provides a convenient and user-friendly platform for all your needs.

Deployed Application

jdowns525 — Sat, 06 May 2023 14:55:40 +0000

MyLandlordRatings.org is an innovative online platform that provides tenants with the ability to rate and review their landlords and rental experiences. The platform is designed to empower tenants by creating a transparent community where individuals can share their experiences and help others make informed decisions when choosing a rental property.

The platform includes a range of features that make it easy for users to find and rate their landlords. Users can register for a free account by providing their email address and creating a password. Once registered, users can search for landlords or properties using the search bar on the platform. The search function provides users with the ability to filter their search based on a range of criteria, such as location, rental price, and property type.

Once users find the landlord or property they are interested in, they can click on the desired landlord or property to view their profile, ratings, and reviews. The landlord profile includes an aggregated rating, based on the ratings provided by all the tenants who have rented from the landlord. Users can also read reviews provided by other tenants, which can include comments on the landlord's behavior, the condition of the property, and other relevant factors.

Users can also submit their own rating and review by clicking on the "Rate and Review" button. This feature allows tenants to share their experiences with others and help them make informed decisions about their rental options. The platform also includes a flagging system for inappropriate content, which helps maintain the integrity of the platform by removing any reviews that violate the platform's guidelines.

MyLandlordRatings.org has been designed with responsive web design, which means that it is optimized for both mobile and desktop devices. This makes it easy for users to access the platform and rate their landlords on-the-go, or from the comfort of their own home.

The platform does not require any installation and is available to anyone with an internet connection. The project is open to feedback, bug reports, or suggestions for improvements, and users can provide their feedback via the platform's GitHub repository or email. MyLandlordRatings.org is released under the MIT License, which means that the platform can be used, modified, and distributed by anyone, subject to certain conditions.

In summary, MyLandlordRatings.org is a powerful platform that provides tenants with the ability to rate and review their landlords and rental experiences. It empowers users by creating a transparent community where individuals can share their experiences and help others make informed decisions when choosing a rental property. The platform is easy to use, responsive, and available to anyone with an internet connection.

Seedery App Development

jdowns525 — Sat, 06 May 2023 14:51:31 +0000

Growing up with a background in farming, one of the most important aspects of farming is planning and managing crops. Keeping track of the seeds we use is critical to the success of my operation, which is why I decided to create an app that would make seed cataloguing easy and efficient.

Planning and Designing
When I first started planning the app, I knew that it needed to be robust and versatile enough to handle the demands of both individual and commercial farming. I wanted to create an app that could handle large volumes of data and be easily customized to meet the specific needs of different crops and planting cycles.

I also developed a comprehensive database of seeds, including a wide variety of grains, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, to make the app as useful as possible.

Development
As a farmer, I understood the importance of reliability and functionality in the app. I used a variety of programming languages and tools to create a platform that was dependable and easy to use, spending countless hours testing and refining each feature to ensure that it worked seamlessly.

Future Features

Looking ahead, I plan to continue improving the app based on feedback from farmers. I'm also exploring ways to integrate the app with other farming tools and resources to create a more comprehensive farming platform.

One of the most exciting features i want to incorporate is the the ability to track seed age, germination rates, and storage conditions. I also included features that allowed me to set reminders for planting and watering, making it easier than ever to stay on top of my planting schedule.

A Quick Puzzle to Test Your Problem Solving

jdowns525 — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 01:27:08 +0000

The main takeaway I got from this exercise, is that it's okay to admit that sometimes the easiest answer to a problem is the simplest one. Instead of coming up with a million options for a more complicated answer which in turn will make the process of fixing the problem more tedious. This honestly helped me to step back because I am a big offender of always looking for the hardest answer when the answer is either 0 or "No."

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/03/upshot/a-quick-puzzle-to-test-your-problem-solving.html

TIL. I started to collaborate with some teammates on some projects.

jdowns525 — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 00:44:43 +0000

Today, I started to collaborate with some other developers like myself that are looking for a more collaborative approach at creating apps from scratch. Also, we want to get in tune with the work flow of being in a team and how to work off of branches and how to task each other with responsibility and commit to deadlines.

TIL. I finished my midterm exam

jdowns525 — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 01:28:50 +0000

Pretty happy today after stressing out about this for so long. It was a breeze! Ran to some debugging issues but for some reason, I tend to enjoy these? Helps me see the code I wrote wrong and learn from how not to do it again.

TIL. StartedWorkingonStartUpApp

jdowns525 — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:20:23 +0000

Yesterday, I finished all of the database direct/indirect associations and migrated database tables to repository and workspace. fingers crossed

TIL. Neighborhood Bulletin Database

jdowns525 — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 15:41:10 +0000

I made a Database schema that will be the backend for a neighborhood bulletin side project.