Belay - A Slack Clone
Belay is a capstone project for the Web Development course, demonstrating the integration of modern front-end and back-end techniques. The application replicates essential Slack functionality, offering real-time chat capabilities within channels. It focuses on robust design, responsive interfaces, and efficient database-backed operations.
Directory Overview
/frontend
- Contains JavaScript and CSS files for the single-page application's user interface./backend
- Includes Flask routes, database migrations, and API endpoints./database
- SQLite database schema and migrations./static
- Static assets such as images and icons.
Key Features
Real-Time Messaging
Users can:
- Create and join channels with unique names.
- Send and receive messages in real time, organized by channels.
- Reply to specific messages using threads, with visual indicators showing reply counts.
Authentication and User Management
- Users can sign up, log in, and log out securely.
- Authenticated users can manage their profiles, including username and password changes.
- Auth tokens are stored in
localStorage
for persistent sessions.
Dynamic UI/UX
- Wide Screens:
- Multi-column layout for channel navigation, messages, and threads.
- Channel highlights and hover effects enhance navigation.
- Narrow Screens:
- Single-column layout with a responsive menu bar.
- Context-based views for channels and threads.
Database Integration
- SQLite3 powers the back-end data management.
- Tables for users, channels, messages, replies, and reactions.
- Threaded messages and user-read statuses are efficiently managed through relational data.
RESTful API
- Authentication via session tokens.
- Endpoints for creating channels, posting messages, and fetching unread message counts.
- Efficient data fetching with parameterized queries.

See the complete source code of Belay Project
Challenges and Learnings
- Efficient Real-Time Updates:
Implementing real-time polling for message and unread counts without overloading the server was a significant achievement. - Thread Management:
Designing a database schema to support threaded messages while maintaining simplicity required careful planning. - Responsive Design:
Balancing functionality across different screen sizes highlighted the importance of adaptive layouts in modern web applications.
Belay showcases my ability to design and implement a fully functional single-page application with modern web technologies, making it a cornerstone of my portfolio.
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