Comic Library

A bootstrap web application with comic validation checking

    • OVERVIEW

    About the project

    ComicLib is an extensive project that includes technologies such as embedded Javascript in HTML to render comics based on a generated JSON dataset. This project is unique in handling the data, allowing the user to search for comics in whole or part flexibly and having a tab on the left to filter by genre. This web application was created as apart of a university assignment.

    WHEN WAS THIS?

    6th January, 2025

    WHAT'D I DO?

    Developed a web application and recorded a technical discussion.

    Tools Used

    BACKSTORY

    The Problem

    Provide an excellent cross-platform application that functions smoothly across platforms.

    The assignment brief states that a client called ComicGames LTD are exploring the concept of developing an application, and settled on a cross platform application which I was requested to develop. One of the prototyped options was a resource tool that allows users to lookup, group and organise the content, making me go with a comic library as it fits all those parameters and suits the business.

    Design & Implementation

    The program that met the client brief.

    FLEXIBLE FILTERING

    Partial Searching

    When developing the comic library application, partial searching was crucial in making the user experience as fluid as possible, providing the user complete flexibility in their searching parameters. To go above and beyond with this, all search queries are case insensitive, ensuring that capitalisations don't return fewer comics than expected.

    CROSS PLATFORM

    Responsive Design

    Utilising Bootstrap's rows and columns feature to maintain a responsive interface ensured that the client's requirements for creating a cross-platform application were met. The comics resized and fit on the screen as seen fit, depending on the resolution at any given point.

    COMIC GENRES

    Category Filtering

    For further filtering, in the web application, each comic is given a dedicated category attribute, which is referenced to render them in the category chosen by the user. This provides additional flexibility when the user only looks for a specific comic genre and showcases the benefit of refined searching.

    Technical Discussion

    Below is my technical discussion on the Comic Library application. It evalutes the small application, while considering validation methods.

    REFLECTION

    Project Learnings

    1. Flexibility is Crucial

    When developing the project, giving the user the flexibility to search in the way they want, whether that was fully, partially, capitals, no capitals, was crucial in ensuring that this was handled accordingly to provide a fluid experience. By doing so this guarantees that the client is happy and gives them the necessary toolsets to refine the searches to their liking.

    2. Responsive Design

    With the project requirements stating that the application must be cross platform, taking a committed approach with making it responsive on all devices with Bootstrap shows the versatility of the web application and how it meets the clients needs, which is important in understanding how to please the client by going above and beyond their basic request of having the application responsive for certain device types.

    3. Validation Checks

    This project required me to think carefully about validation checking to ensure that the correct comics were being displayed not only in search parameters, but also when filtering through the tabbed categories. This project taught me a lot about validation checking and testing as a whole to confirm that everything works as intended.