Polaris is a stupid web app built with Flask that allows users to manage their tasks efficiently. It includes features such as user authentication (signup, login, logout), a dashboard to view tasks, and a responsive design styled with Bootstrap. The app is designed to demonstrate the integration of Flask with MySQL.

• User authentication (Signup, Login, Logout)
• Secure password storage using hashing
• Responsive design with Bootstrap
• AJAX-based form submission validated using request.form for better user experience
• MySQL database integration with stored procedures

• Python 3.7 or higher
• MySQL Server
• A virtual environment (optional but recommended)

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/your-repo/JF-todolist.git
   cd JF-todolist

2. Set Up a Virtual Environment

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Dependencies Install the required Python packages using pip:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

   The requirements.txt file should include:

   • Flask
   • Flask-MySQLdb
   • Werkzeug

4. Set Up the Database

   • Open the mySQLdbsetup.sql file and execute the SQL commands in your MySQL client to create the database and tables:

     CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS JF_todolist_db;
     USE JF_todolist_db;

   • This script also creates a stored procedure sp_createUser for user registration.

5. Configure the Application

   • Update the MySQL credentials in app.py:

     app.config['MYSQL_HOST'] = 'localhost'
     app.config['MYSQL_USER'] = 'your_mysql_user'
     app.config['MYSQL_PASSWORD'] = 'your_mysql_password'
     app.config['MYSQL_DB'] = 'jf_todolist_db'

6. Run the Application Start the Flask development server:

   python app.py

   The app will be available at http://127.0.0.1:5000.

- The `app.py` file initializes the Flask app and configures MySQL integration using `Flask-MySQLdb`.
- Routes are defined for user authentication (`/signup`, `/login`, `/logout`), the dashboard (`/dashboard`), and the home page (`/`).

- The MySQL database is used to store user credentials securely.
- A stored procedure `sp_createUser` ensures that usernames are unique and handles user registration.

- Passwords are hashed using `generate_password_hash` from `Werkzeug` before storing them in the database.
- During login, `check_password_hash` is used to verify the password.

- All HTML templates (`index.html`, `login.html`, `signup.html`, `dashboard.html`) are styled using Bootstrap for a responsive and modern UI.
- Navigation bars, forms, and buttons are built with Bootstrap components.

- The `ajax.js` file handles the signup form submission using the Fetch API.
- It sends form data validated using request.form to the server asynchronously and displays success or error messages dynamically.

- Jinja2 templates are used to render dynamic content, such as error messages and user-specific data.
- Flash messages are displayed for feedback on user actions.

JF-todolist/
├── app.py                 # Main Flask application
├── templates/             # HTML templates
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── login.html
│   ├── signup.html
│   ├── dashboard.html
├── static/                # Static files (JS only)
│   ├── main.js
│   ├── ajax.js
├── mySQLdbsetup.sql       # SQL script for database setup
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
└── README.md              # Project documentation

• Add task management features (CRUD operations for tasks).
• Implement user-specific task filtering and sorting.

• Ensure MySQL is running before launching the app. you can setup a local server for this using Xampp.
• If you encounter database issues, verify the mySQLdbsetup.sql script was executed properly.

This project is for educational purposes. Feel free to modify and expand it!

John FA - 2025