https://github.com/davidskumar/library_management_system

A lightweight Flask-based RESTful API for managing books and members with secure token-based authentication, CRUD operations, search, and pagination. Ideal for learning and prototyping API development.
https://github.com/davidskumar/library_management_system

Last synced: 8 months ago
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A lightweight Flask-based RESTful API for managing books and members with secure token-based authentication, CRUD operations, search, and pagination. Ideal for learning and prototyping API development.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/davidskumar/library_management_system
• Owner: Davidskumar
• License: mit
• Created: 2024-12-24T10:11:25.000Z (over 1 year ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2024-12-24T10:56:14.000Z (over 1 year ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-05-22T04:11:21.566Z (about 1 year ago)
• Language: Python
• Size: 13.7 KB
• Stars: 0
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

          
# Library Management System API

## Overview

A lightweight Flask-based RESTful API for managing books and members in a library. This project provides secure token-based authentication, CRUD operations, search functionality, and pagination, making it ideal for learning and prototyping API development.

> ⭐ If you find this project helpful, please star this repository to show your support!

---

## How to Run the Project

### Prerequisites

1. Python (>=3.8) installed on your system.

2. A package manager such as `pip`.

### Steps to Run

1. **Clone the Repository**

   ```bash

   git clone https://github.com/Davidskumar/Library_Management_System.git

   cd library-management-system

   ```

2. **Install Dependencies**

   ```bash

   pip install -r requirements.txt

   ```

3. **Run the Application**

   ```bash

   python app.py

   ```

   The application will start and run at `http://127.0.0.1:5000`.

4. **Use the API**

   - Use tools like Postman or `curl` to interact with the endpoints.

   - A sample `Authorization` token is generated upon login (`/login` endpoint). Use it to access protected routes.

---

## Design Choices

1. **Framework**: Flask was chosen for its simplicity and suitability for small-scale API development projects.

2. **In-Memory Storage**: 

   - Data for books and members are stored in memory (Python lists) to keep the implementation lightweight.

   - This avoids the complexity of integrating a database for this prototype.

3. **Token-Based Authentication**: 

   - Basic token authentication is used to secure endpoints. Each user receives a unique token upon login.

   - Sessions are stored in-memory.

4. **Pagination and Filtering**:

   - Pagination was implemented for books (`/books` endpoint) to handle large datasets efficiently.

   - Filtering by title and author improves usability and demonstrates basic query parameter handling.

5. **RESTful Design**:

   - The API follows REST principles, using standard HTTP methods (`GET`, `POST`, `PUT`, `DELETE`) for CRUD operations.

---

## Assumptions and Limitations

### Assumptions

1. User authentication is based on a hardcoded user database (`{'admin': 'password'}`).

2. IDs for books and members are auto-incremented starting from 1.

3. Tokens are stored in memory and expire only upon logout.

### Limitations

1. **No Database Integration**:

   - Data is not persistent and is lost when the application stops.

   - Future versions can include a database like SQLite or PostgreSQL for persistence.

2. **Simple Authentication**:

   - No password hashing or advanced security measures are implemented.

   - A more robust system with JWT authentication can be added for production.

3. **Limited Functionality**:

   - The project focuses on CRUD operations, leaving room for features like lending/returning books or advanced search.

4. **Concurrency Issues**:

   - Since data is stored in memory, concurrent access or modification may lead to data inconsistencies.

5. **Scalability**:

   - The current implementation is not optimized for large-scale usage or deployment.

---

This project is a starting point for exploring Flask-based API development and can be extended with additional features and integrations.