CS471: Web and Mobile Development - NoSQL (100 Points)

Assignment Goals

The goals of this assignment are:
  1. To implement a NoSQL database in node.js using MongoDB

The Assignment

If (and only if) you are using GitHub to submit, you can clone this assignment from GitHub Classroom at https://classroom.github.com/a/I_WAcaGC. Otherwise, you may skip this step!

In this assignment, you will create a collection data store using MongoDB, which you will manipulate from a RESTful web service. Here is a step-by-step guide to creating a database and to creating collections, followed by a tutorial using MongoDB locally via a node.js library.

Note that you will need to point to a mongo installation with your url - you can install MongoDB if you would like, or use an existing cloud service and port as your URL and port number variable parameter.

Part 1: Web Service Backend

Using your data schema from the Databases assignment, modify your web service backend to use a MongoDB NoSQL collection instead of your relational database. Use multiple queries with iteration, or a lookup to implement your former relational JOIN.

Aggregation with a Lookup

To do a lookup using the MongoClient library, you can do the following in node.js:

  // https://www.w3schools.com/nodejs/nodejs_mongodb_join.asp
  var dbo = db.db('mycollection')
  dbo.collection('People').aggregate([
    { $lookup:
       {
         from: 'Enrollments',
         localField: 'PersonID',
         foreignField: 'EnrollmentID',
         as: 'PeopleEnrollments'
       }
     }
    ]).toArray(function(err, result) {
        if (err) throw err;
        db.close();
  });

This is equivalent to the following SQL JOIN statement:

SELECT * FROM People INNER JOIN Enrollments on Enrollments.EnrollmentID = People.PersonID

Part 2: Testing with a Web Client

Hopefully, no changes are required to your web client to test your service! Invoke your client to verify that everything continues to work normally.

Part 3: Presentation

Make a Screencast in which you demonstrate your program, and also review your codebase. Imagine you are explaining how to use these API’s to a new web service developer. Give them a thorough tour! I hope to solicit volunteers to demo their programs to the class!

Submission

In your submission, please include answers to any questions asked on the assignment page in your README file. If you wrote code as part of this assignment, please describe your design, approach, and implementation in your README file as well. Finally, include answers to the following questions:
  • Describe what you did, how you did it, what challenges you encountered, and how you solved them.
  • Please answer any questions found throughout the narrative of this assignment.
  • If collaboration with a buddy was permitted, did you work with a buddy on this assignment? If so, who? If not, do you certify that this submission represents your own original work?
  • Please identify any and all portions of your submission that were not originally written by you (for example, code originally written by your buddy, or anything taken or adapted from a non-classroom resource). It is always OK to use your textbook and instructor notes; however, you are certifying that any portions not designated as coming from an outside person or source are your own original work.
  • Approximately how many hours it took you to finish this assignment (I will not judge you for this at all...I am simply using it to gauge if the assignments are too easy or hard)?
  • Your overall impression of the assignment. Did you love it, hate it, or were you neutral? One word answers are fine, but if you have any suggestions for the future let me know.
  • Using the grading specifications on this page, discuss briefly the grade you would give yourself and why. Discuss each item in the grading specification.
  • Any other concerns that you have. For instance, if you have a bug that you were unable to solve but you made progress, write that here. The more you articulate the problem the more partial credit you will receive (it is fine to leave this blank).

Assignment Rubric

Description Pre-Emerging (< 50%) Beginning (50%) Progressing (85%) Proficient (100%)
Algorithm Implementation (50%) The algorithm fails on the test inputs due to major issues, or the program fails to compile and/or run The algorithm fails on the test inputs due to one or more minor issues The algorithm is implemented to solve the problem correctly according to given test inputs, but would fail if executed in a general case due to a minor issue or omission in the algorithm design or implementation A reasonable algorithm is implemented to solve the problem which correctly solves the problem according to the given test inputs, and would be reasonably expected to solve the problem in the general case
Code Quality and Documentation (40%) Code commenting and structure are absent, or code structure departs significantly from best practice, and/or the code departs significantly from the style guide Code commenting and structure is limited in ways that reduce the readability of the program, and/or there are minor departures from the style guide Code documentation is present that re-states the explicit code definitions, and/or code is written that mostly adheres to the style guide Code is documented at non-trivial points in a manner that enhances the readability of the program, and code is written according to the style guide
Writeup and Submission (10%) An incomplete submission is provided The program is submitted, but not according to the directions in one or more ways (for example, because it is lacking a readme writeup) The program is submitted according to the directions with a minor omission or correction needed, and with at least superficial responses to the bolded questions throughout The program is submitted according to the directions, including a readme writeup describing the solution, and thoughtful answers to the bolded questions throughout

Please refer to the Style Guide for code quality examples and guidelines.