alkeshrails / countrytech

CountryTech

CountryTech is a API based application that allows clients to browse and search for countries. This repository contains the source code for the application, as well as installation and usage instructions.

Features

1. GET /countries

   • Endpoint: /countries
   • Purpose: Retrieve a list of countries with pagination support.
   • Parameters:
     • page (optional): Specifies the page number for pagination (default is 1).
     • per_page (optional): Specifies the number of countries to display per page (default is a predefined value).
   • Response: Returns a JSON object containing a list of countries and the total count of countries available.

2. GET /countries/search

   • Endpoint: /countries/search
   • Purpose: Search for countries based on specific filter criteria.
   • Parameters:
     • alpha_2_code (optional): Filter countries by their 2-letter alpha code.
     • alpha_3_code (optional): Filter countries by their 3-letter alpha code.
     • currency (optional): Filter countries by their currency code.
   • Response: Returns a JSON object containing filtered countries based on the provided criteria. If no matches are found or no filter is provided, an appropriate error message is returned.

3. DELETE /countries/:id

   • Endpoint: /countries/:id
   • Purpose: Delete a specific country by its unique ID.
   • Parameters:
     • :id: The unique identifier of the country to be deleted.
   • Response: Returns a JSON message indicating whether the country was successfully deleted or if there was an error during deletion.

These endpoints provide functionality for retrieving a list of countries, searching for countries based on specific criteria, and deleting individual countries. The endpoints are designed to handle various filtering options and error scenarios to ensure a robust API experience.

Technologies

The application is built using the following technologies:

Postgresql: for the database to store countries information
Ruby (3.2.2): for the core language of Rails framework.
Rails (7.0.2): Web application framework build in ruby programming language.
RSpecs: for automated testing.

Postman Collection

I have also attached the postman collection in project directory. https://github.com/alkeshrails/CountryTech/blob/main/CountryTech.json

Installation

To install and run the application locally, follow these steps:

To clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/alkeshrails/CountryTech.git

Install the dependencies for the server and client:

1. cd CountryTech
2. bundle install
3. cp config/database.yml.sample config/database.yml run this command and change the postgresql config as per your machine.
4. bundle exec rails db:create db:migrate db:seed

after running this command make sure all the test cases are green(passed).

We can verify it by running bundle exec rspec

Once the test cases are green, you can use it to browse and search for countries.

Proposed Improvement: Separate Table for Currencies

Problem Statement

In our current Rails application, we have a Country table with a currency column. While this setup allows us to associate a single currency with each country, it does not fully capture the complexity of the real-world scenario. Many countries have multiple currencies, and a single currency can be used by multiple countries. This oversimplified representation limits our ability to handle advanced currency-related functionality.

Proposed Solution

To address this limitation and enhance our application's flexibility and functionality, we propose the following improvement:

1. Create a New Table for Currencies

• We should create a dedicated table for currencies, which will store information about various currencies independently.

2. Establish a Many-to-Many Association

• Implement a many-to-many association between the Country and Currency tables using a join table. This association will allow us to handle cases where a country can have multiple currencies and a currency can be used by multiple countries.

3. Benefits and Additional Features

• This improvement opens up several possibilities for extending our application's functionality:
  • Currency Conversion Rate: We can easily implement currency conversion functionality, allowing users to convert between different currencies.
  • Last Updates on Currency: We can track and display information about the last updates or changes made to each currency.
  • Active/Inactive Currency: We can introduce a status flag to mark currencies as active or inactive, providing better control over which currencies are available for use.

Thanks