Alunify

Alunify is a comprehensive alumni networking platform built with Django 5.0. The platform helps connect graduates, facilitates professional networking, and enables alumni to showcase their skills and experiences.

Features

• User Management: Custom Alumni user model with extended profile information
• Profile System: Detailed alumni profiles with education, work experience, skills, and professional categorization
• Search Functionality: Advanced search capabilities to find alumni by various criteria
• Responsive Design: Mobile-friendly interface built with modern frontend techniques
• Secure Authentication: Robust login, registration, and password reset functionality
• Media Support: Profile pictures and other media uploads

Project Structure

The application consists of the following main components:

• user: Custom user authentication and Alumni model
• profiles: Profile management, experiences, education, skills, and professions
• search: Alumni search and query tracking functionality

Setup and Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• pip
• virtualenv (optional but recommended)

Development Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd alunify
   

2. Create and activate virtual environment (optional):

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

3. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

4. Set up environment variables:

   cp .env.example .env
   

   Then edit the .env file with your settings.

5. Run migrations:

   python manage.py migrate
   

6. Create a superuser:

   python manage.py createsuperuser
   

7. Run the development server:

   python manage.py runserver
   

Database Configuration

By default, the application uses SQLite for development. For production, it's recommended to use PostgreSQL:

1. Make sure PostgreSQL is installed and running on your server.

2. Configure the database URL in your .env file:

   DATABASE_URL=postgres://username:password@host:port/database_name
   

The application will automatically use PostgreSQL when the DATABASE_URL environment variable is set.

Deployment

Preparing for Deployment

1. Set the following environment variables:

   DEBUG=False
   SECRET_KEY=<your-secure-secret-key>
   ALLOWED_HOSTS=yourdomain.com,www.yourdomain.com,alunify.onrender.com
   DATABASE_URL=postgres://username:password@host:port/database_name
   

2. Collect static files:

   python manage.py collectstatic --no-input
   

3. Run migrations:

   python manage.py migrate
   

Deploy to Render.com

The application is configured for deployment on Render.com:

1. Create a new Web Service on Render
2. Connect your GitHub repository
3. Configure environment variables as listed above
4. Set the build command: pip install -r requirements.txt
5. Set the start command: gunicorn alunify.wsgi:application

Development

Adding New Features

1. Create a new branch for your feature
2. Implement and test your changes
3. Submit a pull request for review

Testing

Run the test suite with:

python manage.py test

Technologies Used

• Backend: Django 5.0+
• Database: SQLite (development), PostgreSQL (production)
• Media Storage: Local filesystem
• Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Deployment: Render.com

License

This project is licensed under the terms of the LICENSE file included in the repository.