generate a technical specs based on this
PRD
Certainly! Below is a Technical Specification Document based on the Product
Requirement Document (PRD) for the MEHIT UNIV E-Library Academic Portal.
Technical Specification Document
Project: MEHIT UNIV E-Library Academic Portal
Date: August 2, 2025
Prepared By: [Your Name]
1. Introduction
This document defines the technical architecture, design decisions, technology stack, and
implementation details for the MEHIT UNIV E-Library Academic Portal as outlined in the
PRD.
2. System Architecture Overview
Architecture Style:
Client-Server web application with a Single Page Application (SPA) frontend and
RESTful API backend.
Components:
o Frontend: Responsive SPA built with HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.
o Backend: RESTful API server (technology to be selected, e.g., Node.js/Express,
Python/Django, Java/Spring Boot).
o Database: Relational database (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) for user data and
resource metadata.
o File Storage: Separate object storage (e.g., AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage) or
local file server for document and media files.
o Authentication: Secure login system, session management or JWT tokens.
3. Technology Stack
Layer Technology / Tools Justification
Frontend HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript Standards-based web
technologies
Styling CSS variables, Grid/Flexbox, Responsive and modern UI
Fonts (Google Fonts - Grenze)
Icons Font Awesome 6 Rich icon set for UI elements
Frontend Build Optional: React/Vue/Angular For SPA enhancements and
(future) scalability
Backend Node.js with Express (or Django) Scalable, widely supported
Database PostgreSQL or MySQL Relational DB for structured data
File Storage Cloud Storage (AWS S3 / GCS) Scalable document/media
storage
Authentication JWT-based auth with password Secure stateless authentication
hashing
API RESTful API (JSON) Standard interface for frontend-
backend interaction
Security HTTPS/TLS, Input validation, Data protection and secure
CORS communications
Deployment Docker containers, Cloud hosting Portability and scalability
(AWS/Azure/GCP)
4. Frontend Specifications
4.1 User Interface Structure
Multi-page layout handled via dynamic content and page visibility toggles
(showPage(), showDashboardSection()) in JavaScript.
Support for three user roles with distinct dashboard layouts: Student, Lecturer,
Administrator (admin pending).
Responsive design with flexible grids and media queries for desktop, tablet, mobile.
Light/Dark theme toggle implemented using CSS variables and JavaScript class
toggling.
Preloader animation displayed until main assets load completely.
4.2 Key Frontend Components
Navigation Bar: Responsive, toggleable menu with role-dependent options.
Home Page: Hero video with search bar and CTAs.
Login Page: Secure form with field validations.
Dashboards: Multiple sections loaded/shown on-demand.
Resource Grid: Dynamically populated resource cards via JavaScript rendering.
Modals: Accessible popups with ARIA roles and keyboard controls.
Forms: Upload and filter forms with client-side validation.
4.3 JavaScript Functionality
Event handlers for navigation, login submission, search/filter logic.
AJAX/fetch calls to backend APIs for login, resource searching, uploading, and
managing.
State management to remember user session and dashboard views.
Theme toggle toggles CSS classes and stores preference in localStorage.
Form data serialization and validation before submission.
5. Backend Specifications
5.1 API Endpoints
Feature HTTP Method Endpoint Description Authentication
User Login POST /api/auth/login Authenticate user Required
and return token
User Logout POST /api/auth/logout Invalidate Required
session/token
Fetch Resources GET /api/resources Search and filter Optional/Auth
resources
Upload Document POST /api/documents/ Upload document Lecturer Only
upload file and metadata
Manage GET /api/documents/ Get documents Lecturer Only
Documents mine uploaded by user
Delete Document DELETE /api/documents/ Delete specific Lecturer Only
{id} document
Fetch Favorites GET /api/users/{id}/ Retrieve user’s Student Only
favorites favorite
documents
Add to Favorites POST /api/users/{id}/ Add a document Student Only
favorites to favorites
Fetch Download GET /api/users/{id}/ Get download Student Only
History history history
Get User Profile GET /api/users/{id} Fetch user profile Authenticated
data
Update User PUT /api/users/{id} Update user Authenticated
Profile profile info
Fetch Student GET /api/lecturer/ Lecturer-specific Lecturer Only
Stats {id}/students student activity
5.2 Authentication & Authorization
Implement JWT (JSON Web Token) for stateless authentication.
Passwords stored hashed (bcrypt or Argon2).
Role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict endpoints (Student, Lecturer, Admin).
Secure session management with token expiry and refresh mechanisms.
5.3 File Upload Management
Validate file types and sizes server-side
(allow .pdf, .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .xls, .xlsx).
Store files in dedicated file storage service or cloud bucket.
Save metadata (title, description, department, type, uploader userId, timestamps) in
DB.
Use unique generated filenames or structured paths to avoid conflicts.
5.4 Database Schema (Simplified)
Users (id, name, email, password_hash, role, profile_info, created_at, updated_at)
Documents (id, title, description, department, type, format, file_path, uploader_id,
upload_date)
Favorites (id, user_id, document_id, added_date)
DownloadHistory (id, user_id, document_id, download_date)
Departments (id, name)
DocumentTypes (id, name)
6. Security Considerations
Use HTTPS everywhere; enforce HSTS.
Sanitize and validate all inputs to prevent injection attacks (SQLi, XSS).
Rate-limit API endpoints to mitigate brute-force attacks.
Scan upload files for malicious content.
Implement CSRF protection on forms.
Use secure HTTP headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options).
7. Performance and Scalability
Lazy load resources and paginated results for large datasets.
Cache static assets (CSS, JS, images) via CDN.
Use DB indexes on frequently queried fields (department, type).
Employ connection pooling in backend services.
Cloud deployment with auto-scaling capabilities.
8. Accessibility
Semantic HTML elements used for structure.
ARIA attributes for modals and interactive elements.
Keyboard navigable forms and menus.
Sufficient color contrast in both light and dark themes.
Responsive font sizes and scalable UI components.
9. Deployment Strategy
Use Docker containers for frontend and backend services.
CI/CD pipeline for automated testing and deployment.
Separate staging, testing, and production environments.
Monitoring and logging systems in place for uptime and error tracking.
10. Future Enhancements (Technical)
Integrate Single Sign-On (SSO) with university systems (e.g., LDAP, OAuth).
Add real-time notifications with WebSockets or Push API.
Implement advanced search with elasticsearch or similar.
Integrate document preview and annotation tools with backend processing.
Introduce Progressive Web App (PWA) capabilities for offline access.
If you want, I can help create detailed API documentation, database scripts, or frontend
component breakdowns next. Just let me know!
