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Movie List Application - Documentation Summary

Project Overview​

The Movie List Application is a modern full-stack web application that demonstrates best practices in containerized microservices architecture. Users can browse movies, watch trailers, and write reviews through an intuitive interface.

Architecture Summary​

Three-Tier Architecture​

  • Frontend: React.js single-page application
  • Backend: Spring Boot REST API
  • Database: MongoDB NoSQL database

Technology Stack​

  • Frontend: React 18, React Router, Bootstrap, Material-UI, Axios
  • Backend: Spring Boot 3, Spring Data MongoDB, Lombok
  • Database: MongoDB with automatic initialization
  • Deployment: Docker & Docker Compose
  • Build Tools: Maven (backend), npm (frontend)

Documentation Structure​

1. Introduction​

Purpose: High-level overview and getting started guide Key Topics:

  • Application architecture and component overview
  • Technology explanations for beginners
  • Development setup with Docker Compose
  • Application flow and benefits

2. Database Configuration​

Purpose: MongoDB setup and data management Key Topics:

  • Container configuration and initialization
  • Database structure and movie data schema
  • Connection configuration for different environments
  • Data persistence options and initialization scripts

3. Spring Boot Backend​

Purpose: Backend API architecture and implementation Key Topics:

  • Layered architecture (Controller → Service → Repository)
  • REST API endpoints for movies and reviews
  • Spring Boot features and annotations
  • Data models and MongoDB integration
  • CORS configuration and dependency injection

4. React Frontend​

Purpose: Frontend application structure and components Key Topics:

  • React application architecture and routing
  • Component hierarchy and state management
  • API integration with Axios
  • UI libraries and responsive design
  • Modern React patterns (hooks, functional components)

5. Docker Deployment​

Purpose: Containerization and orchestration Key Topics:

  • Docker Compose service configuration
  • Container dependencies and networking
  • Port mappings and volume management
  • Development vs production considerations
  • Common commands and troubleshooting

6. Dockerfile Details​

Purpose: Container build processes and optimization Key Topics:

  • Multi-stage builds for frontend optimization
  • Backend containerization with OpenJDK
  • Build context and layer caching strategies
  • Security considerations and image optimization

Key Features Implemented​

Movie Browsing​

  • Carousel Display: Interactive movie carousel with backdrop images
  • Movie Details: Poster, title, genres, and release information
  • Trailer Integration: YouTube trailer playback
  • Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile devices

Review System​

  • View Reviews: Display existing reviews for each movie
  • Write Reviews: Users can submit new reviews
  • Real-time Updates: Reviews appear immediately after submission
  • Database Integration: Reviews stored in MongoDB with timestamps

Technical Features​

  • RESTful API: Clean API design with proper HTTP methods
  • Single Page Application: Client-side routing for fast navigation
  • Containerized Deployment: Complete Docker setup for easy deployment
  • Auto-initialization: Database populated with sample data automatically
  • CORS Enabled: Frontend and backend communication configured

Development Workflow​

Local Development Setup​

  1. Clone Repository: Get the source code
  2. Start Services: docker-compose up --build
  3. Access Application: Frontend at localhost:3000, API at localhost:8080
  4. Database Ready: MongoDB automatically initialized with movie data

Making Changes​

  • Frontend Changes: Edit React components, changes reflect immediately
  • Backend Changes: Modify Java code, rebuild container
  • Database Changes: Update initialization scripts in mongo-init folder

API Endpoints Reference​

Movies API​

  • GET /api/v1/movies - Retrieve all movies
  • GET /api/v1/movies/{imdbId} - Get specific movie by IMDb ID

Reviews API​

  • POST /api/v1/reviews - Create new review
    • Body: {"reviewBody": "text", "imdbId": "movieId"}

Component Relationships​

Frontend Flow​

App.js (state management)
├── Header.js (navigation)
├── Home.js → Hero.js (movie carousel)
├── Trailer.js (YouTube player)
├── Reviews.js (review display/form)
└── NotFound.js (404 page)

Backend Flow​

MovieController → MovieService → MovieRepository → MongoDB
ReviewController → ReviewService → ReviewRepository → MongoDB

Best Practices Demonstrated​

Frontend Best Practices​

  • Component Separation: Single responsibility principle
  • State Management: Centralized state with prop passing
  • Error Handling: Try-catch blocks for API calls
  • Responsive Design: Bootstrap grid system
  • Modern React: Hooks instead of class components

Backend Best Practices​

  • Layered Architecture: Clear separation of concerns
  • Dependency Injection: Spring's IoC container
  • RESTful Design: Proper HTTP methods and status codes
  • Data Validation: Input validation and error handling
  • Configuration Management: Environment-specific properties

DevOps Best Practices​

  • Containerization: Consistent environments across development/production
  • Multi-stage Builds: Optimized container images
  • Service Dependencies: Proper startup order with health checks
  • Volume Management: Data persistence and initialization
  • Network Isolation: Container networking for security

Potential Enhancements​

Authentication & Authorization​

  • User registration and login system
  • JWT token-based authentication
  • Role-based access control for reviews

Enhanced Features​

  • Movie search and filtering
  • User watchlists and favorites
  • Rating system (stars/scores)
  • Movie recommendations
  • User profiles and review history

Technical Improvements​

  • Database indexing for performance
  • Caching layer (Redis)
  • API rate limiting
  • Comprehensive testing (unit, integration, e2e)
  • CI/CD pipeline setup
  • Production monitoring and logging

Learning Outcomes​

This project demonstrates:

  • Full-stack Development: Frontend, backend, and database integration
  • Modern Web Technologies: React, Spring Boot, MongoDB
  • Containerization: Docker and Docker Compose
  • API Design: RESTful services and HTTP best practices
  • Database Design: NoSQL document modeling
  • Component Architecture: Modular, maintainable code structure

Getting Help​

Common Issues​

  • Port Conflicts: Ensure ports 3000, 8080, 27017 are available
  • Docker Issues: Check Docker Desktop is running
  • Build Failures: Verify all dependencies are installed
  • API Errors: Check backend logs with docker logs movie-api

Development Resources​

This documentation provides a comprehensive guide to understanding, developing, and deploying the Movie List Application. Each section builds upon the previous ones to give you a complete picture of how modern web applications are structured and deployed.