Midrand Books Ecommerce Platform

An online bookstore web application designed for Midrand Books, allowing local and national customers to browse, search, and purchase books seamlessly.

🚀 Features

• User Authentication: Secure customer registration, login, and profile management.
• Product Catalog: Advanced search, filtering by genre, and dynamic book categorization.
• Shopping Cart: Real-time cart updates, item persistence, and coupon code validation.
• Secure Checkout: Integrated payment gateways supporting local South African methods (e.g., PayFast, Ozow, or Yoco).
• Order Tracking: Automated email confirmations and live delivery status tracking.
• Admin Dashboard: Content management system (CMS) to manage inventory, track sales, and process orders.

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Frontend: Blazor / HTML5 / Bootstrap CSS
• Backend: Blazor Server
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Payment Gateway: PayFast API / PayPal SDK

📋 Prerequisites

Before setting up the project locally, ensure you have the following installed:

• .NET SDK (v6.0 or higher)
• Git

🔧 Installation & Setup

Follow these steps to run the project locally.

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://gitea.khongisa.co.za/litecharms/midrandbooks.git
   cd midrandbooks
   

2. Install dependencies

   # restore NuGet dependencies
   dotnet restore
   

3. Environment Variables Create a .env file in both the frontend and backend roots. Use the .env.example files provided as a reference.

   DATABASE_URL=your_database_url
   Email = mailbox settings
   Monitoring = Aspire dashboard settings
   PAYMENT_GATEWAY_KEY=your_api_key
   

4. Run the application

   # Start app
   dotnet run
   

5. Access the app Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5000.

📦 Deployment

• Frontend: Hosted on Lite Charms Cloud.
• Backend: Hosted on Lite Charms Cloud.
• Database: Managed on Lite Charms PVC LXC container settings

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/NewFeature.
3. Commit your changes: git commit -m 'Add NewFeature'.
4. Push to the branch: git push origin feature/NewFeature.
5. Open a Pull Request.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.