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Topic 7: Capstone Project

⏱️ Estimated time: 1 week

Now that you've got some Python skills under your belt AND learned how to integrate AI, we've got an old codebase that needs some love! This Journal API project will test everything you've learned so far, and you'll be deploying it to the cloud in the next phase. Consider this your graduation project from the Python basics - time to put those skills to work!

📚 Learning Path​

Pre-requisites​

This project uses Dev Containers to provide a consistent development environment. Before starting:

Required Tools​

  1. Docker Desktop - Download here

    • Dev Containers run inside Docker, so you'll need this installed and running

  2. VS Code with the Dev Containers extension

    • Install the Dev Containers extension
    • This lets VS Code open projects inside a container with all dependencies pre-configured

What are Dev Containers?​

Dev Containers let you develop inside a Docker container that has all the tools and dependencies pre-installed. When you open the starter repo in VS Code, you'll see a prompt to "Reopen in Container" - click it! This ensures everyone has the same Python version, packages, and configuration.

We recommend checking out these resources to get familiar with Dev Containers:

Getting Started​

Now that you're set up with Dev Containers, it's time to get coding! Follow these steps to get started with the Journal API project:

  1. Go tostarter repo
  2. Click the star to keep up to date with any changes
  3. Click on the fork button to create your own copy of the repo
  4. All the implementation instructions are in the README.md file

Next Steps

We recommend you take time after completing the capstone to reflect on what you've learned and:

  • Identify the most difficult implementation task you encountered.
  • Write down why it was challenging and how you overcame it.
  • Write a technical blog post summarizing your experience and key learnings from the project.
  • Share your blog post on LinkedIn or other social media to showcase your new skills!

✅ Topic Checklist​

Before moving on, make sure you have:

  • Docker Desktop and Dev Containers extension installed
  • Forked and cloned the Journal API starter repo
  • Completed all implementation tasks in the README
  • Tested all API endpoints work correctly
  • AI analysis features functioning properly
  • Written a reflection on challenges and learnings
  • (Optional) Shared your experience on a blog post