I want to share with you my story of how I created my first side project, Bortoleto, a custom e-commerce website for my family's butcher shop using Java and JSP. This was a very interesting and challenging project that helped me learn a lot of things and improve my skills as a FullStack developer. I hope that by reading my story, you will get some insights and inspiration for your own projects.
My family runs a butcher shop for generations. I decided to take a different path with my life and I started studying Software Engineering at the University of Trento. In the early 2017, I started to think about the possibility to merge what I was studying with my family's business. I always thought that it would be very useful for them to have an e-commerce website to be able to sell their products online. So I decided to help them out and create a website for them.
How I planned and designed the project
I had just started the university and I was completely new to the world of web development. I didn't want to simply use an already existing platform like WordPress or Shopify just yet. I wanted to try and do some experience with the things I was studying at school. So I started designing the e-commerce website in Java. However, I didn't know the existence of the frameworks, so Spring and Spring Boot were not in the picture. I developed all the XMLs, the servlets, filters, listeners, schedulers, all by my own. So I think that in terms of experience, this made a huge impact on my knowledge base.
I based the project on the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture pattern, which separates the presentation layer (view) from the business logic (model) and the data access layer (controller). The view consisted of JSP pages that handled the user interface and HTML pages that displayed the results of the controller requests. The model consisted of Java classes that represented the data and the business rules of the e-commerce website. The controller consisted of servlets that handled different aspects of the e-commerce functionality, such as product catalog, shopping cart, checkout, chat, market, blog, etc.
How I implemented and tested the project
I used various technologies, tools, and languages to implement and test the project, such as Java, JSP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, Eclipse, Tomcat, MySQL, etc. I learned them in school, personal side projects, and online tutorials. I also had to learn new things on the go, as the project was complex and challenging.
The major difficulties were the payment system and the deployment/hosting. The payment was complex because my family wanted to be integrated with the main bank account of the company. And it is important to keep in mind I was very new to this world. So I went to the bank of my family's company to ask if they were offering some kind of integration and in fact they did. However, it was a super custom integration. So I had to study and make thousands of tests before using it right. Also, the deployment and the hosting part were very difficult. I didn't know how to do it and also I didn't know about Docker, which would have probably simplified the whole thing. So I found a website where you could load up the .war file and the deployment worked.
How I deployed and maintained the project
I deployed the project on a website that allowed me to upload the .war file and run it on a Tomcat server. I also used a MySQL database to store the data of the e-commerce website. I had to configure the settings and the parameters of the server and the database to ensure the security and reliability of the website. I also had to monitor the performance and feedback of the website, using tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, etc.
I maintained the project by fixing bugs, adding new features, and updating the content of the website. I also communicated with my family and the customers of the butcher shop, to get their feedback and suggestions, and to provide them with support and assistance. I also wrote blog posts about meat-related topics, such as recipes, tips, news, etc., to attract more visitors and customers to the website.
What I learned from the project
I learned a lot of things from this project, especially how Java web applications work under the hood, which not many new software developers know since they use from the beginning frameworks like Spring, which are very useful but they hide all these mechanisms. I also learned how to use various technologies, tools, and languages, such as JSP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, Eclipse, Tomcat, MySQL, etc. I also learned how to design, implement, test, deploy, and maintain a complex and challenging web application, such as an e-commerce website. I also learned how to communicate and collaborate with different people, such as my family, the customers, the bank, etc. I also learned how to solve problems and create value for the users and the clients.
This project helped me grow and improve as a FullStack developer and as a professional in general. It also prepared me for the challenges and opportunities that await me in the future. It also gave me a lot of satisfaction and pride, as I was able to help my family and their business, and to create something useful and valuable for them and for the customers.
Even though the project turned out great, I realized my family needed a user-friendly e-commerce site that they could manage easily, even without technical skills. So, I decided to recreate it using WordPress. Now, you can check it out here, and it's much simpler for everyone to handle
In conclusion, I can say that Bortoleto was one of the challenging projects that I ever created. It was a very interesting and rewarding project that helped me learn a lot of things and improve my skills as a FullStack developer. It was also a very rewarding and enjoyable project that helped me help my family and their business, and to create something useful and valuable for them and for the customers. I think that Bortoleto is a great example of how to create a custom e-commerce website using Java and JSP, and I hope that it can inspire and help other developers who want to create similar projects.
