Build Full Stack NextJs Student Attendance Tracking App | React, MySql, Tailwind css, Drizzle ORM

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to build a full-stack student attendance tracking application using Next.js, React, MySQL, Tailwind CSS, and Drizzle ORM. This comprehensive guide will take you through each step, from setting up your environment to implementing features such as student management and attendance tracking. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, this project will enhance your skills and streamline the attendance management process.

Step 1: Set Up Your Development Environment

• Create a Next.js App

  • Open your terminal and run the following command to create a new Next.js application:

    npx create-next-app student-attendance-tracking
    

  • Navigate into your project directory:

    cd student-attendance-tracking
    

• Install Required Libraries

  • Install Tailwind CSS for styling:

    npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer
    npx tailwindcss init -p
    

  • Configure tailwind.config.js:

    module.exports = {
      content: ['./pages/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}', './components/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}'],
      theme: {
        extend: {},
      },
      plugins: [],
    }
    

  • Add Tailwind directives to your CSS file:

    @tailwind base;
    @tailwind components;
    @tailwind utilities;
    

Step 2: Implement Authentication

• Choose an Authentication Method

  • Implement social and email/password authentication using a library like Firebase or Auth0.

• Set Up Authentication Routes

  • Create the necessary routes for login, signup, and logout.
  • Ensure that user sessions are managed properly to maintain a secure environment.

Step 3: Design the User Interface

• Apply Tailwind CSS for Styling

  • Use Tailwind CSS classes to create a responsive and modern user interface.
  • Implement dark mode for better usability.

• Create the Navigation Menu

  • Design a side navigation bar and header to allow easy navigation through the application.

Step 4: Set Up the Backend

• Install MySQL and Drizzle ORM

  • Set up MySQL database to store student data and attendance records.
  • Install Drizzle ORM for interacting with the database:

    npm install drizzle-orm mysql
    

• Create Database Models

  • Define models for students and attendance records in your application.

Step 5: Manage Student Records

• Add New Student Functionality

  • Create a form to add new students to the database.
  • Implement validation to ensure data integrity.

• Display Student List

  • Fetch and display the list of students from the database.
  • Include options to delete or edit student records.

Step 6: Implement Attendance Tracking

• Create Attendance Screen

  • Design a user interface that allows marking students as present or absent.
  • Store attendance records in the database.

• Track Attendance Over Time

  • Implement functionality to view attendance records by date or month.

Step 7: Build the Dashboard

• Create a Modern Dashboard

  • Design a dashboard that displays key metrics about attendance.
  • Use cards to represent different statistics.

• Integrate Charts for Data Visualization

  • Use libraries like Chart.js to create bar and pie charts for visual representation of attendance data.
  • Implement the following code to create a bar chart:

    import { Bar } from 'react-chartjs-2';
    
    const data = {
      labels: ['January', 'February', 'March'],
      datasets: [
        {
          label: 'Attendance',
          data: [65, 59, 80],
          backgroundColor: 'rgba(75,192,192,0.4)',
        },
      ],
    };
    
    const MyBarChart = () => <Bar data={data} />;
    

Conclusion

You've now built a full-stack student attendance tracking application using Next.js, React, MySQL, Tailwind CSS, and Drizzle ORM. This project not only demonstrates your ability to work with modern technologies but also provides a practical solution for managing student attendance. As a next step, consider deploying your application to a hosting service and exploring additional features like notifications for absent students or performance analytics. Happy coding!