This project is a part of SOEN 490 - Capstone Software Engineering Design Project - at Concordia University.
Given the rapidly changing landscape of the software industry, a developer must take on the role of a lifelong learner to develop the skills and knowledge base necessary to excel in the field. In order to bridge the gap between a student's skills and expected performance in industry, a platform which facilitates the rapid development of new skills is crucial.
Defined as a collaborative project-based learning platform, Xplorify is an upcoming application that facilitates learning programming technologies (languages, frameworks, infrastructure services, etc.) using project-based learning. The application focuses on the creation of projects by either a user or a group of users which can later be shared within the community.
1. Chingu.io
Chingu is by and large the most similar goal-wise and sophisticated solution available on the market today. Briefly, users interested in working on a given project are added to the projects team based on their level of experience (based on past solo projects). Afterwards, a development experience incorporating industry practices commences. The concept is similar to Xplorify in which people with similar interests can work together on projects. However, Chingu places people with similar goals together whereas Xplorify provides the additional feature of allowing one to explore teammates and chat with people that have similar interests before the start of the project. Also, Chingu's intended usage is quite formal compared to that of Xplorify which may have the adverse effect of deterring new programmers, or even those with experience but lacking the solo projects for the vetting process Chingu requires. Xplorify aims to provide a collaborative, low-stakes environment where users can learn the ropes of team-based software development.
2. ProjectLearn.io
"ProjectLearn provides a curated list of project tutorials in which learners build an application from scratch. These are divided into different categories, namely, web development, mobile development, game development, machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence.”
Provides a diverse and well-organized list of programming projects and tutorials that cater to all skill levels. Users can filter by project category (i.e. web development, game development, Machine learning, etc.). While ProjectLearn certainly has a lot to offer, it has its fair share of shortcomings, namely the lack of a communal space where developers can connect, and ultimately collaborate on projects of mutual interest. Xplorify aims to address this by implementing necessary features to facilitate such collaboration (on top of providing a “project marketplace” in the same vein as ProjectLearn). Another limitation of ProjectLearn is that users are unable to create their own projects; Xplorify will allow for this as this would help grow and diversify the lists of project ideas based on the wants and needs of its users.
3. DevProjects
DevProjects provides an array of web development projects which can be started in order to develop/practice one’s skills by working on projects rather than simply learning by theory. It offers beginners to more advanced web development projects and also allows users to contribute projects.
There are similarities between DevProjects and Xplorify, however Xplorify has more to offer. Similarly to Xplorify, DevProjects also allows users to explore and start projects, although DevProjects doesn’t allow exploring teammates and doesn’t offer a messaging feature either. Thus, Xplorify provides a more complete solution with powerful additional features.
With each project, the user has the opportunity to learn and apply knowledge simultaneously which ultimately decreases the time spent learning. In addition to providing comprehensive and unique learning outcomes, users exit projects with a completed product that can be used to demonstrate competence in the technologies they chose to work with. Rather than listing each project on their resume, the application allows a user to personalize their profile by adding their skills and projects of choice. The user can later share their profile as a link to recruiters.
Arvind Sharma is chief technology officer (CTO) at BQE software and has agreed to serve as independent stakeholder for this project. Being CTO of a firm management software tailored for engineers, architects and professional services makes Arvind the perfect fit for Xplorify. Furthermore, Arvind possesses a vast array of experience in SaaS, product development, cloud & agile transformation, cyber-security, transformational change leadership, and team building.
| Name | Student ID | GitHub Page |
|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Ali Zahir | 40077619 | AliZ786 |
| Saleha Tariq | 40006997 | salehatrq |
| Laila Alhalabi | 40106558 | lailaalhalabi |
| Samantha Guillemette | 26609198 | SamanthaGuillemette |
| Hoda Nourbakhsh | 40066450 | hodansh |
| Tushar Raval | 40124664 | Tushar Raval |
| Quang Tran | 27740654 | QuangTran304 |
| Marwa Khalid | 40155098 | MarwaKhalid |
| Lucas Catchlove | 27145640 | LucasCatchlove |