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SLU Open Project

Overview​

SLU Open Project is a web-based work management tool that enables shared service providers in universities and similar contexts. It was originally built to support the SLU Center for Additive Manufacturing (SLU-CAM), and is expanding to support a variety of use cases.

Information​

  • Source Code: https://github.com/oss-slu/open-project/ git

  • Client SLU Center for Additive Manufacturing

  • Current Tech Lead: Lakshmi Prasanna Mamillapalli github linkedin

  • Developers:

    • Colin Sepher (capstone) github linkedin

    • Thomas Macas (capstone) github linkedin

    • Joi Laws (capstone) github linkedin

  • Start Date: Fall, 2025

  • Adoption Date: January, 2025

  • Technologies Used:

    • React
    • Vitest
    • Postgresql

  • Type: Web application

  • License: LGPL 3.0

User Guide​

🚀 SLU Open Project is an open-source platform designed to manage distributed manufacturing, processing, and tool shops within an organization. Built with a modern, scalable tech stack, it emphasizes ease of use, maintainability, and adaptability to meet diverse organizational needs.

SLU open source project management platform is designed for distributed manufacturing, processing, and toolshops within an organization. It was specifically designed for the Saint Louis University Center for Additive Manufacturing, but can be adapted for other organizations.

Technical Information​

📘 Overview​

SLU OPEN PROJECT is an open-source platform developed with the following stack:

The project is designed to support distributed manufacturing, processing, and toolshop workflows within organizations such as Saint Louis University’s Center for Additive Manufacturing.

The stack enables fast, modern UI development, reliable unit/integration testing, and robust relational data storage.

🧱 Tech Stack & Architecture​

🌐 Frontend​

  • React with TypeScript
    Provides a dynamic, interactive UI with the added benefits of static typing for improved code quality and maintainability.
  • UI Kit
    Utilizes Tabler React UI Kit (tabler-react-2) for a consistent, responsive, and modern design.

🖥 Backend​

  • Express.js
    A minimalist Node.js framework used for building the API and handling HTTP requests.
  • File-based Routing
    Routes are organized in the /routes directory with a clean, scalable structure. All API routes are prefixed with /api/.

🔐 Authentication​

  • JWT-based Authentication
    Uses JSON Web Tokens to secure API endpoints, with automatic token attachment for secure communication.
  • SSO Integration
    Integrates with SLU’s SAML-based Single Sign-On (SSO) and OKTA for identity and session management.

🔄 Data Fetching​

  • Custom authFetch Utility
    A wrapper around the native fetch API that automatically attaches JWT tokens to all requests for secure data fetching.

✅ Testing & Quality Assurance​

  • Vitest
    Used for unit and integration tests to ensure reliability and correctness.
  • Dockerized PostgreSQL for Testing
    Provides an isolated environment for testing, safeguarding production data.

🧩 Modular Structure​

  • Component-Based Architecture
    UI components are organized in /app/src/components, grouped by resource (e.g., User, Shop, Project) and follow PascalCase naming conventions.
  • Custom Hooks
    Located in /app/src/hooks, used for state management and data fetching, promoting code reuse and separation of concerns.
  • Scalability & Adaptability
    The modular design enables easy customization and future feature development without disrupting existing functionality.

⚙️ Deployment & Environment​

  • Docker
    The backend is containerized using Docker, ensuring consistency across development, testing, and production environments.