Welcome to Airducaan.com! This project is the result of my passion for web development and my desire to create a platform that allows users to compare ecommerce prices in India and eventually expand to serve Nepal as well. Inspired by Trivago's hotel price comparison ad, I embarked on this journey during my 4th year of studies. While my initial attempts were limited, I never gave up on the idea and finally brought it to fruition during the summer of 2020.
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Importance of a database because I was scraping without storing it which made the site too slow.
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How code works differently in local server vs Web server (DIgital Ocean was hosted in US so the prices came out in dollars instead of NPR)
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Learnt about cron jobs.
The main objective of Airducaan.com is to provide users with a platform to compare prices of various ecommerce products in India. The website scrapes prices from multiple ecommerce sites, allowing users to find the best deals and make informed purchasing decisions.
Web Scraping
Web scraping plays a pivotal role in Airducaan.com. To gather the necessary data, I employed the PHP SimpleHtmlDomParser library. By scraping product prices from four different ecommerce websites, I was able to present users with a comprehensive comparison. This process also highlighted the importance of databases, as I initially neglected to store the scraped data, which resulted in slower website performance.
Through this project, I grasped the significance of working within a framework. Having a structured framework is crucial for scalability and maintainability, enabling the project to grow and adapt as needed. Additionally, I recognized the importance of a business framework to ensure the platform remains aligned with its long-term goals.
The development journey for Airducaan.com has been a valuable learning experience for me. Some key takeaways include:
Persistence and Overcoming Procrastination: Despite initial challenges and setbacks, I remained determined to bring my vision to life. I tackled procrastination head-on and committed myself to complete the project.
Global Impact: I learned that a digital platform can have a significant global impact without the need for physical office space. Great companies have started from humble beginnings, including garages, which emphasizes the power of digital innovation.
Local Server vs. Web Server: While developing the platform, I encountered differences between local server environments and web server environments. For instance, hosting the website on a US-based server caused prices to display in dollars instead of Nepalese Rupees (NPR). This experience deepened my understanding of hosting considerations.
Airducaan.com has been a significant project in my journey as a web developer. It has provided me with hands-on experience in web scraping, web development, and understanding the importance of frameworks and databases. I am proud of the fully functional website I have built and am excited about its potential to become a leading price comparison platform for both India and Nepal.
Thank you for taking the time to explore Airducaan.com and my experiences as a developer. I am always open to discussing the project further and the lessons I have learned along the way.