PHP and JavaScript AJAX Project

Project Overview

This repository contains a web application built with PHP and JavaScript (AJAX) that demonstrates interactive web development techniques. The project integrates dynamic server-side scripting with client-side interactivity to deliver a seamless user experience.

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Features

1. Custom Pizza Ordering System:

   • Users can customize pizzas by selecting crusts, sizes, and toppings.
   • Real-time updates to the cart using AJAX.

2. Order Management:

   • Customers can view, edit, and confirm their orders.
   • Employees can log in to manage orders and toppings.

3. Dynamic Web Interaction:

   • AJAX is used to fetch and display available crusts, sizes, and toppings without reloading the page.

4. Database Integration:

   • A MySQL database (pizzadb.sql) is used to manage customers, orders, and pizza configurations.

5. User Authentication:

   • Login and logout functionality for customers and employees.

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Technical Details

• Programming Languages: PHP, JavaScript
• Frontend: HTML, CSS, AJAX
• Backend: PHP with modular includes for functionality
• Database: MySQL (schema provided in pizzadb.sql)
• Key Files:
  • index.php: Main landing page.
  • cart.php: Displays the current cart items.
  • checkout.php: Checkout process for customers.
  • order_summary.php: Summary of placed orders.
  • api/: AJAX endpoints for fetching crusts, sizes, and toppings.
  • employee/: Pages for employees to manage orders and toppings.
  • includes/: Reusable PHP scripts for database connections, orders, and other utilities.
  • styles/custom.css: Custom CSS for styling the application.

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How to Run

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/RicoRF/PHPProject.git

2. Set up the database:

   • Import the pizzadb.sql file into your MySQL server.

3. Configure database connection:

   • Update the includes/conn.php file with your database credentials.

4. Launch the application:

   • Place the files in a PHP-compatible server (e.g., XAMPP, WAMP, or a live server).
   • Access the application via http://localhost/<project-folder>.

5. Explore features:

   • Customize and order pizzas as a customer.
   • Log in as an employee to manage orders and toppings.

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Lessons Learned

1. AJAX Integration:

   • Learned to update the frontend dynamically without full-page reloads.

2. Database Design:

   • Designed and implemented a normalized database schema for managing dynamic content.

3. Modular Development:

   • Built reusable PHP modules for common functionality like database connections and user management.

4. Web Application Workflow:

   • Gained experience in the end-to-end workflow of a dynamic web application.

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Future Enhancements

• Implement user authentication for customers with registration.
• Add an analytics dashboard for employees to track order statistics.
• Improve UI/UX with modern JavaScript frameworks like Vue.js or React.
• Integrate payment gateways for online payments.

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This project demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of web development using PHP and AJAX, combining server-side scripting with client-side interactivity for a rich user experience.