Admin Code Refactoring: 2024 - 2025 Readability and Maintainability

[palisadoes]

In the past 12 months we have added many new features to the repository. This has made Talawa much more usable.

Last year we improved the installation procedures with better setup scripts, videos and text documentation. This has made it much easier for new contributors to get started, but we can do more. We are close to completing our code base auto generated documentation process which will help too.

We will soon be ready for our first alpha testers.

In preparation for this we should start thinking about ways to refactor the code to make it more maintainable and readable for both new and existing contributors.

How can we refactor our code base to do this?

[pranshugupta54]

1) Making Screens Look the Same:

Let's make all our screens consistent by using common parts more often. Right now, everyone is making their own input fields, dropdowns, and date pickers. We should start by creating parts that can be used over and over again, even if it's just a basic input box. Then, we'll use these parts on all our screens to make them look the same.

2) Easier Installation with Videos:

We can make it easier for people to install our stuff by making videos. These videos will show each step of installing our files on a computer. We'll use a tool called Loom to record these videos. This way, new people can follow along easily, from typing commands to setting things up.

3) Adding Comments to Code:

Right now, not all our code files have comments. Comments are like notes that explain what the code does. We need to add them to every part of our code, especially at the beginning of each file. This will help everyone understand how things work and make it easier to work together.

4) Organizing Our Files Better:

We need to tidy up how we bring in pictures and other things into our code. Right now, we import them one by one from different places. It would be smarter to gather all these things into one place, like a big list. Then, we can import everything together. This will make our code neater and easier to manage.

5) Describing Our Screens in Detail:

We have a set number of screens in our project. It would be helpful to describe each screen in detail in our documentation. This means writing down what each screen does and what features it has. Adding screenshots or videos describing each feature will also make it easier for everyone to understand how to use them.