Project Brief: StartinDE

Objective

This project is a modern, full-stack web application designed for an educational consultancy that specializes in helping Vietnamese students pursue their studies in Germany. The platform serves as a central hub for students, consultants, and administrators, streamlining the complex process of applying to German universities. It provides comprehensive information, facilitates communication, and manages applications, documents, and payments.

Technology Stack & Justification

The application is built on a robust and scalable technology stack, prioritizing developer experience and performance:

FRONTEND
Next.js (v16) with React (v19): A leading React framework for building server-rendered and statically generated web applications.
TypeScript: For static typing, improving code quality and maintainability.
Tailwind CSS (v4): A utility-first CSS framework for rapid UI development.
Radix UI: For high-quality, accessible UI components.
React Hook Form & Zod: For efficient and type-safe form management and validation.
BACKEND
Next.js API Routes: Serverless functions for handling API requests.
Prisma (v6): A next-generation ORM for Node.js and TypeScript, used for database access.
SQLite: As the database for development, with the flexibility to switch to a more robust database for production.
NextAuth.js (v4): For secure and flexible authentication.
Nodemailer: For sending emails (e.g., for email verification and notifications).
DEVELOPMENT & TOOLING
ESLint: For code linting and maintaining code quality.
tsx: For running TypeScript scripts, such as the Prisma seed script.
dotenv-cli: For managing environment variables.
PROJECT STRUCTURE
**The project follows a well-organized structure, separating concerns and promoting modularity:
**`src/app/`: The core of the Next.js application, with routing based on the directory structure.
**`(auth)/`: Authentication-related pages (login, register, forgot password).
**`(dashboard)/`: Protected routes for the admin and student dashboards.
**`api/`: API routes for server-side logic.
**`src/components/`: Reusable React components, organized by feature (dashboard, forms, home, layout, shared, ui).
**`src/lib/`: Utility functions and helper modules.
**`src/prisma/`: Prisma schema definition (`schema.prisma`) and database seed script (`seed.ts`).
**`src/data/`: Static data used throughout the application.
**`public/`: Static assets like images and fonts.

Operations inside dedicated dashboards

Administrators orchestrate admissions, payments, and communications inside a tailored control center, while students track progress, upload documents, and receive updates in their own workspace.

THE DASHBOARDS
The application features two distinct dashboards, each tailored to the needs of its users:
ADMIN DASHBOARD
Purpose: To provide administrators with a comprehensive overview and control over the entire platform.
Features:
Student Management: View, edit, and manage student profiles.
Application Management: Track and update the status of student applications.
University & Course Management: Add, edit, and remove university and course information.
Content Management: Manage blog posts and other website content.
Financials: View and manage payments.
Communication: Send messages to students and consultants.
STUDENT DASHBOARD
Purpose: To empower students with the tools and information they need to manage their study abroad journey.
Features:
Profile Management: Update personal information and academic profile.
University & Course Search: Explore and shortlist universities and courses.
Application Tracking: Monitor the status of their applications in real-time.
Document Upload: Securely upload and manage required documents.
Communication: Communicate with consultants and receive notifications.
Task Management: Keep track of important deadlines and tasks.