PathFinder – Smart Internship Management System (Backend)

Project Overview

PathFinder is a cloud-based Smart Internship Management System developed to connect students, companies, and administrators through a centralized internship management platform.

This repository contains the backend REST API developed using ASP.NET Core Web API. The system implements secure authentication, role-based authorization, automated CI/CD pipelines, and cloud deployment using modern DevOps practices.

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System Architecture

Frontend (React – Vercel)
        ↓
Backend API (.NET Web API – Docker Container)
        ↓
Azure Web App (Cloud Hosting)
        ↓
Azure SQL Database

CI/CD Workflow:
Developer → GitHub → GitHub Actions → Docker → Docker Hub → Azure Web App → Live Application

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Technology Stack

Category	Technology
Backend Framework	ASP.NET Core Web API (.NET 8)
Programming Language	C#
Authentication	JWT Authentication
Password Security	BCrypt
Database	Azure SQL Database
Containerization	Docker
CI/CD	GitHub Actions
Container Registry	Docker Hub
Cloud Platform	Microsoft Azure
API Documentation	Swagger

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Repository Structure

PATHFINDER_BACKEND/
│
├── .github/
│   └── workflows/
│
├── bin/
├── obj/
│
├── Controllers/
├── Data/
├── Databases/
├── DTOs/
├── Models/
├── Repositories/
├── Services/
├── Properties/
│
├── .dockerignore
├── .gitignore
├── appsettings.json
├── docker-compose.yml
├── Dockerfile
│
├── PathFinder_Backend.sln
├── PathFinderBackend.csproj
├── PathFinderBackend.http
├── Program.cs
│
└── README.md

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Branch Strategy

Branch	Purpose
main	Production deployment
develop	Integration testing
QA	Testing
devops	CI/CD configuration

This branching strategy ensures controlled development and stable releases.

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Local Development Setup

Prerequisites

• .NET SDK 8+
• Docker Desktop
• Git
• Azure SQL Database access

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Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/Jenitha23/PathFinder_Backend.git
cd PathFinder_Backend
Run Application (Without Docker)
dotnet restore
dotnet build
dotnet run

Application URL: http://localhost:5249

Swagger Documentation: http://localhost:5249/swagger

Environment Configuration Sensitive credentials are managed using environment variables.

Configure locally or in Azure Web App:

• ConnectionStrings__DefaultConnection=
• Jwt__Key=
• Jwt__Issuer=PathFinder
• Jwt__Audience=PathFinderUsers

Docker Containerization Build Docker Image

docker build -t pathfinder-backend .

Run Docker Container

docker run -p 8080:8080 pathfinder-backend

Docker ensures consistent environments across development, testing, and production.

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CI/CD Pipeline (GitHub Actions)

Continuous Integration (CI)

  Triggered on code push:
  - Source checkout
  - Build validation
  - Unit testing
  - Docker image build

Continuous Deployment (CD)

  Triggered when code is merged into main branch:
  - Docker image built automatically
  - Image pushed to Docker Hub
  - Azure Web App pulls latest container
  - Backend redeployed automatically

Pipeline location:

  - .github/workflows/

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Cloud Deployment

Backend Hosting

• Azure Web App (Container-based deployment)
• Docker Hub stores versioned images

Database

• Azure SQL Database with secure connectivity

Security Implementation

• JWT-based authentication
• Role-based authorization (ADMIN / STUDENT / COMPANY)
• BCrypt password hashing

GitHub Secrets for credentials

• Secure environment variable management
• No sensitive data stored in source code

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API Documentation

• Swagger UI: "https://pathfinder-fqgwf0e6bvc2cmbq.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net/swagger"

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Contributors: PathFinder Development Team