Υλοποίηση μίας διαδραστικής ιστοσελίδας με γεωγραφικές τοποθεσίες για ιδιοκτήτες οικόσιτων ζώων συντροφιάς
Implementation of an interactive website with geographic locations for pet owners
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Keywords
Διαδραστική ιστοσελίδα ; Ιδιοκτήτες κατοικιδίων ; Γεωγραφικές τοποθεσίες ; Οικόσιτα ζώα συντροφιάςAbstract
This thesis focuses on the design and implementation of an interactive website tailored to the needs of pet owners. Its main objective is to provide geographic information on locations related to pet entertainment and care. Some examples include veterinary clinics, dog parks, pet grooming and food stores, as well as user-generated geographic markers for important points of interest (e.g., danger zones, search zones for lost animals).
This implementation aims to fill a significant gap. Existing solutions, such as general maps or geolocation applications, do not offer specialized information and tools for pet owners. However, through this website/application, users will be able to navigate news and updates exclusively related to pet welfare, track their location in real time, and receive personalized recommendations for points of interest for their pets, regardless of their distance. Additionally, users will have the ability to add or update their own locations, thereby creating a collaborative database that may better reflect real-world data.
From a technological perspective, the implementation relies on modern web development methods, utilizing the React JavaScript framework for the frontend, Node.js/Express for the backend server, and MongoDB for data storage. This approach ensures fast response times and scalability while also providing a user-friendly environment for both end-users and developers. Moreover, with the help of Node Package Manager (npm), specialized libraries are integrated to facilitate the structured and efficient development of the frontend, backend, and mapping functionalities. Specifically, the latter enables the creation of polygons or the use of marker clustering techniques so that locations are displayed in a clear and user-friendly manner. Additionally, a Progressive Web Application (PWA) version has been implemented using a Service Worker, allowing for offline functionality by retrieving data from local GeoJSON files, at least for Greece.
In this thesis, we examine existing systems and their shortcomings, the design of this new system through UML diagrams and functional specifications, and then proceed with a detailed description of the implementation and the technologies used. The functionality of the application is presented through usage examples and screenshots, followed by conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the application and its prospects for further development. In the future, we could add more features (e.g., a forum, personalized pet profiles, automated notifications, etc.) or enhance existing ones to further enrich the platform’s capabilities and contribute to the continuous improvement of the pet owners' experience.