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Kevin Lopez
4,179 PointsNot sure what to learn for the project that I want to make.
Hi everyone my name is Kevin I am a student that works for a job center office in my university and I want to make a desktop application that stores data of other students who visit the office and that later I can use an id to look up the student information in the app.
I would also like this information to be on the cloud so that other job centers in a nearby town can use it (they would also use the app after its finished).
My question is what tracks should I take to learn so that i can get closer to having the knowledge of making the app.
By the way excuse me if something didn't make sense, English is not my primary language.
2 Answers
Greg Kaleka
39,021 PointsHi Kevin,
There is almost no content here on Treehouse that would help you build a desktop application. However, I'm not sure that's the best solution for what you want anyway, so you may still be in luck 
An easier way to build what you're describing - especially if you want multiple users to be able to access all the data remotely - would be to build a web app, rather than a desktop app. That way anyone with a web browser could access the application. Even if you built a desktop app, you would need a web-based database and to build a web app API for your desktop apps to consume.
So, a web app is the way to go IMO, and so now you have a decision to make: language and framework. You've got three main options:
- Ruby + Rails
- PHP + Laravel
- Python + Django or Flask
Unfortunately, Treehouse doesn't have much Laravel content, so if you go that route, I would suggest checking out Laracasts.com. Actually, the from scratch series is really good and free.
I haven't done much with Ruby on Rails, so I can't give you much of an endorsement either way.
Treehouse's Python teacher, Kenneth, is great, and the Python and Django/Flask content here is great. I would say Python + Flask is probably the most approachable of any of the options, but others may disagree. I actually don't have any experience with Flask, so I'm just going off my general impressions. Django is a great framework, but definitely has some complexity to it.
Hope that's helpful! Let me know what other questions you have.
Cheers
-Greg
Ari Misha
19,323 PointsHiya there! This application sounds like all other standard applications for web or Desktop or mobile. In order to store information or retrieving or manipulating data, you're gonna have to learn Databases. Learn SQL database in order to interact with a database. As far as Desktop application goes, you need to learn Java or you can learn JavaScript and turn to Electron which helps ya making Desktop applications. Good luck! (:
Kevin Lopez
4,179 PointsHi Ari,
I might try to builld a web application with python + flask and I am learning SQL right now too. Thanks alot for the response, wish me luck!
Kevin Lopez
4,179 PointsKevin Lopez
4,179 PointsHi Greg,
Thanks alot for the response! I actually have some basic knowledge of python and I am currently taking the front end web development track. So i might go the python + flask route and try to finish the current track i am in right now.
Again thanks alot for the fast response I am going to try it out!
Greg Kaleka
39,021 PointsGreg Kaleka
39,021 PointsPerfect - yeah the Learn Flask or Learn Django tracks would be perfect for you then (you could actually complete both if you wanted - there's a ton of overlap).
Good luck!