Craigslist Alerts

Project Overview

This project is a web application that allows users to create and manage alerts for new Craigslist posts based on specified criteria. Users can configure alerts by selecting a location, category, and page, as well as defining keyword filters, price ranges, and whether the post includes images.

The system consists of two main components:

• Web Application - Built for users to manage alerts, update preferences, and receive email notifications.
• Web Scraper - A Python-based scraper that periodically checks Craigslist for new posts matching user-defined criteria and triggers email notifications.

The project demonstrates full-stack development skills, including backend logic for scheduling and managing alerts, a user-friendly interface for configuration, and efficient web scraping techniques for data retrieval and automation.

Tools Used

Project Details

• Developed the application using Laravel with Blade templates for server-side rendering.
• Implemented user interactivity using Alpine.js for a dynamic and responsive experience.
• Designed the front-end with Tailwind CSS for a clean and modern UI.
• Built a backend CMS to manage user accounts, alert settings, and retrieved listings archive.
• Designed and developed a Craigslist-specific web scraper in Python to fetch and process listings.
• Created a REST API to allow integration with potential mobile applications.
• Implemented unit, feature, and API endpoint tests to ensure application reliability.
• Designed a scheduling system to periodically trigger web scraping and send alerts.
• Integrated an email notification system to alert users of new matching listings.
• Implemented data storage and indexing for efficient retrieval of historical search results.
• Optimized the scraper for performance and rate-limiting compliance with Craigslist.
• Ensured security best practices, including input validation and user authentication.
• Deployed the application to a production environment with automated deployment workflows.