The "Tip Calculator API" project involves developing a simple API that calculates the tip amount based on the total bill, tip percentage, and number of people splitting the bill. The API will accept input parameters (total bill amount, tip percentage, and number of people) and return the calculated tip, the total bill including tip, and the amount each person should pay when splitting the bill. The focus is on creating a lightweight, fast, and reliable API that can be integrated into web and mobile applications.
Detailed Description
Tipping is a common practice in many cultures, and calculating the appropriate tip amount can sometimes be confusing, especially when the bill is split between multiple people. This project aims to create an API that simplifies tip calculation by taking in relevant inputs (total bill, tip percentage, and number of people) and returning the final values in a user-friendly format. The API will be designed for easy integration into existing applications, providing accurate and quick calculations for end-users.
Here’s a detailed look at how the API will work:
Input Parameters:
Total Bill: The total amount of the bill (e.g., $100).
Tip Percentage: The percentage of the bill to be given as a tip (e.g., 15%).
Number of People: The number of people sharing the bill (e.g., 3). If not provided, the default is 1.
Output Values:
Total Tip: The total amount of the tip is based on the tip percentage and the bill amount.
Total Amount: The total bill amount including the tip.
Amount Per Person: The amount each person needs to pay if the bill is split equally among the given number of people.
Optional Features:
Custom Tip Percentage: Allow users to input any custom tip percentage.
Rounding Options: Provide an option to round the total or per-person amounts to the nearest whole number or decimal.
Example Usage
Consider a user named Jane who goes out for dinner with two friends. The total bill is $120, and they decide to tip 18%. Jane inputs the total bill, selects an 18% tip, and indicates that three people are splitting the bill. The API responds with the following values:
Total Tip: $21.60
Total Amount (including tip): $141.60
Amount per person: $47.20
Jane can then easily split the bill with her friends.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
The "Tip Calculator API" project will provide a simple, easy-to-use API that calculates tip amounts based on a provided bill total, tip percentage, and number of people splitting the bill. The API will return the total tip amount, total bill (including tip), and amount per person when applicable. It will be designed for quick, accurate calculations, and suitable for integration into web and mobile applications.
2. Objectives
Provide an easy-to-use API for calculating tip amounts.
Accept input values such as total bill, tip percentage, and number of people.
Return the total tip, the total bill (including tip), and the amount per person for easy splitting.
Ensure fast response times and accurate calculations.
Enable simple integration into other applications (web, mobile, etc.).
3. Functional Requirements
Input Parameters
Total Bill: The total amount of the bill (required).
Tip Percentage: The percentage of the bill to be given as a tip (required, default: 15%).
Number of People: The number of people splitting the bill (optional, default: 1).
Output Values
Total Tip: The total amount of the tip.
Total Amount: The total bill amount, including the tip.
Amount Per Person: The amount each person must pay if the bill is split.
Optional Features
Custom Tip Percentage: Accept custom tip percentages beyond standard values.
Rounding Options: Provide an option to round the total and per-person amounts to the nearest whole number or decimal point.
4. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability: The API should handle increasing numbers of requests with consistent performance.
Performance: Ensure that all calculations are done in under 100ms, with fast response times to user queries.
Usability: Provide clear and concise documentation, making it easy for developers to integrate the API into their applications.
Reliability: The API must ensure accurate tip and total calculations.
5. Use Cases
Calculate Total Tip and Split Amount: A user inputs the bill amount, tip percentage, and number of people splitting the bill. The API returns the total tip, the total bill (including tip), and the amount each person should pay.
Default Tip Calculation: If the tip percentage or number of people is not provided, the API defaults to a 15% tip and assumes the bill is not being split.
6. User Stories
As a user, I want to quickly calculate how much to tip based on the total bill so that I know how much extra to pay.
As a user, I want to split the bill equally with friends and see the amount each person should contribute, including the tip.
As a developer, I want an API that I can easily integrate into my application to provide tipping functionality to users.
As a user, I want the ability to set a custom tip percentage, so I can control the amount of tip based on service quality.
As a user, I want the option to round up the total amount or per-person amount for simplicity in payment.
7. Technical Requirements
Programming Language: Use a backend language like Node.js, Python, or Ruby for building the API.
Framework: Use Express.js (Node.js), Flask (Python), or Rails (Ruby) to handle routing and API requests.
RESTful API: Ensure the API follows REST principles for consistency.
Input Validation: Validate all input values to ensure correct formats (e.g., numeric values for total bill and tip percentage).
JSON Response: Return responses in JSON format for easy parsing by front-end applications.
8. API Endpoints
Tip Calculation
Endpoint:
POST /api/tip-calculate
Default Calculation (with optional parameters)
Endpoint:
POST /api/tip-calculate
Error Handling
Invalid Input: If any required input (e.g.,
total_bill) is missing or invalid, the API should return an error message with details:
9. Security
HTTPS: Ensure all data is transmitted securely using HTTPS.
Input Validation: Validate all input to prevent malicious data, ensuring numbers are correctly formatted.
Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse of the API through excessive requests.
10. Performance
Low Latency: Ensure that the API can return results within 100ms for each request.
Caching: Implement caching for repeated calculations to reduce processing load.
Load Balancing: Use load balancing to handle high traffic and ensure the API remains responsive.
11. Documentation
Provide detailed API documentation using Swagger or a similar tool to make integration easy for developers.
Include examples of request bodies, response structures, and error handling.
12. Glossary
API: Application Programming Interface, which allows software to communicate with other applications.
JSON: JavaScript Object Notation, a lightweight format for data exchange.
HTTPS: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, used to secure data transferred over the web.
13. Appendix
Include flowcharts or diagrams to visually represent the API workflow and request/response lifecycle.
Let me know if you need any further modifications or additional details!
