Project Description

The "News Aggregator" project aims to develop an API that aggregates news articles from various sources and presents them to users in a unified, customizable feed. This API will allow users to create accounts, customize their news feeds based on their interests, and share articles with friends. By providing a centralized location for diverse news content, this API will help users stay informed and engaged with the latest news.

Detailed Description

In an age where information is abundant but often scattered across numerous platforms, a news aggregator can provide significant value by consolidating news from various sources into one accessible location. This project will create an API that not only delivers a seamless user experience for accessing news but also allows for customization and social sharing. Here’s a detailed look at how users will interact with the app:

User Registration and Authentication:
- Sign Up: New users can create an account by providing a username, email, and password. A confirmation email will be sent to verify the account.
- Login: Registered users can log in using their email and password. For added security, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will be supported.
News Feed Customization:
- Select Interests: Users can choose their interests (e.g., technology, sports, politics) during sign-up or from their profile settings. This will help tailor the news feed to display relevant articles.
- Preferred Sources: Users can select their preferred news sources. The API will aggregate news from these sources primarily while still providing a mix from other sources for diversity.
- Keyword Filters: Users can set up keyword filters to include or exclude articles containing specific terms.
Browsing and Reading News:
- Unified News Feed: Users will see a unified news feed with articles from their selected sources and categories. Each article will include the headline, source, publication date, a brief summary, and a link to the full article.
- Article Details: Users can click on an article to view more details, including the full summary, author information, and related articles.
Social Features:
- Share Articles: Users can share articles with friends via email, social media, or direct messaging within the app.
- Save Articles: Users can save articles to read later. These articles will be stored in a "Saved Articles" section.
- Comments and Discussions: Users can comment on articles and participate in discussions with other users.
Notifications and Alerts:
- Breaking News Alerts: Users can opt to receive notifications for breaking news in their selected categories.
- Daily Digest: Users can receive a daily digest of top articles based on their interests.

Real-World Example

Imagine Alex, who is a tech enthusiast and wants to stay updated with the latest technology news. Alex signs up for an account on the news aggregator app using his email and sets his interests to technology, startups, and science. He also selects his preferred sources, including TechCrunch, Wired, and The Verge.

Every morning, Alex logs in to check his personalized news feed, which is filled with articles about the latest tech trends, product launches, and scientific discoveries. He comes across an interesting article about a new startup that is revolutionizing AI. He reads the summary and decides to save it to read in detail later.

Alex finds the article insightful and shares it with his friend via the app's direct messaging feature. Later in the day, he receives a notification about a breaking news article regarding a major tech acquisition, keeping him informed in real-time.

1. Introduction

The "News Aggregator" project aims to develop an API that consolidates news articles from various sources into a single, customizable feed. Users will be able to create accounts, customize their news feeds, and share articles with friends, providing a seamless experience for accessing and interacting with news content.

2. Objectives

Allow users to sign up, log in, and manage their accounts.
Enable users to customize their news feeds based on interests and preferred sources.
Provide a unified feed of news articles from diverse sources.
Support social features like sharing, saving, and commenting on articles.
Send notifications for breaking news and daily digests.

3. Functional Requirements

User Management

Sign Up: Users can create an account by providing a username, email, and password.
Login: Users can log in using their email and password.
Profile Management: Users can update their profile information and preferences.

News Feed Customization

Select Interests: Users can choose their interests to tailor their news feed.
Preferred Sources: Users can select preferred news sources.
Keyword Filters: Users can set up keyword filters for their news feed.

Browsing and Reading News

Unified News Feed: Users can view a unified feed of articles.
Article Details: Users can view detailed information about each article.

Social Features

Share Articles: Users can share articles with friends.
Save Articles: Users can save articles for later reading.
Comments and Discussions: Users can comment on articles and participate in discussions.

Notifications and Alerts

Breaking News Alerts: Users receive notifications for breaking news.
Daily Digest: Users receive a daily digest of top articles.

4. Non-Functional Requirements

Scalability: The API should handle a growing number of users and articles.
Performance: The API should have a fast response time and handle concurrent requests efficiently.
Security: Implement authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect user data.
Reliability: The API should be highly available and handle failures gracefully.
Usability: The API should be easy to use and well-documented.

5. Use Cases

User Sign Up and Login: New users sign up and existing users log in.
Customize News Feed: Users customize their news feed based on interests and sources.
View Unified News Feed: Users view a feed of aggregated news articles.
Read and Share Articles: Users read and share articles with friends.
Save Articles: Users save articles for later reading.
Receive Notifications: Users receive notifications for breaking news and daily digests.

6. User Stories

As a user, I want to sign up for an account so that I can customize my news feed.
As a user, I want to log in to my account so that I can access my personalized news feed.
As a user, I want to set my interests so that the news feed displays relevant articles.
As a user, I want to select preferred sources so that I see news from my favorite sites.
As a user, I want to set keyword filters so that I can include or exclude specific topics.
As a user, I want to view a unified news feed so that I can see all articles in one place.
As a user, I want to read detailed information about articles so that I am well-informed.
As a user, I want to share articles with friends so that I can discuss interesting news.
As a user, I want to save articles so that I can read them later.
As a user, I want to comment on articles so that I can engage in discussions.
As a user, I want to receive breaking news alerts so that I stay updated on important events.
As a user, I want to receive a daily digest so that I can catch up on top news.

7. Technical Requirements

Programming Language: Choose an appropriate backend language (e.g., Node.js, Python, Ruby).
Database: Use a database to store user data, preferences, and aggregated articles (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB).
Authentication: Implement JWT for secure user authentication.
News Data Source: Integrate with reliable news data providers (e.g., NewsAPI, RSS feeds).
API Documentation: Use Swagger or similar tools for API documentation.

8. API Endpoints

User Management

POST /signup: Register a new user.
POST /login: Authenticate a user.
GET /profile: Get user profile details.
PUT /profile: Update user profile.

News Feed Customization

POST /preferences/interests: Set user interests.
POST /preferences/sources: Set preferred news sources.
POST /preferences/keywords: Set keyword filters.

News Articles

GET /news: Retrieve aggregated news articles.
GET /news/{id}: Retrieve details of a specific article.

Social Features

POST /share: Share an article with friends.
POST /save: Save an article for later reading.
POST /comments: Comment on an article.
GET /comments/{article_id}: Retrieve comments for an article.

Notifications and Alerts

POST /notifications/breaking: Set breaking news alerts.
POST /notifications/daily: Set daily digest preferences.

9. Security

Use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit.
Implement input validation and sanitization to prevent SQL injection and XSS attacks.
Use strong password hashing algorithms like bcrypt.

10. Performance

Implement caching strategies to improve response times.
Optimize database queries to handle large datasets efficiently.
Use load balancing to distribute traffic evenly across servers.

11. Documentation

Provide comprehensive API documentation using tools like Swagger.
Create user guides and developer documentation to assist with integration and usage.

12. Glossary

API: Application Programming Interface.
JWT: JSON Web Token.
RSS: Really Simple Syndication.
CRUD: Create, Read, Update, Delete.
MFA: Multi-Factor Authentication.

13. Appendix

Include any relevant diagrams, data models, and additional references.

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