[RFC]: Developer Dashboard for Tracking Ecosystem Build Failures

[spykelionel]

Full name

Ndi Lionel Afanyu

University status

No

University name

No response

University program

No response

Expected graduation

No response

Short biography

I am a 3+ years experienced Full Stack Developer with the ability to craft scalable, dynamic applications. My skills include expertise in React.js, TypeScript, Next.js, and Tailwind CSS for the frontend and Node.js, Python, and Laravel for the backend. I hold a record of delivering RESTful and GraphQL APIs, database performance optimization, and secure, responsive user interface deployment. My experience varies from freelance to volunteer work, and I'm eager to create smooth user experiences and efficient computer systems.

Timezone

UTC+1

Contact details

email: afanyulionel@gmail.com,github:spykelionel,linkedin:https://linkedin.com/in/ndilionel

Platform

Windows

Editor

I primarily use VSCode because of its extensive plugin ecosystem, integrated terminal, and ease of customization.

Programming experience

I have built numerous web and mobile applications using the latest frameworks. Some of the primary experiences are:

• Creating RESTful and GraphQL APIs using Node.js.
• Creating friendly frontends using React.js, Next.js, and Tailwind CSS.
• Refactored database queries and schemas for high data volume systems.
• Implementing performance optimization and security features across projects.

JavaScript experience

JavaScript Experience

I have built web and mobile applications that are cloud-based and published on stores such as the Play Store and App Store. My extensive knowledge of JavaScript and JSX has prepared me to collaborate with and assist large-scale, complex codebases and maintain them efficiently, scalably, and sustainably. I possess a robust grasp of asynchronous programming models like the event loop, Promises, and other core concepts which are the cornerstones of well-designed systems. I have further enriched my body of knowledge in TypeScript over the years, raising my ability to write type-safe and scalable code. I continuously learn to improve on what I already know. I also belong to several Javascript communities on Discord, and Telegram as well.

Some of the interesting projects that I've undertaken are:

• Learning Management Platform: A feature-rich web application designed to enrich learning experiences.
• E-commerce Applications: Applications developed for customers and vendors, delivering frictionless, high-speed user experiences.
• Open Source Contributions: Active contribution to a number of open-source JavaScript projects, showcasing my commitment to community-driven development and continuous improvement.

Node.js experience

Node.js Experience

I possess significant experience in creating scalable backend systems with Node.js. My work entails the design and implementation of secure APIs and integrating with NoSQL and SQL databases for efficient handling of data. I have further enhanced my skill set by using NestJS, which has familiarized me with a more structured and modular type of server-side development.

A few of my most prominent projects in my Node.js portfolio include:

• E-commerce Backend: This backend system built with NestJS manages high traffic with ease, offering maximum performance and reliability.
• Student Grading System: A feature-rich backend application constructed with NestJS that organizes student data and offers real-time grading functionality.

C/Fortran experience

I have foundational knowledge in C and have worked with other lower-level programming languages when necessary.

Interest in stdlib

I am most excited about stdlib because of its ambitious goal of enabling a big repository ecosystem. I appreciate that the project is committed to having a robust, scalable, and fault-tolerant infrastructure. Contributing to stdlib is an opportunity to contribute to influential tools that directly affect the reliability of a large-scale software ecosystem.

Version control

Yes

Contributions to stdlib

While I'm relatively new to actually contributing directly to stdlib, I have actively been participating in code review and discussions within other comparable open-source projects, and I am eager to provide good-quality pull requests to stdlib.

stdlib showcase

Page Views Time Series Analysis

Source Code

📊 Overview

This project visualizes simulated website page views over time using statistical distributions and data visualization techniques from the stdlib library. It demonstrates:

• Synthetic time-series data generation
• Statistical distribution modeling
• Outlier detection visualization
• Interactive HTML plotting

✨ Features

• Generates realistic page view data with normal distribution
• Models theoretical traffic patterns using Normal distribution
• Identifies anomalous traffic bursts
• Compares sample statistics with theoretical distribution properties
• Interactive HTML visualization with time-axis formatting

Goals

Abstract

The stdlib ecosystem encompasses over 3500 repositories whose health is critical to the integrity and performance of the entire project. Currently, as a backend database accumulates build results in real time, there is no dedicated tool for visualizing and analyzing the build statuses in real time. My proposal is to design a comprehensive Developer Dashboard for Tracking Ecosystem Build Failures. This dashboard will be an essential aid for developers with the offering of real-time monitoring, historical analysis, and rapid navigation to build artifacts. It will have a Node.js backend (querying a PostgreSQL database) and a modern, responsive frontend that takes advantage of cutting-edge web technologies such as ESBuild and Tailwind CSS.

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Motivation

Why I felt like pursuing this project is complicated. As a data enthusiast with a natural aptitude for data visualization, I enjoy taking complicated datasets and boiling them down into clear, actionable information. I believe that approachable, user-friendly presentation of data is a solution to everyday problems, and this project gives me the perfect opportunity to see that belief made real.

Secondly, the creative and dynamic open source community behind stdlib keeps stimulating me. The collaborative spirit, helpful feedback, and shared sense of excellence drive me to excel. My interest in open source culture, coupled with my passion for inclusive design and data visualization, is a perfect fit for this project as a means of personal and professional growth.

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Benefits to the Community

This project will significantly enhance the work process and efficiency of the stdlib development team by filling an important void: the lack of a centralized, interactive build status tracking dashboard. By providing:

• Real-Time Visibility: Developers can instantaneously identify and fix build failures in thousands of repositories, keeping downtime to a minimum and preventing cascading failures.
• Actionable Insights: Detailed drill-down views and historical analysis will enable the team to determine recurring issues, monitor trends, and optimize build processes.
• Improved Navigation: Easy links to repository artifacts and build resources will make debugging easier, saving valuable time and effort.
• Scalability and Extensibility: Modular design ensures that the dashboard will scale with stdlib, accommodating future capabilities and higher volumes of data.

The greater monitoring and accelerated debugging made possible by this dashboard will serve to improve the general stability and trustworthiness of the stdlib ecosystem directly.

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Personal Objectives

My personal objectives in the project are:

• Networking and Mentorship: Foster quality rapport with peers and mentors, thereby widening my professional network.
• Collaborative Innovation: Function in an innovative, idea-sharing environment by closely collaborating with experts.
• Professional Growth: Open myself up to more of the industry in the direction of seasoned professionals.
• Influenceful Solution Creating: Design a lovely, interesting dashboard that solves real-world problems—a truly energizing aspect of this project.
• Long-Term Commitment: I am excited about the project and intend to continue working on it even after the internship period, ensuring ongoing development and improvement.

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Deliverables

I anticipate delivering the following items as part of this project:

• Backend Service:

  • A Node.js service that talks to a PostgreSQL database to fetch and provide up-to-date build status information.
  • API endpoints that query and filter build results in a performance-efficient manner for consumption by the front end.

• Frontend Dashboard:

  • A sleek, responsive user interface build with ESBuild and Tailwind CSS, optimized for quick and user-friendly navigation.
  • Visual cues (e.g., color codes, graphs, and charts) to intuitively distinguish between successful builds and failures.

• Filtering and Drill-Down Features:

  • Robust filtering features that enable users to view build statuses based on repository, status, and other relevant metrics.
  • Rich views that supply historical information, error logs, and direct access to build artifacts.

• Performance and Alerting Mechanisms:

  • Optimizations for timely data refresh and optimal performance even with excessive build data.
  • Incorporation of alerting systems to alert developers of key build failures on occurrence.

• Testing, Documentation, and Iterative Improvements:

  • Exhaustive unit and integration tests, and correct installation, usage, and maintenance documentation.
  • Incremental releases based on continuous feedback from the stdlib community and mentors.

Design

I have a starter design file already at Figma

Note: This is just a starter design. This would be modified after the review
See screenshot below

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This proposal will deliver a critical tool that not only fills a current gap in the stdlib ecosystem but also enhances overall reliability and efficiency of development workflows. Through proactive build issue identification and resolution, this Developer Dashboard will be a cornerstone for guaranteeing world-class code across the entire repository network.

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Recommendation

My recommendation would be to design a comprehensive Developer Dashboard that tracks and graphically represents stdlib ecosystem build failures in real-time. With over 3500 repositories under management, even sporadic build failures have enormous cascading effects on project health in general. Now, the backend database successfully stores build outputs from such detached repositories but is without a specific interface for developers to explore, filter, and inspect such crucial information in real-time. The project will complete this void by providing an accessible, centralized dashboard to monitor build statuses, detect failures as and when they occur, and support quick debugging.

The project will include some vital components and aspects:

• Real-Time Data Integration:
  A backend will be implemented using Node.js to query a PostgreSQL database of build results. The service will consolidate and expose real-time build information, ensuring that developers receive the most up-to-date information possible at all times.

• Interactive Frontend Dashboard:
  A new, responsive frontend application will be built with technologies such as ESBuild and Tailwind CSS. The dashboard will display the status of each repository in a readable format, utilizing visual indicators (e.g., color-coded status, graphs) to highlight build successes and failures.

• Filtering and Drill-Down Capabilities:
  Developers will be able to filter the dashboard view by build status, repository, and other relevant criteria. More advanced features will involve drill-down views that offer historical data, complete error logs, and direct links to build artifacts, enabling deeper investigation of repeated issues.

• Efficient Navigation and Alerts:
  Fast navigation links will allow users to navigate directly from the dashboard to the corresponding repository or build artifact page. Additionally, the system will have alert mechanisms that will inform developers immediately when critical build failures are detected.

• Scalable and Extensible Design:
  With the extensive size of stdlib's universe, the dashboard will be designed to scale nicely with the size of repositories. Its modularity will allow new metrics and visualization tools to be added in the future easily, so that the solution can scale with the requirements of the project.

• Strong Testing and Iterative Development:
  As with any critical element, extensive testing will be a fundamental part of the development process. The project will include unit tests, integration tests, and real user testing to ensure performance and reliability. Iterative development methods will allow incremental feature deployment and continuous improvement based on developer feedback.

This project is fundamentally non-atomic—component works (e.g., a bare real-time view without sophisticated filtering or historical trends) will still be a worthwhile addition to the stdlib dev team. However, as the project progresses toward its latter phases, emphasis lies on an entirely functional dashboard that not only alerts on build breaks but also produces actionable points to improve overall ecosystem stability.

In summary, this proposal answers a critical need within the stdlib ecosystem by making proactive detection and resolution of build issues possible. By offering an effective, real-time monitoring instrument, the project can make the entire development process more stable, efficient, and reliable.

Why this project?

This project excites me as it addresses directly the valuable missing piece in the stdlib ecosystem—a centralized, real-time dashboard to see build failures for over 3500 repositories. The opportunity to build a tool that simplifies the development workflow, prevents cascading failures, and offers actionable data is both technically demanding and personally rewarding.

What motivated me to undertake this project is twofold. As a data enthusiast and a natural visualizer, I enjoy turning complex datasets into valuable, actionable insights. I firmly believe that open, clear presentation of data holds the key to solving real-world issues. Additionally, the vibrant and active open source community of stdlib with its interactive feedback and collaborative ethos motivates me to give my best. This project not only can make the life of a developer easier but also is a fantastic challenge in developing scalable, fault-tolerant, and easy-to-use systems that have a significant impact.

Qualifications

Qualifications

I possess a solid background as a full stack developer with strong hands-on experience in JavaScript, Node.js, and mainstream web frameworks. I have successfully developed and deployed large-scale web and mobile apps and deployed them on cloud hosts and on large app stores. My technical capabilities encompass:

• JavaScript & TypeScript: Solid understanding of asynchronous programming, the event loop, Promises, and emerging frameworks, enabling me to build quick, high-performance apps.
• Node.js & Backend Systems: Successful track record of building scalable APIs, supporting both SQL and NoSQL databases, and leveraging frameworks like NestJS for structured server-side development.
• Data Visualization: A strong enthusiasm for and capability to transform complex data sets into comprehensible, actionable visual insight, as attested by my work on many high-impact projects.

These skills, coupled with my active membership in open source groups and commitment to collaborative innovation, make me particularly well-positioned to execute this project.

Prior art

Several mature CI/CD platforms have had effective build monitoring dashboards that can serve as a valuable reference for this project:

• Travis CI:
  Travis CI offers a clean, user-friendly interface for real-time build monitoring and notifications. It does an excellent job of showing the status of builds across repos. More information can be found on their website.

• CircleCI:
  CircleCI has robust visualization features that enable developers to see issues immediately through detailed dashboards. Learn more about their solution at the CircleCI homepage.

• Jenkins:
  Jenkins is a widely used automation server with a high level of customization through plugins. The Build Monitor Plugin for Jenkins is a great example of how a build dashboard can provide real-time visibility into project health.

• GitLab CI/CD:
  GitLab's internal CI/CD pipeline offers dashboards that make the development process easier by offering an immediate overview of build statuses. More information is available in the GitLab CI/CD documentation.

• NPM Status Dashboard:
  For visualizing status of packages: Npm status dashboard

These examples not only demonstrate sound approaches to real-time build data monitoring and visualization but also provide insight into how a bespoke solution can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the stdlib ecosystem. Drawing inspiration from these industry-lead tools, the Developer Dashboard described in this proposal aims to incorporate best practices alongside innovative features to produce a highly successful solution.

Commitment

I plan to dedicate 20 hours a week over a period of 12 weeks in the Google Summer of Code initiative. As a recent university graduate now transitioning into freelancing, I've structured my schedule to prioritize this internship on my agenda. This commitment makes clear that I am ready to contribute towards meaningful professional growth and delivering a high-quality, effective project while still pursuing my ongoing freelance activities.

Schedule

Schedule

Below is a 12-week detailed plan of how I plan to execute the project, including expected deliverables and milestones:

• Community Bonding Period (3 Weeks):

  • Environment Setup: Establish the local development environment and initialize the project repository.
  • Documentation & Standards: Study the stdlib documentation thoroughly, understand community standards, and get familiar with the best practices of working with the repositories.

• Project Plan Refinement: Develop the project plan based on initial research and feedback from community discussions.

  • Engagement: Participate in community discussions to learn and get acquainted with mentors and peers.
  • Deliverable: A well-defined project plan, and a solid understanding of community documentation and guidelines.

• Week 1:

  • Setup: Initialize the project repository and organization.

• Backend Initialization: Set up the Node.js backend project and make the connection to the PostgreSQL database.

  • Deliverable: Initial project setup with a basic backend structure.

• Week 2:

  • API Development: Develop simple API endpoints to fetch real-time build data from the database.
  • Testing: Implement unit tests for the backend services.

• Deliverable: Functional API endpoints with initial testing and documentation.

• Week 3:

  • Frontend Kickoff: Begin setting up the frontend environment using ESBuild and Tailwind CSS.
  • Basic UI: Develop the initial dashboard UI that displays build statuses.
  • Integration: Connect the frontend to the backend API for fetching real-time data.
  • Deliverable: An integrated, basic dashboard interface.

• Week 4:

  • UI Enhancements: Polish frontend components and add basic filtering features.
  • Data Integration: Enhance the integration of the backend API and the dashboard.
  • Deliverable: A polished dashboard with filtering features and more responsive UI.

• Week 5:

  • Interactive Visualizations: Implement interactive visualization components (graphs and charts) to present build data.

• User Experience: Refine the UI for better usability.

  • Deliverable: A demonstrable dashboard with interactive visualizations.

• Week 6 (Midterm Evaluation):

  • Prototype Delivery: Submit a complete prototype with key features—real-time data rendering, filtering, and basic navigation.
  • Feedback Session: Conduct a midterm review with mentors to receive feedback and areas of improvement.

• Deliverable: Working prototype evaluated by mentors with feedback recorded.

• Week 7:

  • Feedback Implementation: Address feedback received from the midterm review.
  • Improved Navigation: Provide better navigation functionality for direct repository resource and build artifact access.
  • Deliverable: Updated dashboard with better navigation and data handling.

• Week 8:

• Drill-Down Functionality: Add drill-down functionality to facilitate detailed analysis of particular build failures.

  • Historical Data: Add views of past build data to track trends over time.
  • Deliverable: A dashboard offering real-time and historical views of build statuses.

• Week 9:

  • Testing & Optimization: Conduct extensive testing (unit, integration, and UI testing) to identify and fix bugs.

• Performance Tuning: Frontend and backend performance optimization for smooth real-time operations.

  • Deliverable: A stable and well-tested system for final polishing.

• Week 10:

  • Advanced Features: Finish advanced features such as real-time alert systems for critical build failures.
  • Documentation Drafting: Begin drafting detailed user and developer documentation.

• Deliverable: A nearly complete system with polished functionality and initial documentation.

• Week 11:

  • Code Freeze: Focus on finishing tests, resolving any outstanding issues, and refining documentation.
  • Deliverable: Feature-complete, stable code with complete documentation and test coverage.

• Week 12:

  • Final Polishing: Perform final bug fixes, performance optimization, and scrutinize the project in its entirety.

• Preparation for Submission: Complete presentation materials, including a demo and final project report.

  • Deliverable: Complete, fully functional dashboard ready for final submission.

• Final Week:

  • Submission: Submit the final project deliverables, including source code, documentation, test reports, and a demo.
  • Review: Participate in a post-project review session with mentors and the community.

• Deliverable: Final project submission and presentation.

This schedule enables a structured process with clear milestones, permitting iterative improvements and continuous feedback, leading to a robust, intuitive dashboard for the stdlib ecosystem. Weekly status updates will be provided to keep the mentors and community updated on progress.

Related issues

No response

Checklist

• I have read and understood the Code of Conduct.
• I have read and understood the application materials found in this repository.
• I understand that plagiarism will not be tolerated, and I have authored this application in my own words.
• I have read and understood the patch requirement which is necessary for my application to be considered for acceptance.
• I have read and understood the stdlib showcase requirement which is necessary for my application to be considered for acceptance.
• The issue name begins with [RFC]: and succinctly describes your proposal.
• I understand that, in order to apply to be a GSoC contributor, I must submit my final application to https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/ before the submission deadline.

[Planeshifter]

Thanks for your interest in stdlib and work on a proposal!

A few questions:

• You repeatedly highlight the real-time nature of the dashboard. Do you think this is required or could we get by with somewhat stale data?
• If applicable, how would you implement real-time updates in the dashboard? Would you use WebSockets, polling, etc.?
• Here is the current schema for the backend service that stores build results. How would you structure your queries to efficiently extract the required data? - How would you implement the filtering capabilities? Do you anticipate any issues with respect to the size of the data?
• What technologies were you planning to use for the developer dashboard?

[spykelionel]

Thanks for your honest feedback @Planeshifter

1. Real-time functionality is required by most parts of the dashboard, especially visualizing builds.

2. In this scenario, WebSockets is preferred over other mechanisms such as polling because it would be resource-intensive and less efficient. WebSockets have less overhead.

3. To ensure the efficiency of my structured query, I would:

   • Use proper joins between repositories and ensure appropriate indexing.
   • For filtering, I would use parameterized queries.
   • In the case of complex queries, I would build dynamic queries.
   • For large datasets (considering this might be the case), I would paginate the results.

4. For the technologies, I would have used React with JSX, TailwindCSS, and esbuild and typescript. After looking at the other repositories such as stdlib-js/code-coverage and stdlib-js/www, I noticed the utilization of babel. While babel is a good build tool, experience and statistics have proven esbuild to be much faster than babel in default environments. I am not an expert in build tools and am open to better suggestions regarding this. I would use Nodejs for the backend to maintain a consistent tech stack.

Thanks.
Lionel