Azle-Based Forum Application

Introduction

This README provides an overview and usage guide for a forum application implemented using the azle framework for the Internet Computer. The application features functionality for creating and managing forums, threads, messages, and user profiles. Features

• Forum Management: Create and list forums, each with a unique identifier, name, and description.
• Thread Management: Create threads within forums and retrieve individual or all threads.
• Message Posting: Post messages in threads, including content, timestamp, and image URLs.
• User Profiles: Register users with avatars and roles (Regular User or Admin), and update user avatars.

Setup

• Install Dependencies: Ensure azle and other necessary packages are installed.
• Deploy Canister

Deploying the canister

To deploy the canister you should run:

1. dfx start - to run the Azle environment
2. dfx deploy - to deploy the canister and create a UI interface for it

API Overview

The application's API consists of two main parts:

Queries and Transactions.

Queries

• getForums(): Retrieves a list of all forums.
• getThreads(): Retrieves a list of all threads.
• getThread(threadId: Principal): Retrieves a specific thread by its ID.
• getThreadMessages(threadId: Principal): Retrieves messages in a specific thread.
• getUsers(): Retrieves a list of all users.
• getUser(userId: Principal): Retrieves a specific user by their ID.

Transactions

• createForum(name: text, description: text): Creates a new forum.
• createThread(name: text, description: text, forumId: Principal): Creates a new thread in a forum.
• createMessage(content: text, imageUrl: text, threadId: Principal): Posts a new message in a thread.
• register(name: text, avatar: text): Registers a new user.
• changeAvatar(avatar: text): Updates the avatar for the current user.

Usage:

It's recommended to use the UI that is generated when you deploy the canister using the dfx deploy command.

To post a message to a thread you need to have:

1. A registration
2. Created a forum
3. Created a thread
4. Post a message and pass the thread id to the createMessage method.

Error Handling

The application uses a robust error handling system to manage exceptions and provide meaningful error messages.

Conclusion

This forum application showcases the capabilities of the azle framework for building scalable and efficient applications on the Internet Computer. With its comprehensive set of features, it provides a solid foundation for community-driven discussions.

For more information and updates, visit the Azle Documentation.