Skip to content

PixTrail Development Guide

This section provides information for developers who want to understand, modify, or extend PixTrail. It covers the architecture, module structure, and best practices for development.

Architecture Overview

PixTrail uses a modular architecture designed for:

  • Maintainability: Separate modules with clear responsibilities
  • Extensibility: Easy to add new features without modifying core code
  • Reusability: Common utilities shared across features
  • Testability: Isolated components that can be tested individually

For a detailed overview of the architecture, see the Architecture Document.

Module Structure

The JavaScript code is organized into a hierarchy of modules:

  • Main Application (main.js) - Application entry point and controller
  • API Client (api/apiClient.js) - Server communication
  • Feature Modules (modules/*.js) - Encapsulated feature implementations
  • Utility Functions (utils/*.js) - Shared helper functions

The Module Structure document provides detailed information on how these modules are organized and interact.

CSS Architecture

Similarly, the CSS is organized into modular components:

  • Base Styles - Reset, typography, and variables
  • Layout Styles - Page structure and grid system
  • Module Styles - Component-specific styles

Learn more in the CSS Architecture document.

Development Workflow

Setting Up a Development Environment

  1. Clone the repository
  2. Install dependencies
  3. Start the development server
  4. Make changes
  5. Test your changes
  6. Submit a pull request

Testing

All code should be tested before submission. See the Testing Guide for details on how to test your changes.

Documentation

When adding new features or modifying existing ones, be sure to update the relevant documentation. Documentation should be kept in sync with the code.

Extending PixTrail

Adding New Features

New features should be implemented as modules that integrate with the existing architecture. The Extending Modules Tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to creating new modules.

Modifying Existing Features

When modifying existing features, follow these guidelines:

  1. Understand the current implementation
  2. Make minimal changes to achieve your goal
  3. Maintain backward compatibility where possible
  4. Update tests and documentation

Creating Custom Themes

PixTrail uses CSS variables for theming. To create a custom theme:

  1. Create a new CSS file with your variable definitions
  2. Include it after the main CSS file
  3. Override the desired variables

Common Development Tasks

Working with GPS Data

GPS data is handled by the gpsUtils.js module, which provides functions for:

  • Converting between coordinate formats
  • Calculating distances and speeds
  • Validating coordinates
  • Computing route statistics

Processing Photos

Photos are processed using the exifReader.js module, which extracts EXIF metadata from images.

Map Visualization

The map visualization is handled by the mapVisualization.js module, which wraps Leaflet.js functionality.

Best Practices

  • Module Design: Follow the single responsibility principle
  • Dependencies: Explicitly declare dependencies via imports
  • State Management: Keep state within modules when possible
  • Error Handling: Gracefully handle errors and edge cases
  • Performance: Consider performance implications, especially for large data sets
  • Accessibility: Ensure UI components are accessible
  • Browser Compatibility: Test in different browsers and devices

Getting Help

If you have questions about development, check the following resources:

For specific development questions, open an issue on the GitHub repository.