Journaling App

Overview

The Journaling App is an Android application that allows users to add, update, view, and delete journal entries. Users can record their thoughts or memories and view them in a clean, user-friendly interface. This app follows material design principles and has been tested with unit tests.

Features

• Add, edit, and delete journal entries.
• View an overview of all journal entries.
• Detailed view of each entry, truncated content in list view.
• Supports modern Android practices (e.g., RecyclerView, AppCompatActivity).
• Includes unit testing for core functionality.

Prerequisites

Before testing, building, or deploying the app, ensure that you have the following installed:

• Android Studio (latest version recommended)
• Gradle (Android Studio handles this automatically, but ensure it is properly configured)
• A minimum Android SDK version of 21 (Lollipop)
• A target SDK version of 34 (Android 13)
• Java SDK 11 or higher

Getting Started

To get started with the project, follow these steps:

1. Clone the Repository

Clone the GitHub repository to your local machine:

git clone https://github.com/duersjefen/journaling-app.git

2. Open in Android Studio

1. Open Android Studio.
2. Click on File > Open.
3. Select the root folder of the cloned repository.
4. Android Studio will automatically build the project. If any errors appear, click Sync Now if required.

3. Build the Project

• After syncing, go to Build > Make Project or click the hammer icon in Android Studio. This will compile the code and check for any build issues.
• Ensure that the required libraries and dependencies (such as RecyclerView) are downloaded and included in the build.

4. Running the App on an Emulator or Device

• Connect an Android device or configure an emulator (Android Studio includes built-in emulator support).
• Go to Run > Run 'app' or press the green play button. Android Studio will build and install the app on the selected device or emulator.
• Make sure the device or emulator is running an Android version supported by the app (API Level 21 or higher).

5. Running Unit Tests

This project includes unit tests for key functionality (like adding, editing, and deleting journal entries). To run the tests:

1. In Android Studio, navigate to the test directory (app/src/test/java/com/example/journalingapp/).
2. Right-click on a test class (e.g., JournalAdapterTest or MainActivityTest) and select Run 'TestName'.
3. Ensure that all tests pass.

To run all tests:

• Go to the terminal in Android Studio and run:

  ./gradlew test

6. Debugging

If you encounter any issues during testing or running the app:

• Use the Logcat tool in Android Studio to view logs and error messages.
• Use breakpoints for step-by-step debugging.

Deployment

To build a signed APK for deployment:

1. In Android Studio, go to Build > Generate Signed Bundle / APK.
2. Select APK and follow the instructions to create a new signing key if needed.
3. Once the APK is generated, you can distribute it via email, upload it to Google Play, or sideload it onto an Android device.

Folder Structure

The key components of the project are organized as follows:

├── app/src/main/java/com/example/journalingapp/
│   ├── AddEntryActivity.kt       # Handles adding and editing journal entries
│   ├── JournalAdapter.kt         # Adapter for RecyclerView to display journal entries
│   ├── JournalEntry.kt           # Data class representing each journal entry
│   ├── MainActivity.kt           # Main activity with list and button to add entries
│
├── app/src/main/res/layout/      # Layout XML files for app activities and components
│   ├── activity_main.xml         # Layout for main activity
│   ├── activity_add_entry.xml    # Layout for adding/editing entries
│   ├── item_journal_entry.xml    # Layout for individual journal list item
│
├── app/src/test/java/com/example/journalingapp/
│   ├── JournalAdapterTest.kt     # Unit tests for the JournalAdapter
│   ├── MainActivityTest.kt       # Unit tests for MainActivity interactions
│
├── app/build.gradle              # Gradle build configuration
├── settings.gradle               # Gradle settings file
└── README.md                     # Project documentation