GainIt

Collaborative platform connecting Gainers (developers), Mentors, and Nonprofits to build meaningful software. Backend is an ASP.NET Core (.NET 8) Web API with GitHub integration, task management, and realtime notifications.

Overview

• API layer in backend/GainIt/GainIt.API
• Business logic via Services/*
• Data access with EF Core via Data/GainItDbContext.cs
• Domain entities in Models/*
• Contracts in DTOs/*

Full documentation lives in Documentation.

Tech Stack

• .NET 8, ASP.NET Core Web API
• Entity Framework Core (PostgreSQL via Npgsql), EF Core Migrations
• SignalR, Serilog
• OpenAPI/Swagger (Swashbuckle)
• Authentication/Authorization: Microsoft Identity Platform (JWT Bearer), authorization policies
• Logging/Monitoring: Serilog (console/file) and structured logging; Application Insights (optional)
• Health checks: ASP.NET Core HealthChecks (DB, SignalR)
• Configuration: Options pattern (AzureStorage, AzureSearch, OpenAI, JoinRequest)
• Integrations: GitHub REST API, Azure Communication Services, Azure Blob Storage

Setup

• 1. Prereqs: .NET 8 SDK, PostgreSQL
• 2. Restore tools and packages:
  • dotnet restore
  • If needed: dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef
• 3. Trust HTTPS dev cert (first time on this machine):
  • dotnet dev-certs https --trust
• 4. Configure environment (before migrate/run):
  • ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
  • ConnectionStrings__Default=Host=<host>;Database=<db>;Username=<user>;Password=<pass>
  • Optional (only if used in your flows):
    • AzureStorage__ConnectionString=...
    • AzureSearch__Endpoint=..., AzureSearch__ApiKey=...
    • OpenAI__ApiKey=...
    • JoinRequest__...
• 5. Apply DB:
  • cd backend/GainIt/GainIt.API && dotnet ef database update
• 6. Run API:
  • dotnet run
• 7. Swagger:
  • Default: https://localhost:7001/swagger (verify actual port in backend/GainIt/GainIt.API/Properties/launchSettings.json)

Run

• Local: cd backend/GainIt/GainIt.API && dotnet run
• Production: see CI/CD and appsettings; configure env vars and connection strings

Contributing

• Branch: feature/, fix/
• PRs with description and screenshots for API changes
• Follow coding standards and add XML docs where relevant

Links

• Backend docs: Documentation