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Erzana Muharremi
Erzana Muharremi

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From Design to Code — How We Started Building ITConnect

After weeks of planning, sketching, and changing our minds more than once — we finally did it:
We started building ITConnect.

It’s one thing to design your idea in Figma.
It’s something completely different to bring that design to life with real code.
That’s where the real learning began for us.

Week 1: Laying the Groundwork
Our first goal was clear:
-Build a solid foundation for everything that would come later.

So we focused on:

  • Creating the basic project layout

  • Designing the homepage, navigation, and footer

  • Setting up login for both job seekers and companies

  • Building the database structure

  • Uploading CVs and profile images securely

It was a lot. But also... very exciting.

What We Used (Our Stack)
We switched from modern JS frameworks and chose a simpler, solid approach using:

  • Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript

  • Backend: PHP

  • Database: MySQL (via phpMyAdmin)

We wanted our codebase to be clear, functional, and future-friendly.

👩‍💻 Our Team of Three
We’re proud to say we split responsibilities clearly:

Sumea → backend logic & database

Erzana → frontend & layout from Figma

Isme → authentication & security

We work together every day using GitHub (code), Discord (chat), and MongoDB Atlas (data).

⚠️ What Challenged Us
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Some of the problems we faced:

  • Managing two user types in one login system

  • Protecting routes so only the right person sees the right dashboard

  • Validating inputs (and catching mistakes)

  • Handling file uploads securely

These weren’t just bugs to fix — they were moments where we had to slow down and think like real developers.

🔜 What’s Next?
This week, we’re diving into:

  • Creating a dashboard for companies (job listings, candidates)

  • A dashboard for workers (profile, applications, CV updates)

  • Freelance project functionality

There’s a long way to go.
But we’re proud of how far we’ve come — and we’re learning so much every step of the way.

Thanks for following our journey!
– Erzana, Sumea & Isme

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