For my Software Development Capstone, I will be working on the LibreFoodPantry, a Free Open Source Software project, and more specifically, the Worcester State University food pantry, Thea’s Pantry.

After reading through the LibreFoodPantry website I found it interesting how it mixes Free Open Source Software (FOSS) with a humanitarian project, as I think those two go well together naturally, both being non-profit and for a noble cause. But another part of the LibreFoodPantry program that it also works closely with college students in the computer science field. This is another way that the entire structure of the LibreFoodPantry helps, because it allows student to learn from real software that is used in the real world and gets them involved with humanitarian causes within their major.

Going further into the specific system I will be working on, I read about Thea’s Pantry. What I found to be the most interesting thing is how the whole project is organized. With a lot of different people working on the same software and making different changes and using it for different purposes, there can be a lot of things that then don’t work with each other or become incompatible or cause communication issues. The entire project is organized in a way to allow many different iterations to exist without coming into conflict and being adaptable.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Computer Science Blog by dzona1 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

In my research of the LibreFoodPantry and Thea’s Pantry, I encountered valuable insights that deepened my understanding of open-source projects and community-driven software development. Here are two specific takeaways that stood out to me:

From LibreFoodPantry

One aspect of LibreFoodPantry that I found particularly interesting was its Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct emphasizes creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all contributors, regardless of their background or experience level. It outlines expectations for respectful collaboration and provides clear guidelines for reporting and addressing violations.

I chose to write about this because it highlights the importance of fostering a positive and professional atmosphere in open-source communities. The Code of Conduct ensures that contributors feel safe and valued, which ultimately leads to more productive collaboration and better software outcomes. This focus on inclusivity and respect is something I plan to incorporate into any projects I work on in the future.

From Thea’s Pantry

In Thea’s Pantry, I found the User Stories to be particularly insightful and practical. These stories outline the real-world workflows of the intended users, such as staff, administrators, and guests, and guide the software’s design to meet their needs. For example, a staff member logging in to manage inventory or assist a guest is a well-documented process.

What stood out most is how the user stories emphasize accessibility and practicality. For instance, the process of logging donations or generating reports for external organizations like the Worcester County Food Bank showcases a thoughtful integration of functionality and ease of use.

I chose to write about this because it demonstrates the critical role user stories play in designing meaningful software. They provide developers with clear direction and ensure that the end product solves real-world problems. This approach aligns with my goals of creating impactful and user-friendly applications.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Software Dev Capstone by Jaylon Brodie and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

During this semester I’m taking my capstone in which we are working on a project for Thea’s Pantry. Before starting this project however, we had to take a look at what we would be doing a project on. This blog post is about some of the things that I found interesting and useful about the two pantries mentioned in the title.

The first thing I’m going to talk about is LibreFoodPantry. LibreFoodPantry is a community building free and open source software for food pantries. The website for this community contains six main sections that I read. These include their mission, values (such as Agile principles), code of conduct, licensing, acknowledgements, and coordinating committee. The section I found to be most interesting was the mission. They state “Our mission is to expand a community of students and faculty across multiple institutions who believe software can be used to help society. We strive to support local food pantries with quality, adaptable, free and open source software (FOSS) to help them serve their guests. Through learning opportunities within FOSS food pantry projects, we provide students with the perspective that computing can be used for social good.” I chose to talk about this because I think its really kind that an entire community has been developed and continues to work on projects for social good and to help others.

The second thing I’m going to talk about is Thea’s Pantry. Thea’s Pantry is Worcester State’s own personal food pantry. Within the README file of the Documentation repository, there are five main sections. These sections are User Stories, Architecture, Technology, Workflow, and Release Process. The section that I found to be most useful is the Architecture section. I found this section to be most useful because it describes the ReportingSystem and what the different subsections use for components and queues. On top of that, it shows the diagram for the ReportingSystem Standalone Integration Test which I think is helpful for anyone who wants to understand the architecture.

Overall, I’m really excited to start working on a project with Thea’s Pantry and I hope that I’m able to help make a difference.

From the blog CS@Worcester – One pixel at a time by gizmo10203 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.