News Aggregator Web Application
A Project Report
Submitted to Silicon University
As a part of Internet and Web Technology Lab Final Project
Bachelor of Technology
In
Computer Science and Engineering
by
Swaraj Mishra (SIC: 22bcsb72)
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Silicon University
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
2024-25
Certificate
This is to certify that the report entitled “News Aggregator Web
Application” submitted by Swaraj Mishra (SIC: 22bcsb72) to Silicon
University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha in partial fulfillment of the B.Tech.
degree in Computer Science and Engineering is a bona fide record of the
project work carried out under our guidance and supervision.
Supervisor Name: Rabi Narayan Mohanty
Designation: Assistant Professor
Declaration
I hereby declare that the project report “News Aggregator Web
Application,” submitted as a part of Internet and Web Technology Lab
Final Project of the degree of Bachelor of Technology of Silicon
University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is a bona fide work done by me under
supervision. This submission represents my ideas in my own words and
where ideas or words of others have been included, I have adequately
cited and referenced the original sources.
Abstract
The News Aggregator Web Application is a platform designed to provide
users with personalized news feeds based on their interests, covering
local, national, and global contexts. Additionally, the platform includes
community interaction features where users can join forums to discuss
topics of mutual interest. The application also allows users to publish
blogs on their chosen subjects. This project utilizes APIs from various
news providers to fetch real-time articles and combines them with user-
generated content. Developed as the final project for the Internet and
Web Technology lab, this system is implemented using HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript for the frontend, and Java, Servlets, JSP, JDBC, and MySQL for
the backend.
Contents
1. Objective
2. Existing System
3. Proposed System
4. Modules and Dependencies
5. Site Administration
6. User Aspect
7. Authentication and Security
8. Software Requirements
9. Hardware Requirements
10. Conclusion
Objective
The objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive web
application that caters to users by providing a personalized news feed,
enabling the publishing of blogs, and fostering community interaction.
The application is designed to deliver curated news from multiple
sources, spanning local, national, and global contexts, tailored to user
preferences. Furthermore, it creates a platform for users to connect
with like-minded individuals through community forums, enhancing
user engagement and interaction.
Existing System
Current news platforms are limited in their functionalities and fail to
meet user expectations in several key areas:
1. Lack of Personalization: Existing platforms often provide a
generic news feed, making it difficult for users to find content
relevant to their interests.
2. Fragmented Sources: Users need to visit multiple websites or
applications to access diverse news content, resulting in
inconvenience.
3. No Community Features: Most platforms lack forums or
interactive spaces where users can discuss news or topics of
shared interest.
4. Absence of User-Generated Content: Current systems rarely
allow users to create or publish their own blogs, which limits the
scope of user engagement and content diversity.
These limitations underscore the need for a centralized, feature-rich
platform that can address these gaps effectively.
Proposed System
The proposed system is a versatile News Aggregator Web Application
that integrates multiple functionalities to provide a seamless user
experience:
1. Personalized News Aggregation: Using APIs from various news
providers, the application fetches and categorizes news based on
user-defined preferences.
2. Community Interaction: Users can join forums related to their
interests, enabling discussions and knowledge sharing.
3. Blog Publishing: The platform empowers users to create,
publish, and manage blogs, fostering creativity and participation.
4. Centralized Access: The application consolidates news content,
user-generated blogs, and forums into a single interface, ensuring
ease of use.
By incorporating these features, the system bridges the gap between
user expectations and the capabilities of current platforms, offering a
unique and engaging experience.
Modules and Dependencies
The News Aggregator Web Application comprises several
interconnected modules:
Key Modules
1. User Management:
o Registration: Users can sign up using their email and create
personalized profiles.
o Login/Logout: Secure authentication mechanisms ensure
data privacy.
o Profile Management: Users can update preferences and
manage their accounts.
2. News Aggregation:
o Integration with APIs from leading news sources to fetch
articles.
o Categorization of news into predefined and user-selected
categories (e.g., politics, technology, sports).
o Filtering and sorting features to enhance user experience.
3. Blog Publishing:
o A user-friendly editor for creating and publishing blogs.
o Options to add images, videos, and other media to blogs.
o Features for editing, deleting, and managing published
content.
4. Community Features:
o Forums for topic-based discussions.
o Moderation tools for maintaining healthy discussions.
o Notification system to alert users about new posts or
replies.
Dependencies
APIs: News API services for fetching real-time articles.
Backend Technologies: Java, JSP, and Servlets for server-side
logic.
Database: MySQL for storing user data, blogs, and forum posts.
Frameworks and Libraries: JavaScript libraries for enhanced
UI/UX.
Site Administration
Site administration is a crucial aspect of the application, ensuring
smooth operations and user satisfaction:
1. User Oversight:
o Monitor user activities to prevent misuse.
o Handle user reports and resolve complaints promptly.
2. Content Moderation:
o Review blogs and forum posts for adherence to community
guidelines.
o Remove inappropriate or offensive content.
3. System Management:
o Manage categories and sources for news aggregation.
o Optimize database and server performance for better
scalability.
4. Analytics and Reporting:
o Generate insights on user behaviour and platform usage.
o Use analytics to make data-driven decisions for future
enhancements.
User Aspect
The application is designed to cater to a wide range of user needs:
1. Personalized Experience:
o Users can select their areas of interest during registration.
o The platform curates news feeds based on these
preferences, ensuring relevance.
2. Interactive Features:
o Users can join forums, initiate discussions, and comment on
blogs.
o Like, share, and bookmark options for content.
3. Content Creation:
o A dedicated space for users to express their views through
blogs.
o Easy-to-use tools for creating rich multimedia blogs.
4. Notifications and Updates:
o Regular updates on trending news and discussions.
o Alerts for user-specific interests or community activities.
Authentication and Security
Ensuring data security and user privacy is a top priority:
1. Authentication Mechanisms:
o Secure login system using encrypted credentials.
o Password recovery and two-factor authentication for added
security.
2. Data Protection:
o All communications are secured with HTTPS.
o Sensitive user information is encrypted in the database.
3. Threat Prevention:
o Regular scans to detect and mitigate SQL injection and
cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
o Firewalls and monitoring tools to prevent unauthorized
access.
Software Requirements
1. Frontend:
o HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript for responsive and interactive
UI.
2. Backend:
o Java for server-side logic and handling requests.
o JSP and Servlets for dynamic content generation.
3. Database:
o MySQL for structured data storage and efficient queries.
4. Web Server:
o Apache Tomcat for hosting and serving the application.
Hardware Requirements
1. Development Environment:
o Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
o RAM: 8 GB
o Storage: 256 GB SSD
2. Deployment Environment:
o Processor: Intel Core i7 or higher
o RAM: 16 GB
o Storage: 512 GB SSD
o Network: High-speed internet connection for API calls and
user access
Conclusion
The News Aggregator Web Application successfully addresses the gaps
in existing news platforms by offering a centralized and feature-rich
solution. By integrating personalized news feeds, blog publishing
capabilities, and community interaction, the application provides an
engaging and user-friendly experience.
The use of APIs ensures real-time news updates, while features like
forums and blogs foster community engagement and content creation.
The system's robust backend, powered by Java and MySQL, combined
with a responsive frontend, ensures reliability, scalability, and
efficiency.
In addition to fulfilling the academic requirements of the Internet and
Web Technology Lab Final Project, this application has significant
practical potential. Future enhancements could include advanced AI-
based news recommendations, multilingual support, and mobile app
integration, further extending its usability and reach.
Overall, this project demonstrates the power of combining modern web
technologies to create an innovative and impactful solution for
information dissemination and community building.
