VIT-AP VTOP API

Overview

A robust and scalable FastAPI service designed to extract, structure, and expose academic data from VIT-AP's VTOP system. The service provides a clean REST API interface for accessing academic information with strict data validation and consistent response formatting.

Key Features

• Modular API Design: Clean, organized endpoints for different academic modules
• Custom Scraping Library: Purpose-built Python package for VTOP data extraction
• Strict Data Validation: Pydantic models ensuring consistent API responses
• Containerized Deployment: Docker-based deployment for scalability and portability
• Serverless Architecture: Google Cloud Run deployment with auto-scaling capabilities
• Session Management: Robust authentication and session handling for VTOP integration

Technical Implementation

• Framework: FastAPI for high-performance API development with automatic documentation
• Data Validation: Pydantic for strict typing and data validation across all endpoints
• Web Scraping: Beautiful Soup for efficient HTML parsing and data extraction
• Architecture: RESTful API design following industry best practices
• Containerization: Docker for consistent deployment environments
• Cloud Platform: Google Cloud Run for serverless, auto-scaling hosting

Core Components

vitap-vtop-client Package

• Session Management: Automated VTOP login and session maintenance
• Authentication Handling: Secure credential management and token refresh
• HTML Parsing: Intelligent parsing of VTOP's complex HTML structure
• Data Extraction: Robust extraction methods for various academic data types
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error handling for network and parsing issues

API Service Architecture

• Modular Endpoints: Organized endpoints covering 7+ academic modules
• Data Standardization: Consistent response formats across all endpoints
• Performance Optimization: Efficient data processing and response times
• Scalability: Designed to handle multiple concurrent requests
• Documentation: Auto-generated API documentation with FastAPI

Deployment & Infrastructure

• Containerization: Complete Docker setup for development and production
• Cloud Deployment: Google Cloud Run for serverless hosting
• Auto-scaling: Automatic scaling based on demand with minimal latency
• CI/CD Pipeline: Automated deployment pipeline for consistent releases
• Monitoring: Comprehensive logging and monitoring for service health

Academic Modules Covered

• Attendance Tracking: Real-time attendance data and analytics
• Timetable Management: Class schedules and room information
• Marks & Grades: Academic performance data and grade calculations
• Exam Schedules: Examination timetables and venue details
• Faculty Information: Faculty profiles and contact details
• Course Catalog: Course descriptions and prerequisites
• Academic Calendar: Important dates and academic events

Performance & Reliability

• Minimal Latency: Optimized for fast response times
• High Availability: Serverless architecture ensuring consistent uptime
• Scalable Design: Handles varying loads without performance degradation
• Data Consistency: Pydantic validation ensures reliable data structure
• Error Resilience: Robust error handling and recovery mechanisms

Impact

• Standardized access to VIT-AP academic data through clean API interface
• Enabled development of third-party applications using VTOP data
• Provided reliable and consistent data format for academic information
• Established reusable components through the vitap-vtop-client package
• Demonstrated expertise in web scraping, API development, and cloud deployment