Sunwoo Baek

Sunwoo Baek

Incoming Master's student in Computer Science at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Recipe Builder

Description

Recipe Builder is a web application designed to help users find recipes based on ingredients they already have at home. The app recommends recipes from a database of over 2 million options and incorporates features like filtering, sorting, and nutritional insights to enhance user experience. By using the app, users can reduce food waste, save time, and make healthier eating choices.

Key features include:

  • Ingredient-Based Search: Enter ingredients to get recipe recommendations tailored to available items.
  • Filtering and Sorting: Filter recipes by dish type or number of ingredients, and sort results by difficulty, relevance, or simplicity.
  • Nutritional Insights: Integrated nutrition facts for recipes, showing details like fat, carbs, and protein.
  • Personal Journaling: Users can log their cooking experiences and save favorite recipes for future reference.
  • Dynamic Modal View: A pop-up displays detailed recipe instructions and nutritional information for easy navigation.

This project leverages a combination of large recipe and nutrition datasets to provide a unique and convenient solution for home cooks.

My Contributions

  • Frontend Development:
    • Designed and implemented the user interface using JavaScript to ensure an intuitive and responsive experience.
    • Developed a dynamic modal feature to display recipe instructions and nutritional information.
  • Backend Integration:
    • Built REST APIs using Google Cloud Console to connect the frontend with a SQL database for efficient data retrieval.
    • Integrated two datasets (recipes and nutritional information) to provide comprehensive recommendations.
  • Database Management:
    • Utilized SQL to enable advanced filtering and sorting features, including multi-aspect sorting based on user preferences.
    • Optimized query performance for handling large-scale datasets with over 2 million recipes.
  • User Experience Enhancements:
    • Implemented a journaling feature, enabling users to document and save their cooking experiences.
    • Created a bookmarking system for users to save and revisit favorite recipes.
  • Team Collaboration:
    • Collaborated in a team of 4 to design and implement a MySQL database, a React frontend, and an Express backend.

Key Components Used

  • Google Cloud Console: Managed backend APIs and integrated cloud services for seamless data handling.
  • JavaScript: Built a responsive and interactive user interface for smooth user experience.
  • SQL: Enabled complex filtering and sorting features for efficient data querying and recommendation.
  • REST API: Connected the frontend with backend services to deliver dynamic content and recommendations.

For more information, including the repository and implementation details, visit the project on GitHub.