Watt Depot CLI

Watt depot is a service that collects and stores electricity data. Tools can then retrieve the data and analyze it for consumers. Consumers are able to use this data to become smart consumers. By observing data trends, consumers can adjust their usage. By knowing when off-peak demand times are, consumers are able to use electricity during lower demand periods to lower their electricity bill. This also benefits the electric company by reducing demand.

Developing a Watt-Depot-CLI was a challenging task. There were several different commands that needed to be implemented. The commands can be seen here. Learning the Watt Depot API to complete the CLI was a task in itself. There were many different methods that we needed to understand in order to implement the commands correctly. At first, progress was slow while as we were still getting accustomed on how to accomplish certain tasks using Watt Depot. As we got more experience working with Watt Depot classes and methods, it became easier and we increased our productivity. We were able to successfully implement all the commands.

Testing was a large part of this project. In order to ensure that our commands were implemented correctly, we created JUnit tests to validate inputs and outputs. These tests are particularly useful during development to ensure that previously written code continues to work correctly.

This was our first project that required working with a partner. This was much different than working alone. In order to have a successful project, you must designate work and ensure that you understand each other's code. Luckily, communication was not a problem for our team. We were able to coordinate meeting times to discuss the project as well as communicate through IM. I felt that this was a crucial factor in the success of our project. It allowed us to discuss issues that came up and brainstorm feasible solutions. Without good communication, our progress would have been much slower and our product would not have been as good.

We split the project up fairly evenly. Each of us developed code to implement the commands as well as tests to verify their functionality. Although the work was divided, we ensured everyone knew the status of the project by committing frequently. This not only allowed us to follow each other's progress, but also help each other when issues arose. This strategy worked out well for us. We continually had forward progress and when a roadblock was hit, we had someone to turn to for help.

Through this project, I was able to learn not only about coding, but also teamwork and time management. Teamwork was a critical part of this project as we were dependent on each other in order to complete the project successfully. Time management was crucial to allow us to work at a lower stress level. I found that by working hard at the start of the project, we were able to make changes to our design without much stress. Although I still have a lot to learn, knowing some of the skills that are needed in future development projects will be very beneficial.