Buddy - Back-End API

Buddy is a personal safety iOS app with three main features:

1. Users can invite friends to follow along on their trips using a web browser. Friends do not need to download the app! A URL link is sent out via a text message.
2. At the press of a button, the trip webpage will be updated with a danger status. Additionally emergency contacts saved to the app will get a text alert, notifying them that the user does not feel safe.
3. The Check-In feature sends a text alert to emergency contacts if the user has not returned to a saved location (home, work, or school) within a designated time period.

This repository contains the code for the back-end API built in Flask. The front-end mobile component and web component will need to be installed and deployed for the App to work as intended.

Prerequisites

Buddy sends out text messages using Twilio's programmable SMS API; sign up here. The Twilio programmable SMS API documentation can be found here.

Installation

Clone this repository and cd into the repository. Create a virtual environment and install all project dependencies with:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Deploy this project to the platform of your choice. Be sure to set up the deployment's environment variables to include:

1. your Twilio SID saved as TWILIOSID
2. your Twilio Auth Token saved as TWILIOTOKEN
3. your Twilio account's SMS number saved as TWILIONUM
4. a key to encrypt user passwords stored in the database saved under LOGINKEY