Building an Item Management Software Using PyQt5 and SQLite

In this blog, we'll explore the creation of an Item Management GUI using PyQt5 and SQLite, aligning with the PSP2.1 (Personal Software Process) framework.

Planning

Before diving into development, it’s important to establish the requirements and related factors:

• Estimate: The goal is to develop a desktop application using PyQt5 for the GUI and SQLite for data storage. The estimated time is 1 hour. No cost is needed.
• Define Scope: The application will allow users to add, delete, search, and display items, with each item consisting of a name, description, and contact information.

Development

The development phase involves several detailed tasks:

Analysis

• The core functionality is to manage items in a database using a GUI.

Design Specification

• This project will have a simple, intuitive interface using PyQt5 widgets like QLineEdit, QPushButton, and QTableWidget.

Design Review

• Review the initial design with peers or mentors, focusing on user experience, efficiency, and code structure.

Coding Standard

• Follow a coding standard that ensures readability and maintainability, such as using meaningful variable names and adding comments.

Design

• Design the GUI using a vertical layout, consisting of input fields for item details, action buttons for operations (Add, Delete, Search, Display), and a table to display items.

Coding

Implement the code for each functionality, following these steps:

• Database Initialization: Create the SQLite database and a table to store item information.
• Add Item Functionality: Insert new item records into the database and display a success message.
• Delete Item Functionality: Remove item records based on the name.
• Search Item Functionality: Search for specific items and display results in the table.
• Display All Items: Retrieve and display all items from the database.

Code Review

• Had reviewed the written code to identify any errors, inefficiencies, or areas for improvement.

Testing

Conduct thorough testing, including:

• Unit Testing: Test each function (e.g., adding, deleting, searching items) to ensure expected results.
• User Testing: Have users test the interface to ensure it is user-friendly and meets the requirements.

Post-Development

Once development is complete, focus on measuring, analyzing, and improving the process:

Record Time Spent

• It takes 2 hours to write the code and test it.

Test Report

• Document the results of the testing phase, noting any issues encountered and their resolutions.

Size Measurement

• Measure the size of the codebase and the number of functions, lines of code, etc.

Postmortem

• Analyze the overall development process, identifying what went well and what could be improved for future projects.

Process Improvement Plan

• Create a plan to address the identified issues, such as refining the code structure, optimizing queries, or improving the user interface.