Tithr

Overview

Tithr is a web-based budgeting application designed specifically for University of Hawaii students who want to integrate their faith with financial stewardship. Built with Next.js and inspired by biblical principles, the app helps users allocate income according to a customizable budget structure, track expenses, and receive daily Bible verses for encouragement.

The app follows the principle of “tithing first” – giving 10% to God before allocating the rest to needs (50%), savings (20%), and wants (20%). Users can customize these percentages to fit their personal convictions.

My Contributions

As the sole developer for this ICS 314 final project, I was responsible for the entire development lifecycle:

• Design & Planning: Created wireframes, user stories, and a project roadmap using GitHub Issues.
• Frontend Development: Built responsive UI components with Bootstrap 5, implemented form validation, and created interactive charts for budget visualization.
• Backend Logic: Developed budget calculation algorithms, transaction tracking, and data persistence using local storage (with plans for database integration).
• Integration: Added API calls for random Bible verses and ensured cross-browser compatibility.
• Testing & Deployment: Conducted manual testing, fixed bugs, and deployed to GitHub Pages.

What I Learned

This project taught me the importance of user-centered design in software engineering. I learned to balance technical implementation with real-world usability, especially for a niche audience (faith-based users). Key takeaways:

• Design Patterns: Applied Singleton for configuration management, Observer for UI updates, Factory for category creation, and Strategy for flexible budgeting rules.
• Agile Development: Used GitHub project boards for issue tracking and effort estimation, practicing iterative development.
• AI Integration: Leveraged AI tools like GitHub Copilot for code generation and ChatGPT for debugging, while maintaining personal understanding.
• Full-Stack Skills: Gained experience with Next.js, React components, and state management.
• Problem-Solving: Overcame challenges like responsive design and data validation through research and iteration.

Screenshots

Source Code

The complete source code and project documentation are available on the GitHub organization page: Tithr on GitHub (placeholder link - update with actual repo).

This project represents my growth in ICS 314, combining technical skills with creative problem-solving to build something meaningful.