In this project, you’ll develop a Python application that monitors stock prices in real time and notifies the user when significant changes occur. The project will leverage Python’s object-oriented programming capabilities, incorporate debugging and testing strategies, and utilize version control workflows. Below is a comprehensive guide designed for the Discourse forum.
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1. Objective
Develop a Python-based application that:
⢠Fetches or simulates real-time stock price data
⢠Uses an object-oriented design for maintainability
⢠Integrates a notification or alert mechanism when thresholds are breached
⢠Includes debugging, unit testing, and version control best practices
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2. Learning Outcomes
After completing this project, you will be able to:
⢠Design modular Python applications using object-oriented programming
⢠Implement various debugging and testing techniques to ensure code quality
⢠Utilize Git for version control to manage project changes
⢠Understand how to simulate real-time data and work with potentially asynchronous tasks
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3. Pre-requisite Skills
Before starting, ensure you are comfortable with:
⢠Basic Python syntax and data structures
⢠Concepts of object-oriented programming (classes, inheritance, etc.)
⢠Familiarity with using Git and GitHub (or another version control platform)
⢠Basic knowledge of Pythonâs debugging tools and unit testing frameworks
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4. Skills Gained
Through this project, you will gain:
⢠Advanced Python programming techniques
⢠Practical experience in object-oriented design patterns
⢠Techniques for debugging and unit testing in Python
⢠Competence in Git for collaborative and solo software development
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5. Tools Explored
During this project, you will explore:
⢠Python 3.x (programming language)
⢠Git (version control system)
⢠unittest or pytest (Python testing frameworks)
⢠Optionally, requests or a simulation module (for fetching stock data)
⢠An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) such as VSCode or PyCharm
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ 6. Steps and Tasks
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Step 1: Project Setup and Version Control Initialization
⢠Task: Initialize a Git repository, create a virtual environment, and set up project structure
⢠Code Snippet:
Terminal commands:
Create project directory and enter it
mkdir StockPriceNotifier
cd StockPriceNotifier
Initialize Git repository
git init
Set up a virtual environment
python3 -m venv env
source env/bin/activate # On Windows: env\Scripts\activate
Create recommended directories and files
mkdir src tests
touch src/init.py
touch README.md requirements.txt
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Step 2: Design the Stock Data Model with OOP
⢠Task: Build an object-oriented model to represent stock data
⢠Code Snippet:
File: src/stock.py
class Stock: def init(self, symbol, price): self.symbol = symbol self.price = price
def update_price(self, new_price):
"""Updates the stock price and returns the change."""
change = new_price - self.price
self.price = new_price
return change
def __str__(self):
return f"Stock(symbol={self.symbol}, price={self.price})"
if name == “main”: # Sample usage for debugging/testing apple = Stock(“AAPL”, 150) print(apple) print(“Price change:”, apple.update_price(155))
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Step 3: Implement the Notification System
⢠Task: Develop a notifier class using OOP to alert users when significant changes occur
⢠Code Snippet:
File: src/notifier.py
class Notifier: def init(self, threshold): self.threshold = threshold # e.g., notify if price change exceeds this value
def check_and_notify(self, stock, change):
if abs(change) >= self.threshold:
self.notify(stock, change)
def notify(self, stock, change):
# For this example, simply output a print statement. Replace with email, SMS, etc.
direction = "increased" if change > 0 else "decreased"
print(f"Alert: {stock.symbol} has {direction} by {abs(change)} to {stock.price}!")
if name == “main”: # Testing notifier directly for debugging from stock import Stock apple = Stock(“AAPL”, 150) notifier = Notifier(threshold=4) price_change = apple.update_price(156) notifier.check_and_notify(apple, price_change)
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Step 4: Simulate Real-Time Data Fetching
⢠Task: Create a simulation mechanism to mimic real-time stock price updates
⢠Code Snippet:
File: src/simulator.py
import random import time from stock import Stock from notifier import Notifier
class StockSimulator: def init(self, stock, notifier, interval=2, iterations=5): self.stock = stock self.notifier = notifier self.interval = interval self.iterations = iterations
def simulate(self):
for _ in range(self.iterations):
# Simulate a random price change
new_price = round(self.stock.price + random.uniform(-5, 5), 2)
change = self.stock.update_price(new_price)
print(f"Updated {self.stock.symbol} to {self.stock.price}")
self.notifier.check_and_notify(self.stock, change)
time.sleep(self.interval)
if name == “main”: apple = Stock(“AAPL”, 150) notifier = Notifier(threshold=3) simulator = StockSimulator(apple, notifier) simulator.simulate()
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Step 5: Debugging and Unit Testing
⢠Task: Write unit tests to validate the functionality of Stock and Notifier classes
⢠Code Snippet:
File: tests/test_stock.py
import unittest from src.stock import Stock
class TestStock(unittest.TestCase): def setUp(self): self.stock = Stock(“GOOGL”, 2000)
def test_update_price_increase(self):
change = self.stock.update_price(2005)
self.assertEqual(change, 5)
self.assertEqual(self.stock.price, 2005)
def test_update_price_decrease(self):
change = self.stock.update_price(1995)
self.assertEqual(change, -5)
self.assertEqual(self.stock.price, 1995)
if name == ‘main’: unittest.main()
File: tests/test_notifier.py
import unittest from src.stock import Stock from src.notifier import Notifier
class TestNotifier(unittest.TestCase): def setUp(self): self.stock = Stock(“TSLA”, 600) self.threshold = 10 # Override notify to capture messages for testing instead of printing self.notifications = class TestNotifierClass(Notifier): def notify(inner_self, stock, change): direction = “increased” if change > 0 else “decreased” message = f"{stock.symbol} {direction} by {abs(change)} to {stock.price}" self.notifications.append(message) self.notifier = TestNotifierClass(threshold=self.threshold)
def test_notification_trigger(self):
change = self.stock.update_price(615)
self.notifier.check_and_notify(self.stock, change)
self.assertTrue(len(self.notifications) > 0)
def test_no_notification(self):
change = self.stock.update_price(605)
# With a threshold of 10, change of 5 should not trigger a notification
self.notifier.check_and_notify(self.stock, change)
self.assertEqual(len(self.notifications), 0)
if name == ‘main’: unittest.main()
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Step 6: Final Integration and Commit
⢠Task: Integrate all modules, perform a final debugging session, and commit the code
⢠Code Snippet / Steps:
Terminal commands:
Run unit tests to ensure everything is working
python -m unittest discover -s tests
Add all files to Git
git add .
Commit with an informative message
git commit -m “Initial commit: Added stock model, notifier, simulator, and tests”
Optionally, you could continue improving the project by integrating external APIs (e.g., Alpha Vantage, IEX Cloud) for real-time data, implementing asynchronous I/O with asyncio for better performance, or adding more intricate notification systems.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ Congratulations on building a comprehensive, real-time stock price notifier using Python! This project not only sharpens your programming skills in object-oriented design and debugging but also gives you practical experience in version control with Git. Enjoy coding and refining your notifier further!