ChangeReq

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Features
• Technologies Used
• Prerequisites
• Installation
• Configuration
  • Google API Setup
  • Slack API Setup
• Running the Application Locally
• Deployment with Railway
• Endpoints
• Logging
• Contributing
• License

Overview

ChangeReq is a Flask web application integrated with Slack and Google Sheets. It allows users to submit change requests via Slack, which are then recorded in a Google Sheet and notified in a designated Slack channel. The application is configured for production using Gunicorn and is deployed on Railway.

Features

• Slack Integration: Receive slash commands and interact with users through Slack modals.
• Google Sheets Integration: Store and manage change requests in a Google Sheet.
• Health Check Endpoint: Monitor the application's health status.
• Logging: Comprehensive logging for monitoring and debugging.
• Production-Ready Deployment: Configured with Gunicorn for handling production workloads.

Technologies Used

• Python 3.8+
• Flask
• Gunicorn
• Slack SDK
• Google Sheets API (gspread)
• Railway

Prerequisites

Before setting up the project, ensure you have the following installed:

• Python 3.8+
• pip (Python package manager)
• Git
• Railway Account (Sign up at Railway)

Installation

Follow these steps to set up the project locally:

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/webdevtodayjason/changereq.git
   cd changereq

2. Create a Virtual Environment:

   conda create -n changereq python=3.12
   conda activate changereq

3. Install Dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

Configuration

Environment Variables The application relies on several environment variables for configuration. Ensure these are set before running the application.

SLACK_BOT_TOKEN: Your Slack Bot Token. GOOGLE_CREDENTIALS_JSON: JSON string of your Google service account credentials. PORT: (Optional) Port number for the application to listen on. Defaults to 8080.

Setting Environment Variables Locally

Create a .env file in the root directory of your project and add the following:

4. Set Up Environment Variables:

   • Create a .env file in the root directory.
   • Add the following environment variables:

   SLACK_BOT_TOKEN=<your_slack_bot_token>
   GOOGLE_CREDENTIALS_JSON=<your_google_credentials_json>

Running the Application Locally

To run the application locally, use the following command:

python app.py

Deployment with Railway

1. Create a Railway Account:

   • Sign up at Railway.

2. Create a New Project:

   • Click on the "New Project" button.
   • Select "GitHub" as the provider and connect your GitHub account.
   • Find the repository you want to deploy and click on "Connect".

3. Configure Environment Variables:

   • Go to the "Variables" tab.
   • Add the following variables:

   SLACK_BOT_TOKEN=<your_slack_bot_token>
   GOOGLE_CREDENTIALS_JSON=<your_google_credentials_json>
   PORT=<your_port_number>

4. Deploy the Application:

   • Click on the "Deploy" button.
   • Railway will build and deploy your application.

5. Access the Application:

   • Once deployed, you can access your application at the URL provided by Railway.

Endpoints

Health Check

To check the health status of the application, send a GET request to:

http://<your_railway_url>/health

Slack Slash Command

To submit a change request, send a POST request to:

http://<your_railway_url>/changereq

Slack Modal Submission

To submit a change request via Slack modal, send a POST request to:

http://<your_railway_url>/changereq

Slack Modal Submission

To submit a change request via Slack modal, send a POST request to:

http://<your_railway_url>/changereq

Logging

To submit a change request via Slack modal, send a POST request to:

http://<your_railway_url>/changereq