How to Build a Modern Online Music Store with Streaming Previews

Simple Summary

Build an engaging online music store with streaming previews, allowing customers to sample tracks before purchase.

Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Goals:

• Develop a user-friendly online music store
• Implement streaming preview functionality for tracks
• Create a secure and scalable e-commerce platform

Target Audience:

• Music enthusiasts
• Online shoppers
• Digital content consumers

Key Features:

1. User registration and authentication
2. Product catalog with music tracks and albums
3. Streaming preview functionality
4. Shopping cart and checkout process
5. Order tracking and history
6. User reviews and ratings
7. Search and filter options
8. Responsive design for mobile and desktop

User Requirements:

• Easy account creation and login
• Intuitive browsing and search of music catalog
• Ability to preview tracks before purchase
• Seamless cart management and checkout process
• Secure payment processing
• Access to order history and tracking
• Option to leave reviews and ratings for purchased items

User Flows

1. Music Discovery and Purchase:

   • User browses music catalog
   • User selects a track and listens to preview
   • User adds track to cart
   • User proceeds to checkout and completes purchase

2. Account Management:

   • User registers for an account
   • User logs in to their account
   • User views and updates profile information
   • User checks order history and tracking

3. Review Submission:

   • User navigates to a purchased track
   • User selects option to leave a review
   • User writes review and submits rating
   • Review is displayed on the product page

Technical Specifications

Frontend:

• Next.js for server-side rendering and improved SEO
• React for building user interface components
• Styled-components for CSS-in-JS styling
• Redux for state management

Backend:

• Node.js with Express.js for API development
• PostgreSQL for relational database management
• Sequelize as ORM for database interactions
• JWT for authentication

APIs and Services:

• Stripe API for payment processing
• AWS S3 for storing and serving audio files and images
• AWS CloudFront for content delivery network (CDN)
• SendGrid for transactional emails

DevOps:

• Docker for containerization
• GitHub Actions for CI/CD
• Jest and React Testing Library for unit and integration testing

API Endpoints

• POST /api/auth/register
• POST /api/auth/login
• GET /api/products
• GET /api/products/:id
• POST /api/cart
• GET /api/cart
• PUT /api/cart/:id
• DELETE /api/cart/:id
• POST /api/orders
• GET /api/orders
• GET /api/orders/:id
• POST /api/reviews
• GET /api/reviews/:productId

Database Schema

Users:

• id (PK)
• email
• password_hash
• name
• created_at
• updated_at

Products:

• id (PK)
• title
• artist
• price
• description
• image_url
• audio_preview_url
• created_at
• updated_at

Orders:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• total_amount
• status
• created_at
• updated_at

OrderItems:

• id (PK)
• order_id (FK)
• product_id (FK)
• quantity
• price

Reviews:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• product_id (FK)
• rating
• comment
• created_at

File Structure

Implementation Plan

1. Project Setup (1-2 days)

   • Initialize Next.js project
   • Set up version control with Git
   • Configure ESLint and Prettier

2. Backend Development (5-7 days)

   • Set up Node.js and Express server
   • Implement database models and migrations
   • Develop API endpoints
   • Integrate authentication system

3. Frontend Development (7-10 days)

   • Create basic layout and navigation
   • Implement product listing and detail pages
   • Develop cart functionality
   • Build checkout process
   • Create account management pages

4. Audio Streaming Integration (3-4 days)

   • Set up AWS S3 for audio file storage
   • Implement audio player component
   • Integrate streaming preview functionality

5. Payment Processing (2-3 days)

   • Integrate Stripe API
   • Implement secure checkout process

6. Testing and Quality Assurance (3-4 days)

   • Write unit and integration tests
   • Perform manual testing and bug fixes

7. Deployment and DevOps (2-3 days)

   • Set up Docker containers
   • Configure CI/CD pipeline with GitHub Actions
   • Deploy to production environment

8. Final Testing and Launch (1-2 days)

   • Conduct final round of testing
   • Prepare documentation
   • Launch the application

Deployment Strategy

1. Containerize the application using Docker
2. Use a cloud provider like AWS or Google Cloud Platform for hosting
3. Set up a managed PostgreSQL database (e.g., AWS RDS)
4. Configure AWS S3 for static asset and audio file storage
5. Implement AWS CloudFront as a CDN for improved performance
6. Use GitHub Actions for automated testing and deployment
7. Implement monitoring and logging with tools like New Relic or ELK stack
8. Set up regular database backups
9. Use environment variables for sensitive information
10. Implement SSL certificates for secure communication

Design Rationale

• Next.js was chosen for its server-side rendering capabilities, which improve SEO and initial load times.
• PostgreSQL provides a robust relational database system suitable for complex e-commerce data structures.
• Stripe API offers a secure and widely-used payment processing solution.
• AWS S3 and CloudFront provide scalable and efficient storage and delivery of audio files and images.
• The modular file structure allows for easy maintenance and scalability of the project.
• Docker containerization ensures consistent environments across development and production.
• The implementation plan prioritizes core functionality before moving to more complex features, allowing for iterative development and testing.