A

PROJECT REPORT
ON
“WEATHER WEB APP”

Submitted By
Mr. Suhas Anil Wani
Mr. Harshal Naresh Kale
Mr. Kunal Rajkumar Bhatkar

For the Partial Fulfilment of the Degree of

BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Submitted To
SANT GADGE BABA AMRAVATI UNIVERSITY, AMRAVATI

Under the Guidance of

Prof. Yogesh Wanjari SIR

DEPARTMENT OF BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

SARASWATI COLLEGE, SHEGAON

2024-2025

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 SARASWATI COLLEGE, SHEGAON
DEPARTMENT OF BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATION

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr.Suhas Anil Wani, Mr. Harshal Naresh Kale and Mr. Kunal Rajkumar Bhatkar has
successfully completed their project work entitled “Weather Web App” for the partial fulfillment of the
degree of Bachelor of Computer Applications to Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, during the
academic year 2024-25.

Internal Examiner External Examiner

Head of Department Principal

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 DECLARATION BY THE STUDENTS

We, Mr.Suhas Anil Wani, Mr. Harshal Naresh Kale and Mr. Kunal Rajkumar Bhatkar hereby declare that we
have successfully completed our project entitled " Weather Web App " for the fulfillment of BCA Third
Year, Part III (CBCS) Examination, for the academic year 2024 –2025. The above mentioned project fulfills
all the requirements given by Sant Gadge Baba Amravati, University, Amravati. If the above mentioned
project proves fake or does not meet any requirement given by Sant Gadge baba Amravati, University,
Amravati, in this case we will be fully responsible for all the consequences.

Date: / / 2025

Signature

Mr. Suhas Anil Wani

Mr Harshal Naresh Kale

Mr. Kunal Rajkumar Bhatkar

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Inspiration and guidance are valuable in every aspect of life, especially in the field of
academics. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my respected project guide,
Prof. Yogesh Wanjari, for their invaluable guidance and continuous support from the
commencement to the completion of this project. I am also grateful to all the teachers of our
department who encouraged me throughout this journey and provided their insights to
enhance my learning experience. Furthermore, I remain indebted to my parents and friends
for their constant support, motivation, and encouragement, which played a crucial role in the
successful completion of this project.

Date: / / 2025

Signature

Mr. Suhas Anil Wani

Mr. Harshal Naresh Kale

Mr. Kunal Rajkumar Bhatkar

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 INDEX
Sr.
No. TITLE Page
No.
1 Title / Introduction 7

2 Executive summary 10

3 Project Objectives 12

3.1 Deliver Real-Time Weather Information

3.2 Inhance userinterface and Experience
3.3 Implement Real – time weather Update
3.4 Otimize User Experience for MobileDevices
3.5 Implement RealTime Weather Data Updates
3.6 Implement Weather Forecasting for Multiple Days
3.7 Implement Weather Alerts for Severe Conditions
3.8 Improve performance and optimize load type

4 Methodology 32

4.1 Requirement analysis(Detailed Explanation

4.2 System design
4.3 Implementation
4.4 Testing
4.5 Deployment
4.6 Maintaince and Improvemen

5 Project Description 47

5.1 Modern UI Structure

5.2 Servlet -JSON Parsing and Data Forwarding
5.3 JSP Page – HTML Structure and CSS Styling
5.4 Weather Display Logic and Input Handeling
5.5 JSP Page – Dynamic Background Handling via JavaScript
5.6 Image Overview
5.7 Weather Display Page

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6 Challenges and solutions 69

6.1 Integrating OpenWeatherMap API

6.2 Dynamic UI Update Based on Weather
6.3 Servlet JSP Communication problem
6.4
Mobile Responsiveness Problem

7 75
Final Conclusion of project

8 Recommendations 77
8.1 Implement Weekly and Hourly Forecasts
8.2 Add Location Auto-Detection via Geolocation AP
8.3 Add Forecast Charts and Graphs for Next 5 Days

9 Reference for project 83

9.1 OpenWeatherMap Documentation
9.2 Java Servlet Documentation(Oracle)
9.3 JSP (JavaServer Pages) Documentation

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 1. INTRODUCTION

Introduction to the Weather Web Application Project

The Weather Web Application project is a final-year college endeavor designed to create a functional
and user-friendly platform for accessing real-time weather information. Built using Java, JSP, Servlets,
and the OpenWeather API, this application enables users to retrieve weather data for a specified city,
displaying key metrics such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The project showcases the
application of web development technologies, API integration, and responsive design principles to
address a practical need while fulfilling academic objectives. Below is a detailed point-wise
introduction to the project, spanning three pages in a formal tone suitable for a college report.

Project Overview and Objectives

- The Weather Web Application is developed to provide users with real-time weather updates for any
city through a web-based interface.
- The primary objective is to integrate the OpenWeather API to fetch accurate weather data, including
temperature, humidity, wind speed, and weather conditions.
- The application aims to present this data in a visually appealing and intuitive manner using JSP for
dynamic rendering and CSS for styling.
- Additional objectives include ensuring cross-device compatibility through responsive design and
implementing a user-friendly search functionality for city-based weather queries.
- The project demonstrates the practical application of Java Servlets for handling backend logic and
API requests, enhancing technical proficiency in web development.

Significance of the Project

- Weather information is critical for various sectors, including agriculture, transportation, and disaster
management, making such applications highly relevant.
- This project addresses the need for an accessible, web-based solution that does not require
specialized software or hardware, broadening its usability.
- By leveraging modern web technologies, the application ensures scalability and ease of access across
desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
- Academically, the project aligns with the final-year curriculum by integrating concepts of Java
programming, web development, and API handling into a real-world use case.
- It provides a platform to showcase problem-solving skills, technical expertise, and the ability to
manage a full development lifecycle from design to deployment.

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 Scope and Key Features
- The scope includes developing a web application that retrieves and displays current weather data for
user-specified cities using the OpenWeather API. - Key
features include a search functionality to input city names, real-time display of temperature in Celsius,
humidity percentage, and wind speed in km/h.
- The application supports dynamic background changes based on weather conditions (e.g., clear,
rainy, cloudy) to enhance visual engagement.
- It incorporates a responsive design to ensure compatibility across various screen sizes, using CSS
media queries and flexible layouts.
- The system prioritizes user experience with smooth animations, modern typography, and a semi-
transparent, glassmorphism-inspired interface.
Technical Foundation
- The project utilizes Java Servlets (MyServlet.java) for backend logic, handling API requests, and
forwarding data to the front end via JSP.
- JSP (index.jsp) is used to dynamically render weather data, including temperature, city name, date,
humidity, and wind speed, retrieved from the API.
- The front-end design (index.html and index.jsp) employs HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for structure,
styling, and interactivity, with Font Awesome icons for visual elements.
- The OpenWeather API is integrated to fetch real-time weather data, requiring secure handling of API
keys and proper parsing of JSON responses using the Gson library.
- The application structure follows a standard Java web project layout, with directories for Java
resources, web content, and external libraries (Gson for JSON parsing).
Development Approach and Methodology
- The project follows a structured development methodology, starting with requirement analysis to
identify user needs and technical constraints.
- System design involves planning the architecture, including the interaction between Servlets, JSP,
and the OpenWeather API for data flow.
- Implementation is carried out using Eclipse IDE, with a focus on modular coding practices and
adherence to Java web development standards.
- Testing includes functional validation of API integration, UI responsiveness, and error handling for
invalid city inputs or API failures.
- Deployment is simulated on a local server (localhost:8080), with potential for future hosting on a
cloud platform for broader access.

Motivation and Academic Relevance

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 - The motivation stems from the universal need for reliable weather information, which influences
daily activities and long-term planning across industries.
- The project addresses gaps in existing weather applications by focusing on simplicity, accessibility,
and an aesthetically pleasing design.
- It serves as a practical application of academic concepts, including client-server architecture, API
integration, and front-end development.
- The development process enhances skills in project management, version control (via Git), and
debugging, preparing for professional software development roles.
- As a final-year project, it demonstrates the culmination of technical learning and the ability to deliver
a functional application under academic guidelines.

Challenges and Learning Outcomes

- Key challenges include handling asynchronous API requests, parsing JSON data, and ensuring error-
free data rendering on the front end.
- The project involves learning to manage cross-browser compatibility and optimizing performance
for a seamless user experience.
- It provides hands-on experience with modern web design trends, such as glassmorphism, gradient
backgrounds, and animations, enhancing UI/UX skills.
- The integration of third-party APIs like OpenWeather introduces practical knowledge of secure API
key management and data security best practices.
- Overall, the project fosters a deeper understanding of full-stack development, from backend logic to
front-end presentation, aligning with industry standards.

Conclusion

The Weather Web Application project encapsulates the development of a practical and visually
engaging platform for accessing weather information. By integrating Java, JSP, Servlets, and the
OpenWeather API, the project delivers a functional solution while meeting the academic requirements
of a final-year college report. The outlined objectives, scope, and technical foundation highlight its
relevance and potential impact, both as a learning experience and a real-world application. Subsequent
sections of this report will explore the detailed implementation, testing, and evaluation of the system,
ensuring a comprehensive documentation of the development journey.

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 2. Executive Summary

• The Weather Web Application project, undertaken as a final-year college endeavor, focuses on the
development of a dynamic web-based platform that provides real-time weather information for user-
specified cities. Designed and implemented using Java, JSP, Servlets, and the OpenWeather API, the
application delivers essential weather metrics such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed through an
intuitive and visually appealing interface. This executive summary provides a concise overview of the
project’s objectives, methodology, key features, technical implementation, challenges, and outcomes,
spanning two pages in a formal tone suitable for a college report.

• The primary objective of the Weather Web Application is to create a reliable and accessible tool for
retrieving and displaying real-time weather data. The system allows users to input a city name, fetches
corresponding weather information via the OpenWeather API, and presents it in a user-friendly format.
Key features include a responsive design for cross-device compatibility, dynamic background changes
based on weather conditions, and a modern glassmorphism-inspired interface with smooth animations.
The project aims to demonstrate proficiency in web development technologies, API integration, and user
experience design while fulfilling academic requirements. By addressing the universal need for weather
information, the application serves both practical and educational purposes, showcasing the application of
theoretical knowledge to a real-world problem.

• The development methodology follows a structured approach, encompassing requirement analysis,

system design, implementation, testing, and deployment. The project leverages Java Servlets
(MyServlet.java) for backend logic, handling API requests and data processing, while JSP (index.jsp)
dynamically renders the weather data on the front end. The OpenWeather API is integrated to fetch real-
time data, with the Gson library used for JSON parsing. The front-end design, implemented in HTML,
CSS, and JavaScript, incorporates Font Awesome icons, modern typography, and responsive layouts to
ensure accessibility across devices. Testing focuses on validating API integration, UI responsiveness, and
error handling, with deployment simulated on a local server (localhost:8080). This systematic approach
ensures a robust and functional application aligned with project goals.

• Technically, the application is structured as a Java web project, with directories for Java resources, web
content, and external libraries. The Servlet handles POST requests from the user, retrieves weather data
for the specified city, and forwards it to the JSP page for rendering. The front end displays critical
weather metrics—temperature in Celsius, humidity percentage, and wind speed in km/h—alongside the
city name and date. Dynamic background gradients adjust based on weather conditions (e.g., clear, rainy,
cloudy), enhancing visual engagement. The use of CSS animations, such as fade-in effects and floating
icons, adds to the user experience, while media queries ensure responsiveness on smaller screens. The
project adheres to coding standards, utilizes version control, and prioritizes secure API key management,
reflecting industry best practices.

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• Several challenges were encountered during development, including handling asynchronous API
requests, parsing JSON responses, and ensuring cross-browser compatibility. Debugging API
connectivity issues and optimizing performance for seamless data rendering required careful attention.
Additionally, achieving a balance between aesthetic design and functionality posed a challenge, addressed
through iterative testing and design refinements. These challenges provided valuable learning
opportunities, enhancing skills in full-stack development, error handling, and UI/UX design. The project
also fostered an understanding of secure data handling and the importance of responsive design in
modern web applications.

• The Weather Web Application successfully meets its objectives, delivering a functional and visually
appealing platform for accessing weather information. It demonstrates the integration of Java-based
technologies with modern web design principles, fulfilling the academic requirements of a final-year
project. The application’s practical utility lies in its ability to provide accurate weather updates, while its
educational value is reflected in the technical skills gained during development. Future enhancements
could include adding a 5-day forecast, geolocation support, and unit conversion options to further
improve functionality. Overall, the project serves as a testament to the ability to design, implement, and
deliver a real-world solution, marking a significant milestone in the academic journey and preparing for
professional endeavors in software development..

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 3. Project Objectives
The Weather Web Application project, undertaken as a final-year college submission, aims to develop
a sophisticated, user-centric, and technically robust web platform that delivers real-time weather
information for user-specified cities. Built using Java, JSP, Servlets, and the OpenWeather API, this
project integrates modern web development practices to provide an accessible, visually appealing, and
efficient solution. The following detailed objectives outline the project’s goals, technical
implementation, academic alignment, user experience considerations, and future potential in a formal
tone, structured to span approximately 20–21 pages in a Word document (using standard formatting:
12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, approximately 250–300 words per page).
This extended version adds 5–6 pages by providing greater depth, additional considerations, and
reflective insights.

3.1 Deliver Real-Time Weather Information :

The primary objective of this project is to provide real-time weather information to users in a quick and
efficient manner. This is achieved by leveraging the OpenWeatherMap API to fetch live weather data based
on a city name inputted by the user. This feature is crucial as it enables users to obtain accurate and up-to-
date information on weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and general weather
conditions like Clear, Clouds, Rain, etc.

API Integration and Workflow

At the heart of this objective lies the integration of the OpenWeatherMap API. This external API serves as a
gateway to reliable meteorological data. When a user submits a city name via the web application’s interface,
the backend servlet (MyServlet.java) constructs a request URL and makes an HTTP call to the API. The
API responds with weather data in JSON format, which is parsed using the Gson library. Key elements such
as temperature, humidity, date, and weather conditions are extracted and then forwarded to the frontend (JSP
page) for display.

This architecture ensures real-time interaction as the user can get the latest data on demand without reloading
the entire page. As a result, the application behaves more like a dynamic web application rather than a static
website.

Advantages of Real-Time Weather Information

1. User Engagement: Real-time updates attract users who require quick and accurate weather data
before traveling or planning outdoor events.
2. Reliability: By utilizing a credible data source (OpenWeatherMap), the application delivers
trustworthy weather information.
3. Personalization: Users can input any city globally, making the application usable from anywhere in
the world.
4. Educational Value: Students and developers can use the app as a learning platform for
understanding how APIs and web technologies work together.

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Technical Implementation Highlights

• Servlets and JSP: Java Servlets handle backend processing while JSP renders dynamic content based
on the user’s query.
• API Communication: HTTPURLConnection is used to communicate with OpenWeatherMap’s
REST API.
• JSON Parsing: The Gson library is used to parse JSON responses and convert them into Java
objects.
• Responsive UI: The frontend is built with responsive design principles using HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript, allowing the UI to adapt dynamically.

Real-World Use Cases

1. Travel Planning: Users can check the weather for their travel destinations.
2. Agricultural Monitoring: Farmers can use weather information to plan irrigation or harvesting.
3. Event Planning: Event managers can monitor upcoming weather conditions for outdoor events.
4. Commuting Decisions: Commuters can view real-time weather before leaving for work.

In conclusion, this objective ensures that users are not only informed about the current weather but are also
empowered to make better, real-time decisions in their daily activities. The use of Java-based backend
processing with servlet architecture and an API-driven model makes the application both scalable and
efficient.

3.2 Enhance User Interface and Experience

A major objective of this weather web application is to provide users with an intuitive, visually appealing,
and interactive interface that enriches the overall user experience. In today's digital age, the user interface
(UI) is the face of an application. Regardless of how well the backend works, users first interact with what
they see and feel. Hence, UI and UX (user experience) optimization is critical for both user satisfaction and
application success.

1. Importance of User Interface in Weather Applications

A well-designed user interface can simplify how users interact with complex data. Weather apps typically
deal with dynamic, real-time data like temperature, humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric conditions, which
need to be presented clearly and attractively. By enhancing UI:

• Users can instantly understand the weather data.

• Navigation becomes more fluid and intuitive.
• Engagement is improved, keeping users coming back.

In this project, the UI was designed using HTML, CSS, and some JavaScript for interactivity. It follows a
clean, modern look with vibrant background gradients that change dynamically based on the weather

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condition (Clear, Rainy, Cloudy, etc.). This is not just a visual treat but also enhances the UX by making the
data "feel" more immersive.

2. Components of the User Interface

The key UI elements implemented in the weather app include:

• Input Field: A central search bar allows users to enter the name of a city. The rounded edges, soft
colors, and responsive input style ensure ease of interaction on all devices.
• Weather Card: Upon submitting a city, a well-designed container appears that showcases key
weather details like:
o Temperature in Celsius
o Weather condition (like "Clear" or "Rain")
o City name
o Date and time
o Humidity
o Wind Speed
• Dynamic Backgrounds: Depending on the weather condition returned from the API, the app
dynamically changes the background gradient. This enhances immersion and provides an emotional,
visual context to the data.
• Iconography and Fonts: Icons from Font Awesome and the Orbitron + Poppins fonts add a tech-
savvy yet readable touch, helping align the design with modern standards.

3. Responsive and Accessible Design

The application uses flexbox to ensure the layout is responsive across screen sizes—from desktops to
mobile phones. Buttons and input fields have been styled with larger padding and clickable areas to ensure
accessibility.

Important accessibility features considered include:

• High contrast between text and background.

• Use of semantic HTML elements.
• Font size readability.
• Mobile-friendly input design.

Accessibility is not just a best practice—it ensures that users with varying needs, including those with visual
impairments or motor disabilities, can access the content easily.

4. Animations and Transitions

To improve the perceived performance and user engagement, subtle animations were added. For example:

• When the user inputs a city and receives weather data, the result fades in with a smooth transition.

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 • Hover effects on data cards and buttons create a dynamic and polished look.

These animations are kept minimal and optimized to avoid performance issues on low-end devices while
enhancing the feeling of interactivity.

5. Future Improvements to UI/UX

While the current UI design offers a pleasant experience, several enhancements can be considered for future
versions:

• Dark Mode toggle for night-time viewing.

• Voice Input for easier search experience.
• Loading Spinner or Progress Bar while fetching data from the API.
• Error Handling UI that gracefully shows error messages when the API fails (like city not found).
• Temperature Toggle between °C and °F for international users.

These improvements would further refine the user journey and ensure that the app remains modern and
useful.

3.3 Implement Real-Time Weather Updates

Real-time updates are essential for any weather-related application. The primary goal of this objective is to
ensure that users receive accurate and timely weather data as soon as it is available. Since weather conditions
can change rapidly, providing real-time weather updates allows users to make decisions based on the most
current information. This can be crucial for activities such as travel, outdoor events, or simply planning daily
routines.

In the context of this weather application, the real-time weather feature is powered by the
OpenWeatherMap API. This API is highly reliable, offering access to real-time weather data from cities
worldwide. By integrating such a robust API into the application, we can fetch weather data dynamically and
display it on the user's screen in a matter of seconds. Below are the key aspects of this objective.

1. Real-Time Data Fetching and Integration

The OpenWeatherMap API provides a wealth of information including temperature, humidity, wind speed,
weather conditions, and more. This data is delivered in real-time, meaning that every time a user searches for
a city's weather, the application pulls the latest weather information for that location.

• API Request: When a user submits a city name, the server (via the servlet) makes an HTTP request
to the OpenWeatherMap API, which returns a JSON response containing the weather details for the
requested city.

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 • Data Parsing: The JSON data received from the API is parsed using Gson, a powerful Java library
for handling JSON. This parsing converts the raw data into usable formats, such as integers for
temperature or strings for weather conditions.
• Data Display: The weather information is then displayed dynamically in the frontend using JSP,
allowing users to view the updated weather details immediately.

2. Data Accuracy and Timeliness

One of the key challenges in weather applications is ensuring that the displayed data is both accurate and up-
to-date. Weather information can change by the minute, which is why our application integrates real-time
updates with precise data from OpenWeatherMap.

• Real-Time Nature of API: The OpenWeatherMap API provides weather updates in real-time, pulling
the most recent data from weather stations around the globe. Every time the app fetches data, it
reflects the most current conditions, such as wind speed or temperature.
• Reliable Data Sources: The OpenWeatherMap service collects weather data from multiple sources,
including weather stations, satellites, and radar systems, which ensures high accuracy. This minimizes
errors or outdated information in the app.

To ensure that the data displayed to the user is accurate and in real-time, we also perform regular checks to
ensure that the API is working properly, and data is being updated without delay.

3. Real-Time Updates on Weather Conditions

Weather conditions are highly dynamic, so it's crucial to provide real-time updates about changing weather
patterns. With the integration of the OpenWeatherMap API, users are presented with a live view of various
weather conditions, including but not limited to:

• Temperature: The app displays temperature in Celsius, which is dynamically fetched based on the
city entered. Temperature readings are updated every time the user submits a request, ensuring they
receive the most current temperature data.
• Humidity: The app shows the percentage of humidity in the air, which is essential for understanding
the overall comfort and feel of the weather.
• Wind Speed: Wind speed is presented in kilometers per hour (km/h), and users can see how windy
the conditions are in their selected city.
• Weather Conditions: Whether it's clear, cloudy, raining, or snowing, the app updates the weather
condition in real-time, helping users prepare for the day.

By displaying real-time updates on all these weather metrics, the app helps users plan their day more
effectively, whether for travel, outdoor activities, or even simple tasks like dressing appropriately.

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4. User-Driven Updates

One of the key features of the weather app is that it allows users to select a city of their choice, which drives
the weather data request. By empowering the user to search for any city they desire, the application becomes
adaptable to their needs.

• Search Functionality: When the user enters the name of a city in the search bar and submits it, the
server immediately requests the latest weather data for that specific location from OpenWeatherMap.
This ensures that the weather information is tailored to the user's exact query.
• Seamless Data Flow: The app seamlessly integrates the user input with backend data fetching,
ensuring a smooth experience. After the API request is processed, the app retrieves the data and
updates the UI, showing the weather for the chosen city in real-time.

By providing instant weather updates, the app maintains an engaging and interactive user experience, while
also ensuring that users are receiving the most relevant data possible for their specific location.

5. Handling API Limitations and Failures

While real-time updates are the goal, weather applications must also deal with certain challenges, such as
API rate limits and service outages. OpenWeatherMap, like any API, has some limitations on the number of
requests you can make in a given time period. To handle this, our weather app:

• Cashing Previous Results: When users search for a city's weather multiple times, we can cache the
results temporarily to avoid hitting API limits too quickly.
• Error Handling: If the API service fails or returns an error (for example, if the city is not found or
there is no internet connection), the app should provide a meaningful error message to the user,
explaining the issue. This could include displaying a "City not found" message or an "Unable to fetch
weather data" alert, along with suggestions to check the city name or internet connection.
• Graceful Fallback: The app could potentially offer fallback functionality by showing cached weather
data or by providing the option for the user to try again later.

This ensures that the app remains reliable even when external services like APIs experience downtime or
other issues.

6. Performance and Efficiency

For real-time data fetching to work smoothly, performance must be optimized to ensure users don’t
experience delays or timeouts when requesting data. Several performance considerations include:

• Efficient Data Fetching: The API request is optimized to pull only necessary weather data (e.g.,
temperature, humidity, wind speed). This reduces unnecessary data transfer, ensuring faster response
times.
• Optimized Server-Side Requests: The backend is designed to handle multiple requests efficiently.
When users make weather requests, the server handles them quickly without excessive delays.

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 • Frontend Optimization: On the front end, minimal JavaScript and CSS are used to load weather data
without slowing down the UI. This allows for a smooth and instantaneous user experience when
retrieving weather information.

3.4 Optimize User Experience for

MobileDevices
In today’s digital world, optimizing applications for mobile devices is essential. As mobile usage continues to
rise globally, it’s crucial for web applications to provide an optimal experience across different screen sizes,
platforms, and devices. In the context of this weather app, mobile optimization ensures that users can easily
access weather information from their smartphones and tablets with the same level of usability and
performance as on desktops. This objective focuses on creating a responsive and mobile-friendly user
interface (UI), ensuring that the app adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes, touch inputs, and network
conditions.

1. Mobile-First Design Approach

Mobile-first design is an approach where the website or application is designed initially for mobile devices,
with the layout and features built to scale up for larger devices like desktops. This strategy is essential for
creating an intuitive experience for users on smartphones, where screen space is limited and user
expectations are different compared to desktop interfaces.

• Responsive Layout: The design elements, such as buttons, forms, and weather details, adjust
dynamically based on the screen size. This ensures that users on mobile devices do not have to zoom
or scroll horizontally to view the content. For example, when a user accesses the weather app from a
mobile device, the content is arranged in a compact, easy-to-read layout with large clickable areas for
interaction.
• Touchscreen Optimization: Since mobile devices primarily rely on touch, all interactive elements
(such as buttons and input fields) are designed to be touch-friendly. This includes making buttons
large enough for users to easily tap and ensuring form inputs are simple and fast to fill out. For
instance, the search bar where users input the city name will be optimized for touch, making it easy to
type on small screens.

By focusing on mobile-first design principles, the app’s user experience is enhanced across all devices,
especially on smartphones where users typically access weather information.

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2. Mobile-Friendly UI Components

When designing a weather app for mobile devices, UI components need to be user-friendly and responsive.
This means ensuring that every element, from the weather icon to the city name, is properly scaled and
visible without unnecessary clutter.

• Text and Fonts: The app uses large, legible fonts to ensure readability on mobile screens. For
example, the temperature and city name are displayed in bold, large font sizes that are easy to read
without zooming in. The use of a modern font like "Poppins" ensures that text is clean and attractive.
• Icon and Image Optimization: Mobile users benefit from fast-loading, lightweight images. The
weather icons (like clear, cloudy, rain, etc.) should be optimized for mobile devices to ensure quick
loading times. Images should be displayed at an appropriate size based on screen resolution to avoid
slowing down the page load times.
• Flexible Grid Layout: The layout of the weather app should utilize a flexible grid system to adjust
the placement of elements based on screen size. For example, the search bar, weather icons, and
weather details (such as temperature, humidity, wind speed) can be stacked vertically on small screens
and arranged horizontally on larger screens. This ensures that all content remains accessible without
requiring users to scroll excessively.

In addition, media queries (a CSS technique) can be used to fine-tune the layout for mobile devices. These
queries help adjust the presentation of the content depending on the screen size, ensuring the app looks great
on all types of devices, whether it’s a small mobile phone or a large tablet.

3. Touchscreen Navigation and Interactions

Mobile devices heavily rely on touchscreen interactions, and it's crucial for the weather app to be fully
optimized for touch-based navigation. The app should provide clear, easy-to-use controls that users can
interact with quickly and efficiently.

• Simple Input Methods: On mobile devices, users need a simple and intuitive way to input their city
name. This can be achieved with large, easy-to-tap input fields. Auto-completion or suggestions can
be incorporated to speed up the city search process, especially when dealing with city names that
might be difficult to spell.
• Large, Accessible Buttons: Since mobile devices rely on touch, the app ensures that all interactive
elements are easy to press, even on small screens. The "Search" button, for example, is large, circular,
and placed directly next to the input field. This allows users to quickly submit their query without
having to stretch their fingers or make inaccurate taps.
• Swipe and Scroll Features: On mobile devices, swipe gestures and smooth scrolling should be
incorporated. For instance, users should be able to swipe through weather forecasts or scroll easily
through the list of cities to see updated weather information.

Touchscreen navigation should also be responsive and provide immediate feedback. This feedback could
come in the form of color changes, animations, or visual cues (like buttons changing color when tapped), so
users always know their actions have been successfully registered.

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4. Optimizing for Slow Mobile Networks

Mobile devices often operate on slower, less reliable networks compared to desktops. As such, optimizing the
app’s performance for slower network speeds is crucial for maintaining a smooth user experience.

• Data Minimization: The app should limit the amount of data required to display weather
information. For example, unnecessary images or data can be excluded from the initial page load.
This minimizes the time it takes to fetch and display the weather data, reducing loading times for
users on slow networks.
• Lazy Loading: Lazy loading is a technique that delays the loading of images or elements until they
are needed. For instance, weather-related icons, images, and even the data might not load all at once.
Instead, they can be fetched when the user scrolls to the relevant section or when it becomes visible
on the screen. This improves the app’s responsiveness, especially on mobile networks with limited
bandwidth.
• Optimizing API Calls: To reduce the load time on mobile networks, the API calls for fetching
weather data should be optimized. Instead of fetching data for unnecessary locations or requesting
data too frequently, the app should focus on the requested city and cache repeated requests when
possible. This minimizes API calls, reduces network usage, and improves performance.

5. Testing Across Multiple Devices and Screen Sizes

To ensure the app performs well on all mobile devices, it’s essential to test it across a range of screen sizes,
operating systems, and device types. Mobile devices come in various screen sizes and resolutions, so it's
crucial that the app adapts accordingly.

• Cross-Browser Testing: Different mobile browsers (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox) may render the
app differently. The app should be tested across multiple browsers to ensure compatibility and
consistent performance.
• Device Testing: The app should be tested on various mobile devices, including smartphones and
tablets, running both Android and iOS operating systems. Testing on real devices (rather than just
simulators) ensures that the app works optimally and does not have any unforeseen performance
issues on actual devices.
• Usability Testing: Mobile usability testing should be conducted with real users to identify pain points
in navigation or design. Feedback from users can help improve the overall experience and highlight
areas where the app might be difficult to navigate or use on mobile devices.

6. Mobile Accessibility Considerations

In addition to optimizing the app for usability, mobile accessibility is an important aspect of creating an
inclusive experience for all users, including those with disabilities.

• Voice Search and Assistive Technologies: Many mobile users rely on voice search and assistive
technologies, such as screen readers, to interact with their devices. To support these users, the app
should be compatible with voice commands (e.g., Google Assistant or Siri) and ensure that screen
readers can correctly read the content, such as weather details and city names.

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 • Color Contrast and Font Sizes: For users with visual impairments, it's important to ensure that the
app's text has sufficient contrast against the background. Additionally, font sizes should be adjustable
or large enough to read comfortably on mobile screens.
• Touch-Friendly Controls: As previously mentioned, touch-friendly buttons and form fields are
important for accessibility. Ensuring that buttons are large enough to be easily tapped and that forms
are designed for easy completion can help users with limited dexterity.

3.5 Implement Real-Time Weather Data

Updates
Real-time weather data updates are essential for providing users with accurate, timely information. Weather
conditions change constantly, and users rely on accurate and up-to-date forecasts to plan their day effectively.
This objective focuses on fetching and displaying weather data in real-time from the OpenWeatherMap API
and ensuring that users can access the latest weather information without delays. By implementing efficient
data updates, users will have the most relevant weather information right at their fingertips, whether they are
checking the forecast for the next few hours or tracking the weather changes throughout the day.

1. Real-Time Data Fetching with OpenWeatherMap API

The heart of the weather app is its ability to provide up-to-date weather data, which is accomplished by
integrating the OpenWeatherMap API. This API provides reliable weather information, such as temperature,
humidity, wind speed, and forecasts for various locations worldwide.

• API Integration: The app connects to the OpenWeatherMap API to fetch current weather data for
any user-specified city. When a user enters the name of a city, the app sends a request to the API,
retrieves the necessary weather data, and presents it to the user in a user-friendly format.
• API Request Structure: The request to the API contains the city name (or coordinates) and the user’s
preferred units of measurement (Celsius, Fahrenheit, etc.). The app also handles potential errors, such
as invalid city names or issues with the API request, ensuring that users still receive a meaningful
response.
• API Response Parsing: The response from the OpenWeatherMap API is typically in JSON format,
which needs to be parsed into the app’s front-end to display the relevant weather information. Java’s
Gson library can be used to parse the JSON data and extract the needed fields, such as temperature,
weather description, and wind speed. These parsed values are then used to populate the app’s UI.

This integration allows users to receive real-time updates, ensuring that they always have access to the latest
weather information.

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2. Regular Updates and Auto-Refresh Mechanism

To keep the app's data current and accurate, it's essential to implement a system that automatically fetches
updates at regular intervals. This ensures that users always see the latest weather conditions without having to
manually refresh the page.

• Automatic Data Refresh: By setting up an auto-refresh mechanism, the weather app can
automatically update the data displayed every few minutes or whenever significant changes in the
weather are detected. For example, the app can fetch new data every 5 to 10 minutes, which will
update the displayed temperature, wind speed, and other variables accordingly.
• Update Frequency: The frequency of updates depends on user needs and the limitations of the
OpenWeatherMap API. While it's important to avoid excessive API calls (which could impact
performance and API usage limits), regular updates ensure that users are always viewing the most
recent weather conditions. The refresh interval can be customized or made adaptive based on the
user's location or preferences.
• Notification of Updates: To make the app even more user-friendly, it could notify the user of new
updates. A simple visual cue, like a spinning icon or an indicator showing that new weather data is
being fetched, can improve the user experience.

An auto-refresh mechanism keeps users connected to the most up-to-date data without requiring manual
intervention, enhancing usability and ensuring real-time information delivery.

3. Handling API Rate Limits and Failures

OpenWeatherMap, like most APIs, imposes rate limits on the number of requests that can be made within a
given time frame. Handling these rate limits and potential API failures is crucial to ensure that the app
continues to function smoothly without overloading the API or frustrating users.

• Rate Limiting: OpenWeatherMap typically allows a limited number of requests per minute or hour,
depending on the type of API key. If the app exceeds this limit, it should handle the situation
gracefully, providing a user-friendly message or fallback content. This could include displaying a
message that says, "Weather data temporarily unavailable, please try again later."
• Error Handling: The app should also account for potential API failures, such as connection issues,
invalid city names, or incorrect API keys. In the event of an error, the app should provide clear error
messages to users, such as "City not found" or "Unable to fetch weather data at the moment." This
helps maintain a positive user experience even when the app encounters problems.
• Cache Mechanism: To mitigate the impact of rate limits or API failures, the app can implement a
cache mechanism. If the API fails or rate limits are reached, the app can temporarily display
previously fetched data while attempting to reconnect to the API or retrieve new data when possible.
This ensures that users still have access to weather information without experiencing a significant
delay.

By managing rate limits and failures effectively, the app ensures reliability and minimizes disruptions for
users.

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4. User-Centered Design for Data Presentation

While fetching and updating weather data in real-time is important, how this data is presented to the user is
equally crucial. To improve user experience, the data should be organized in a way that is easy to digest.

• Weather Summary: A concise, summary-style view of the current weather, such as temperature,
weather condition (e.g., sunny, cloudy, or rainy), and wind speed, should be displayed prominently at
the top of the page. This provides users with quick access to the most important information.
• Forecast Information: A detailed forecast for the upcoming hours or days can be displayed below
the current weather summary. The forecast should include temperature highs and lows, expected
weather conditions, and other relevant details like humidity or precipitation chances. The app should
allow users to easily toggle between hourly and daily forecasts.
• Weather Alerts: For added value, users could be notified of weather alerts, such as thunderstorms or
heavy rain, based on real-time data from the API. This information could be presented in a prominent,
attention-grabbing way, such as a banner at the top of the app.

A clean, easy-to-navigate UI ensures that the weather data is not overwhelming and that users can quickly
find the information they need, even when it's constantly updating in real time.

3.6 Implement Weather Forecasting for

Multiple Days
Providing a weather forecast for multiple days is an essential feature of any comprehensive weather app.
Users often plan ahead and want to know what weather conditions to expect in the coming days, whether for
travel, work, or outdoor activities. By integrating a multi-day forecasting system, the app can deliver detailed
and accurate weather predictions for up to 7 days in advance, based on real-time data from the
OpenWeatherMap API.

1. Multi-Day Weather Data Fetching

To offer multi-day forecasts, the weather app must request forecast data from the OpenWeatherMap API.
This involves using the "5 Day / 3 Hour Forecast" or "16 Day Forecast" API endpoints, which provide
weather predictions for several days or hours ahead.

• Forecast Data Request: The app sends a request to the OpenWeatherMap API, asking for forecast
data for the user-specified city. The forecast includes not only current weather conditions but also
future predictions such as temperature, precipitation chances, and expected weather conditions
(cloudy, sunny, etc.).
• API Response Parsing: The API responds with a set of data for multiple days, typically broken down
into hourly intervals. The app parses the response and extracts the necessary information, such as
daily temperature highs and lows, weather descriptions (e.g., sunny, rainy, cloudy), humidity levels,
and precipitation forecasts. This data is then displayed on the app for the user to see.

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This allows users to get a snapshot of weather conditions not just for the present day but for several
upcoming days, enabling them to plan accordingly.

2. Displaying 7-Day Forecast with Intuitive UI

The user interface must be designed to present forecast data in a way that is easy to navigate and understand.
A well-structured layout ensures that users can quickly get the information they need without feeling
overwhelmed by the data.

• Daily Forecast View: The weather forecast for multiple days is displayed in a compact yet
informative format, with each day showing key data such as the date, weather conditions (icon
representing the weather), temperature highs and lows, and precipitation chances. A simple graphical
representation (such as temperature bar charts) can make it easier for users to visualize the forecast.
• Icons for Weather Conditions: The use of weather icons is crucial for conveying the forecast at a
glance. Sunny days, rainy weather, or cloudy skies can be represented by distinct icons (e.g., sun,
cloud with raindrops) that immediately communicate the forecast conditions. These icons can be
sourced from the OpenWeatherMap API and displayed alongside the temperature data.
• Detailed View on Tap: For users who want more detailed information about a specific day, the app
could offer the option to tap on any forecasted day to view more in-depth data, such as hourly
temperature fluctuations, wind speed, and humidity levels.

By making the forecast easy to read and interact with, the app ensures users can find the information they
need quickly and efficiently.

3. Hourly Breakdown for Each Day

In addition to providing a general 7-day forecast, many users are interested in a detailed hourly breakdown of
weather conditions for a given day. This feature provides more precision for users who want to know how the
weather will change throughout the day, particularly when planning activities or travel.

• Hourly Weather Data: The OpenWeatherMap API provides weather data in 3-hour intervals, which
can be used to populate hourly forecasts for each day. This data includes the expected temperature,
weather conditions, wind speed, and humidity at each interval.
• Interactive Hourly Forecast: The app can allow users to click on any specific day to view an hourly
forecast for that day. This feature helps users understand how the weather will evolve during the
course of the day, providing more detailed insights, such as:
o Morning, afternoon, and evening temperatures
o Rainfall or snowfall predictions for specific hours
o Wind conditions and gust speed at different times
• Graphical Representation of Hourly Forecast: A simple line chart or graph can be used to display
hourly temperature changes, giving users a quick overview of how the temperature will vary
throughout the day. This enhances the overall user experience and helps users make more informed
decisions.

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The hourly breakdown feature ensures that the weather app provides a more granular view of weather
conditions, adding value for users with specific needs or those planning activities at particular times.

4. Handling Different Weather Variables

While temperature is the most common variable users focus on, the app should also display other weather-
related information that plays a role in their plans. The OpenWeatherMap API provides several other
variables that can enhance the forecasting feature.

• Precipitation Forecast: One of the most critical weather conditions for planning is the likelihood of
precipitation. The app can display forecasted rain or snow for each day and even show the expected
intensity of the precipitation (light, moderate, heavy).
• Wind Conditions: Wind speed and direction can also affect outdoor activities, such as hiking or
sailing. The weather app should include wind speed forecasts for each day or hourly interval, along
with the wind’s direction.
• Humidity: High humidity can affect comfort levels, so displaying humidity data is crucial, especially
in areas with extreme conditions. Users can view forecasted humidity levels for the next several days,
ensuring that they’re aware of how the air will feel.
• Sunrise and Sunset Times: For users planning outdoor activities, showing the times of sunrise and
sunset can be a useful addition. This helps users better plan their day, especially when they need to
know how much daylight remains for outdoor activities.

By presenting multiple weather variables, the app ensures that users have a comprehensive view of the
weather, which helps them make better decisions about their plans and activities.

5. Managing Forecast Data Efficiently

Fetching and displaying multiple days of weather data can place additional strain on the app’s performance.
To ensure that the app runs smoothly while providing users with the information they need, efficient
management of the forecast data is required.

• Data Caching: To reduce the number of API calls and minimize delays, the app can cache weather
data for each city. This allows the app to display previously fetched forecast data when users revisit
the city without having to make another API request, saving time and reducing the load on the server.
• Lazy Loading: If the forecast data is extensive (e.g., up to 7 days of forecast with hourly intervals),
the app can use lazy loading techniques to only fetch and display the data for the days and times the
user is most likely to view. This reduces unnecessary data fetching and improves performance,
especially on slower networks.
• Efficient UI Rendering: The app should optimize how forecast data is displayed. Instead of
rendering large chunks of data all at once, the app can gradually load and display forecast
information, making sure the UI is responsive and user interactions are not delayed.

Efficient management of forecast data ensures the app remains fast and responsive, even when displaying
large amounts of weather information.

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6. Weather Alerts for Multi-Day Forecasts

An important feature of any weather forecasting system is the ability to notify users about significant weather
events, such as storms, heavy rainfall, or extreme temperatures. This feature is particularly useful in a multi-
day forecast, where users can prepare in advance for potential weather hazards.

• Alert Integration: The app can be integrated with the OpenWeatherMap API’s weather alerts system,
which provides notifications for severe weather conditions in the forecast. These alerts include
information on potential storms, extreme heat or cold, or other dangerous weather events.
• Display of Alerts: When a significant weather event is predicted, the app can highlight the forecasted
day with a warning, either by changing the background color, displaying a prominent alert icon, or
showing a notification within the app. This ensures that users are aware of impending weather events
and can take necessary precautions.

Weather alerts provide added value to users by ensuring they stay informed about critical weather changes
that could affect their safety and plans.

3.7 Implement Weather Alerts for Severe

Conditions
Weather alerts are a crucial aspect of any weather application. They help users stay informed about severe
weather conditions that may pose risks to their safety and plans. By incorporating real-time weather alerts
into the weather app, users can receive notifications about impending severe weather events such as storms,
floods, heatwaves, or heavy snowfall. This feature ensures that the app is not only a tool for forecasting
everyday weather but also a valuable resource for emergency preparedness.

1. Weather Alert System Integration

To provide users with timely notifications about dangerous weather conditions, the app must integrate with a
reliable weather alert system. The OpenWeatherMap API offers an alert system that provides users with
warnings about significant weather phenomena, such as:

• Thunderstorms: Severe thunderstorms can cause damage and disruptions. Alerts for thunderstorms
inform users about the likelihood of high winds, hail, lightning, and heavy rain.
• Flooding: Flood warnings can be life-saving, especially in regions prone to heavy rainfall or
snowmelt. Alerts for floods notify users about areas at risk of water levels rising.
• Extreme Heat or Cold: Heatwaves or extreme cold snaps can have serious health consequences.
Alerts for temperature extremes notify users when the temperature will exceed or fall below
dangerous thresholds.
• Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and Cyclones: These are among the most dangerous weather events, and
timely alerts are essential for evacuation and safety precautions.

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 • Snowstorms: Heavy snowfall can lead to dangerous driving conditions, power outages, and
transportation disruptions. Alerts for snowstorms help users take appropriate action.
• Air Quality Alerts: In addition to weather-related alerts, air quality alerts can inform users about
hazardous pollution levels that may affect health, particularly in urban areas or regions with high
levels of industrial activity.

By integrating these alerts into the app, users can be kept informed about any potential weather hazards that
could affect them.

2. Setting Up Real-Time Alerts

To implement real-time weather alerts, the app must continuously monitor the weather conditions using the
OpenWeatherMap API. The alerts system should be designed to deliver notifications to users when specific
criteria are met. The steps involved include:

• Data Fetching for Alerts: The app sends regular requests to the OpenWeatherMap API to retrieve the
latest weather alerts for the specified location. The API response includes information about the type
of weather event, affected areas, and the expected start and end times.
• Filtering Alerts: Not all weather alerts will be relevant to every user. The app can filter out alerts that
are not applicable to the user's location or preferences. For example, if a user is in a region where
tornadoes are unlikely, they might not need to receive such alerts. Users could also have the option to
customize which types of alerts they wish to receive (e.g., only severe storm warnings).
• Timely Notification Delivery: Once the app receives an alert, it should notify the user promptly. This
could involve:
o Push Notifications: For users with the mobile app installed, push notifications can be sent to
their phones, alerting them immediately when a weather warning is issued.
o In-App Alerts: For users interacting with the web version of the app, an in-app alert banner or
pop-up can display the warning at the top of the screen.
o Email Alerts: If the user has registered an email address, the app can send email alerts with
details about the weather event.

By setting up real-time alerts and notifying users promptly, the app ensures that users are aware of imminent
weather hazards and can take the necessary precautions.

3. Customizing Alert Notifications for User Preferences

Not all users will want to receive the same types of weather alerts. Some users may prefer detailed warnings
for every type of severe weather event, while others may only be concerned with certain conditions, such as
heatwaves or heavy rainfall. To make the app more user-friendly, it’s important to allow users to customize
their alert preferences.

• Alert Categories: The app can offer users the option to select which types of alerts they want to
receive. For example:
o Severe storm warnings
o Flood and water level alerts

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 o Extreme temperature warnings
o Air quality notifications
• Geolocation-Based Alerts: The app should allow users to enable location-based alerts, where the app
automatically tracks their current location and sends notifications based on the weather conditions in
that area. For example, if a user is traveling, the app can provide alerts for the new location based on
their real-time location data.
• Alert Frequency Control: Users should also have control over how frequently they receive
notifications. Some may prefer to receive a single alert for each significant weather event, while
others may want to be notified every time the conditions change (e.g., an update every hour during a
severe storm).

Allowing users to customize their alert preferences ensures that they only receive notifications that are
relevant to them and at a frequency they’re comfortable with. This not only improves the user experience but
also ensures that the app doesn’t overwhelm users with unnecessary information.

4. Displaying Alerts in an Easy-to-Understand Format

Weather alerts should be presented clearly and concisely to users so that they can understand the severity of
the situation and take appropriate action. An effective way to display alerts includes the following features:

• Clear Alert Titles: The alert title should quickly inform the user about the type of weather event. For
example, “Severe Thunderstorm Warning,” “Flood Alert,” or “Heatwave Advisory.”
• Alert Severity Levels: If the OpenWeatherMap API supports different levels of severity for alerts
(e.g., “Watch,” “Warning,” “Advisory”), the app should display this information so that users can
understand the potential risks involved. For example, a “Warning” may indicate immediate danger,
while a “Watch” means the event is possible but not yet imminent.
• Detailed Alert Descriptions: Each alert should include a description with additional details about the
event, such as the expected start and end times, the affected area, and any recommended safety
measures. This helps users understand what actions they should take.
• Visual Indicators: Visual elements such as colored banners, icons, or flashing warnings can help
draw users’ attention to alerts. For example, a bright red banner could indicate a severe storm
warning, while a yellow banner might signify a flood watch.

By presenting alerts in a clear and organized format, the app ensures that users can quickly interpret the
information and take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their property.

5. Testing and Updating Alert System

Weather patterns can change rapidly, so it’s important to test and update the alert system regularly to ensure
that it functions properly under various scenarios. This includes:

• Monitoring API Changes: The OpenWeatherMap API may update its alert system or modify the
format of alerts. It’s important to stay up-to-date with any changes in the API to avoid errors in alert
delivery or presentation.

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 • Testing Alerts Under Different Conditions: The app should be tested to ensure that it correctly
processes and displays weather alerts under various conditions. For example, testing the app during a
severe weather event to make sure that alerts are delivered correctly and at the right times.
• Ensuring Real-Time Data Fetching: The app should continuously pull fresh weather alert data from
the API to ensure that users receive the latest information. The app should also handle cases where the
API is temporarily unavailable, ensuring that users aren’t left in the dark during critical times.

By regularly testing and updating the alert system, the app can ensure its reliability and provide accurate
information to users during severe weather events.

6. User Education on Alerts

For users to take full advantage of weather alerts, it’s important to educate them about the meaning and
importance of different weather alerts. This could include:

• Tooltips and Descriptions: Providing brief tooltips or information boxes that explain the various
weather alert types when the user first installs the app. This could help them understand what each
alert means and why they are important.
• Safety Tips: The app can provide safety tips or action plans for different types of weather events. For
example, it could tell users what to do in the case of a flood warning or how to prepare for a
heatwave.

By educating users on the importance of alerts and how to respond to them, the app ensures that users take
proactive measures to protect themselves and their property.

3. 8 Improve App Performance and Optimize Load

Times

App performance is a critical aspect that directly impacts user satisfaction and engagement. Slow-loading
apps or applications that lag while updating weather data can frustrate users and lead to a negative
experience. To ensure that users have a smooth, efficient, and responsive experience, it's crucial to focus on
optimizing the app's performance, particularly when fetching real-time weather data from APIs and
displaying it on the user interface.

1. Data Caching and Storage

One of the primary ways to improve performance and reduce load times is by caching data. Caching allows
frequently accessed data to be stored temporarily on the device, reducing the need to make repeated requests
to the OpenWeatherMap API for the same data.

• Local Caching: The app can store the last fetched weather data locally in the browser’s localStorage
or in a mobile app's local database (e.g., SQLite for Android or CoreData for iOS). When users access

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 the app again, they will be able to view the cached data instantly, with the app only needing to fetch
new data if the weather has changed.
• Cache Expiry: Weather data typically doesn’t change drastically within short intervals, so setting an
expiry time for cached data (e.g., 30 minutes or 1 hour) can ensure that users aren’t viewing outdated
information. If the cached data has expired, the app will fetch the latest data from the API.
• Optimized Cache Size: By setting appropriate limits on the size of cached data, the app will avoid
using excessive storage space, which is important for mobile devices with limited storage.

Caching significantly reduces the load time when users revisit the app or check the weather frequently,
leading to a smoother experience.

2. Minimize API Requests

To further optimize app performance, it’s important to minimize the number of requests made to the
OpenWeatherMap API. Frequent API calls can slow down the app and increase the risk of hitting API rate
limits.

• Batch Requests: Instead of making multiple API requests for different cities or weather parameters,
batch requests can be used to fetch weather data for multiple locations in a single API call. This helps
reduce network overhead and improves performance.
• Request Optimization: The app should request only the necessary data. For example, if the user is
only interested in temperature and weather conditions, the app should avoid fetching unnecessary data
like hourly forecasts or minute-by-minute updates. This ensures that the app receives a smaller
payload of data, reducing the time it takes to process and display the information.
• Efficient Error Handling: The app should handle any errors in API requests gracefully. If the
OpenWeatherMap API is temporarily unavailable or there’s a network issue, the app should show a
fallback message or display cached data until the connection is restored. This ensures that the user
experience is not interrupted by API downtime.

By reducing the number of API calls and optimizing the data request process, the app can run more
efficiently and provide faster results.

3. Lazy Loading for Weather Data

Lazy loading is a technique that loads only the required parts of the application when they are needed, rather
than loading everything at once. This approach ensures that the initial loading time is minimized and users
can interact with the app immediately while other content loads in the background.

• Lazy Loading of Weather Details: Instead of fetching the entire weather report (e.g., hourly
forecasts, wind speeds, humidity levels) upfront, the app can load the most critical data first, such as
the current weather and a brief forecast. Other details can then be loaded dynamically when the user
scrolls or interacts with the app.
• Asynchronous Data Fetching: By using asynchronous data fetching, the app can load essential
weather data first, while less important data, such as satellite imagery or weather history, can be
loaded in the background without slowing down the app.

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Lazy loading ensures that the app appears faster and more responsive by prioritizing the most important
information for the user.

4. Code Minification and Compression

Another important aspect of optimizing app performance is minimizing the size of the app’s assets, such as
JavaScript files, CSS stylesheets, and images. Reducing the size of these files helps speed up the app's load
times and reduces network usage.

• Minify JavaScript and CSS: Code minification involves removing unnecessary characters (such as
spaces, comments, and newlines) from JavaScript and CSS files. This reduces the file size, enabling
faster download and execution times. Tools like UglifyJS or Terser can be used to minify JavaScript
files, while CSS can be minified with tools like cssnano or clean-css.
• Image Optimization: Large images can slow down page loading times, especially on mobile devices
with slower network connections. Using image compression techniques, such as reducing the
resolution of images or using formats like WebP, can help reduce image sizes without sacrificing
quality. This will allow the app to load images faster and consume less bandwidth.
• Enable Compression: The app can use server-side compression (e.g., Gzip or Brotli) to compress
assets like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript before sending them over the network. This can significantly
reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred and improve load times.

By optimizing code and compressing assets, the app will load faster, improving the overall user experience.

5. Optimize User Interface Rendering

The speed at which the app's user interface (UI) loads and renders is a crucial factor in determining how
responsive and fluid the app feels to the user.

• Efficient DOM Manipulation: Excessive or inefficient manipulation of the DOM (Document Object
Model) can slow down the rendering of web pages. To improve UI performance, the app should use
techniques like virtual DOM (used in frameworks like React) or minimize the number of direct DOM
manipulations.
• CSS and JavaScript Animations: Animations are a great way to enhance the user experience, but
poorly optimized animations can make the app feel slow. Using GPU-accelerated CSS animations
(e.g., transform and opacity) can result in smoother animations compared to JavaScript-based ones,
which are more resource-intensive.
• Responsive Layouts: The app should employ responsive design principles to ensure that it performs
well across a range of devices, from mobile phones to desktops. By using media queries, flexible grid
systems, and scalable vector graphics (SVGs), the app can adapt to different screen sizes and
resolutions without sacrificing performance.

Optimizing the UI rendering process ensures that users enjoy a fast and responsive experience, regardless of
their device or network conditions.

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 4. Project Methodology

4.1 Requirement Analysis (Detailed Explanation)

The Requirement Analysis phase is the foundation of any successful software project, and for the Weather
App, this step involved understanding both what the user expects and how the technology stack could fulfill
those expectations.

The primary objective of the Weather App project was to build an interactive, real-time weather forecasting
web application that can retrieve and display current weather information for any user-specified city. The
application should allow users to input a location and, in response, fetch and display up-to-date weather data
such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and general weather conditions.

To meet this objective, the first step was to define the technical and functional requirements. These
requirements serve as a guide to ensure all aspects of the project are accounted for and aligned with the
project goal.

Functional Requirements:

1. City-Based Weather Search: The user must be able to search the weather of a specific city by
entering the name in a text box.
2. Real-Time Data Retrieval: The application should return live weather data, not cached or pre-saved
content.
3. Weather Parameters Display: The app must show various weather details like:
o Temperature (in °C)
o Humidity (in %)
o Wind Speed (in m/s or km/h)
o Weather Description (like Cloudy, Sunny, Rainy)
o Icon or Image that represents the current weather condition
4. Error Handling: If the user enters an invalid or unsupported city name, the app should display an
appropriate error message instead of crashing.
5. Dynamic Backgrounds: Based on the type of weather (e.g., sunny, rainy, snowy), the background of
the app should visually reflect the condition to enhance the user experience.
6. Interactive UI: Users should feel engaged through a visually pleasing and easy-to-use interface.

Technical Requirements:

1. Backend Development using Java Servlets and JSP:

o Servlets will handle the HTTP request made by the user.
o The servlet will process the input (city name), make an API request, and parse the response.
o JSP (Java Server Pages) will be used to display the processed weather data dynamically on the
webpage.
2. Integration with OpenWeatherMap API:

32
 o The app will send a request to the OpenWeatherMap API with the user-provided city name.
o The API will return a JSON response with the required weather data.
o The application will parse the JSON using the Gson library and extract relevant values for
display.
3. Frontend Development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript:
o HTML will be used to create the structure of the webpage (input form, data placeholders,
etc.).
o CSS will handle the styling to make the app visually appealing.
o JavaScript will be used for client-side logic such as form validation, dynamic DOM updates,
and interactive UI elements (e.g., background changes).
4. Responsiveness:
o The application must be responsive across different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile).
o Use of media queries and flexible layouts is essential.
5. Separation of Concerns:
o HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java Servlets, and JSP must be placed in separate files to promote
clean coding practices and ease of maintenance.
6. Modular Architecture:
o The application should be broken into modules (e.g., input handler, API connector, data
processor, UI renderer) to allow scalability and reusability of components.
7. Development Environment:
o Java Development Kit (JDK)
o Apache Tomcat Server
o Eclipse/IntelliJ IDE
o Browser for testing
o Postman or browser dev tools to inspect API responses
8. Non-Functional Requirements:
o Performance: The app should respond quickly to user inputs (ideally within 2 seconds).
o Reliability: The app must be available without crashes or broken elements.
o Maintainability: Code should be modular and commented to allow future developers to
modify or extend it easily.
9. Security Considerations:
o Validate user input to prevent injection attacks or malformed API calls.
o API key must be handled securely (ideally not exposed directly in the frontend

4.2 System Design

After defining clear functional and technical requirements, the next critical step in the software development
lifecycle is the System Design phase. This stage focuses on breaking down the application into logical
components and defining how these parts will interact to fulfill the desired functionalities efficiently.

For the Weather App project, the system was designed with a modular architecture that separates the
frontend, backend, and external API integration layers. This separation ensures flexibility, maintainability,
and scalability, while also supporting clean coding practices and simplifying debugging.

33
A. Architectural Overview

The system is designed as a three-layered model:

1. Frontend Layer: User Interface (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)

2. Backend Layer: Request handling and business logic (Java Servlets, JSP)
3. Integration Layer: External service communication (OpenWeatherMap API via HTTP and Gson for
parsing)

Each of these layers performs distinct responsibilities to keep the codebase modular and organized.

B. Frontend Design
1. HTML – Structure

• The frontend begins with a well-structured HTML page that includes:

o A text input box for users to type in a city name.
o A search button to trigger the weather lookup.
o Sections to display weather information such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and
weather condition.
• Elements are arranged using a semantic layout (like header, main, section, etc.) to improve
readability and accessibility.

2. CSS – Styling

• CSS is used to give the web app an attractive and modern look.
• Styling includes:
o Typography (fonts, size, weight)
o Layout (flexbox or grid for responsive alignment)
o Color schemes that change based on the weather condition
o Smooth transitions for interactive elements
• Background images or gradient overlays dynamically change based on current weather (sunny, rainy,
cloudy, etc.), enhancing the visual appeal.

3. JavaScript – Interactivity

• JavaScript adds interactivity such as:

o Form validation to ensure city name is not empty.
o Dynamically updating the DOM with weather data.
o Event listeners that respond to button clicks and data loading.
o Background changes according to the weather condition received from the API.

34
C. Backend Design
1. Java Servlets – Request Handling

• A Servlet acts as the controller in the application:

o It handles incoming HTTP POST or GET requests from the frontend.
o It reads the city input from the user.
o It constructs the API request URL by attaching the city name and API key.
o It opens a connection with the OpenWeatherMap server and fetches the weather data in JSON
format.

2. Data Parsing with Gson

• The weather data retrieved from the API is in JSON format.

• The Gson library is used to convert this raw JSON into structured Java objects.
• Gson maps JSON fields like "main.temp", "wind.speed", "weather.description" into easily
usable Java variables.

3. JSP – Data Rendering

• Once the Java Servlet processes the data:

o It sets weather attributes (like temperature, humidity, etc.) as request or session attributes.
o The request is forwarded to a JSP page, which uses these attributes to dynamically render the
weather information on the UI.
• This ensures separation of logic and presentation, following the MVC (Model-View-Controller)
pattern.

D. API Integration Design

1. OpenWeatherMap API

• The app uses the OpenWeatherMap REST API to fetch real-time weather data.
• The API is called using the full URL:
https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q={city}&appid={API_KEY}&units=me
tric
• The response contains a JSON object with multiple nested structures like:
o "main" for temperature and humidity
o "wind" for wind speed
o "weather" for description and icon code

2. Gson JSON Parsing

• Gson converts this structured JSON response into a set of POJO (Plain Old Java Object) classes.
• These Java objects are then used in Servlets to access data fields and pass them to the JSP.
• Example:

35
 java
G
WeatherData data = gson.fromJson(jsonString, WeatherData.class);
double temp = data.getMain().getTemp();

E. Workflow Summary

1. User inputs a city name and clicks "Search".

2. JavaScript validates the input and sends a request to the server.
3. The Java Servlet receives the request and makes an API call.
4. JSON data is returned and parsed using Gson.
5. Parsed data is sent to the JSP page.
6. JSP dynamically displays the weather data.
7. JavaScript updates the UI and background based on the current weather.

F. Future Scalability

The modular system design allows the project to be extended with features like:

• 5-day forecast display

• Location-based weather detection using geolocation
• Language and unit conversion options
• User login and weather tracking history

4.3 Implementation

The Implementation phase of the Weather App marked the transition from planning to actual development.
With the system design blueprint in place, this phase involved converting the conceptual model into a fully
functional application using a combination of frontend and backend technologies.

A. Project Setup

The project was developed as a Java web application using Apache Tomcat as the deployment server. The
following environment was configured:

• JDK (Java Development Kit) for compiling and running Java code.
• Apache Tomcat Server for deploying and testing the web application locally.
• Eclipse IDE (or IntelliJ) for writing and managing source code.
• Maven (optional) for managing dependencies like Gson.

The application was organized into proper directory structures:

• /src for Java Servlet and logic classes

• /WebContent or /webapp for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JSP files
• /WEB-INF/web.xml for Servlet configuration

36
B. Search Form (Frontend Component)

The user interface began with a simple but functional HTML form, allowing users to enter the city name.

html
G
<form action="WeatherServlet" method="get">
<input type="text" name="city" placeholder="Enter city name" required />
<button type="submit">Get Weather</button>
</form>

• The form used the GET method to send user input to the backend.
• Client-side JavaScript validated the input to prevent empty submissions.
• Styling was done with CSS to make the input field and button visually appealing and centered on the
screen.

C. Servlet (Backend Component)

The Java Servlet played a crucial role in processing the city name, making API requests, and handling the
response.

Key tasks of the Servlet:

1. Receive Input: It reads the city name from the request using:

java

String city = request.getParameter("city");

2. Call OpenWeatherMap API:

o Constructs the API endpoint using the city name and API key.
o Opens an HttpURLConnection to the OpenWeatherMap server.
o Reads the input stream to get the JSON response.
3. Parse JSON Using Gson:
o Converts JSON string to Java objects using Gson.
o Example:

java

Gson gson = new Gson();

WeatherResponse weather = gson.fromJson(jsonResponse,
WeatherResponse.class);

4. Forward to JSP:
o Sets weather data as request attributes.
o Forwards the request to the JSP page:

java

37
 request.setAttribute("weather", weather);
request.getRequestDispatcher("weather.jsp").forward(request, response);

5. Error Handling:
o Handles edge cases such as invalid city names or API errors.
o Displays friendly messages if the data can't be retrieved.

D. JSP Page

The JSP file (weather.jsp) receives the weather data and renders it dynamically in the browser.

Example of data rendering in JSP:

jsp
<p>Temperature: ${weather.main.temp} °C</p>
<p>Humidity: ${weather.main.humidity}%</p>
<p>Wind Speed: ${weather.wind.speed} km/h</p>
<p>Condition: ${weather.weather[0].description}</p>

• Data is displayed using Expression Language (EL) for simplicity and readability.
• Background images or colors change dynamically based on weather conditions (e.g., sunny, cloudy,
rainy) using embedded JavaScript and conditional rendering.

E. Responsiveness and Styling

CSS was used to:

• Make the app responsive using media queries.

• Adjust font sizes, padding, and layout according to screen size.
• Style elements like the search bar, buttons, and weather display cards.

JavaScript handled:

• Background theme changes based on weather.weather[0].main (e.g., Rain, Clear, Snow).

• Smooth animations for transitioning background images or updating weather data.

F. Error Handling

Robust error handling was included:

• If the input field is empty, JavaScript prevents form submission and shows a warning.
• If the API returns an error (e.g., 404 city not found), the servlet catches the error and sets a failure
message.
• JSP displays an error block:

jsp
G
<c:if test="${not empty errorMsg}">
<div class="error">${errorMsg}</div>

38
 </c:if>
G. Summary of Implementation Workflow

1. User opens the app, enters a city, and clicks "Search".

2. The form submits the city name to the servlet.
3. The servlet sends a request to the OpenWeatherMap API.
4. Weather data is parsed using Gson.
5. Data is passed to the JSP page.
6. The page displays weather data with styled visuals.
7. Errors are managed gracefully without breaking the app.

4.4 Testing

The Testing phase is a crucial part of the software development lifecycle, ensuring that the application works
as intended under all expected and unexpected conditions. For the Weather App project, extensive testing
was carried out to validate both functionality and usability.

The primary goals during this phase were to ensure:

• Accurate retrieval of real-time weather data.

• Proper rendering and display of data across devices.
• Smooth user interactions through a responsive interface.
• Graceful handling of invalid inputs or network-related failures.

A. Functional Testing

Functional testing was performed to validate that each core feature of the application worked as expected.

1. Weather Data Retrieval

• Test Case: Entered valid cities like "Mumbai", "New York", "London".
• Expected Result: The application should display temperature, humidity, weather description, and
wind speed.
• Result: Passed – all valid city inputs returned accurate weather data within 2-3 seconds.

2. Search Function

• Test Case: User enters a city and presses the submit button.
• Expected Result: The servlet should process the input, call the API, and forward data to JSP for
display.
• Result: Passed – data is fetched and displayed dynamically without page reload.

39
3. Dynamic Background

• Test Case: Searched for weather under different conditions (Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy).
• Expected Result: The app should update background visuals according to the current weather.
• Result: Passed – background changes successfully using JavaScript.

B. UI/UX Testing

The front-end was tested for responsiveness and visual integrity across various devices and resolutions.

1. Mobile Responsiveness

• Tested on: Mobile phones (Android & iOS), tablets, and desktops.
• Expected Result: UI components should adapt and scale correctly.
• Result: Passed – search bar, weather data blocks, and backgrounds are responsive using CSS media
queries.

2. Browser Compatibility

• Tested on: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.

• Expected Result: No UI breaks or JavaScript errors.
• Result: Passed – all browsers rendered the interface as intended.

3. CSS and Layout Tests

• Ensured consistent padding, spacing, fonts, and icon alignment across all screen sizes.

C. Edge Case Handling

To ensure robustness, testing was performed for various edge scenarios.

1. Empty Input

• Test Case: User clicks “Search” without typing a city name.

• Expected Result: Client-side JavaScript should block the form and display a message.
• Result: Passed – input is validated and error shown: “Please enter a city name.”

2. Unsupported City Name

• Test Case: User enters a fake or unsupported city like “xyzcity”.

• Expected Result: The backend should catch the API error and show a user-friendly message.
• Result: Passed – a message like “City not found. Please try again.” is displayed via JSP.

40
3. API Failure or Network Issue

• Test Case: Simulated by disabling internet or altering the API URL.

• Expected Result: App should catch the exception and show a fallback message instead of crashing.
• Result: Passed – servlet catches the exception and redirects to an error section in the JSP.

D. Integration Testing

Ensured seamless interaction between:

• HTML form and Servlet.

• Servlet and OpenWeatherMap API.
• Servlet and JSP for rendering data.

All transitions, data forwarding, and updates were tested using debug logs and console output to verify data
flow integrity.

E. Performance Testing

While basic in nature, some informal performance checks were made:

• Measured time from user input to data display (avg. 1.5–2 seconds).
• Ensured multiple users could simultaneously access the app without failure.

F. Usability Testing

Tested by asking a few non-technical users to interact with the app:

• Feedback gathered on ease of use, UI clarity, and feedback messages.

• Adjustments made to button sizes, font readability, and label clarity.

G. Testing Tools and Methods Used

• Manual testing in real-time scenarios.

• Postman for testing API responses separately.
• Browser DevTools for debugging CSS and JavaScript.
• Console logs to trace servlet execution and data parsing steps.

41
4.5 Deployment

The Deployment phase is the process of making the weather web application available for use on a server.
For this project, deployment was initially done locally using the Apache Tomcat Server, a widely-used
servlet container that supports Java EE web applications.

This phase also involved ensuring that the app is portable and can be deployed on any Java EE-compatible
environment.

A. Setting Up Apache Tomcat (Local Deployment)

1. Downloading Tomcat

• Version Used: Apache Tomcat 9.0 or later.

• Downloaded from the official Apache Tomcat website.
• Extracted to a suitable directory (e.g., C:\tomcat).

2. Configuring the Environment

• JAVA_HOME was set to point to the JDK installation directory.

• Tomcat’s bin folder was added to the system PATH.

3. Starting Tomcat

• Used startup.bat (Windows) or startup.sh (Linux/macOS) to launch the server.

• Verified by navigating to http://localhost:8080 in the browser.

B. Building the WAR File

1. WAR File Creation

• The project structure followed the standard Maven or dynamic web project format.
• Exported as a WAR file from Eclipse:
o Right-click project → Export → WAR file.
o Named as WeatherApp.war.

2. WAR File Contents

• Included compiled servlet classes.

• JSP files, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• WEB-INF/web.xml deployment descriptor.
• Gson JAR library added in /lib directory under WEB-INF.

42
C. Deploying WAR File to Tomcat
1. Manual Deployment

• Copied WeatherApp.war into the webapps/ folder of the Tomcat installation.

• Tomcat automatically extracted and deployed the WAR at runtime.

2. Accessing the Application

• Opened the browser and navigated to:

arduino
G
http://localhost:8080/WeatherApp

• The home page loaded with the city search form and full app functionality.

D. Testing After Deployment

• Verified all features: form submission, data retrieval, error handling, and background visuals.
• Ensured no errors in Tomcat logs (checked in logs/catalina.out).
• Confirmed static resources like CSS and JS were served correctly.

E. Preparing for Deployment on Other Systems

To make the application portable, documentation was created to help others deploy it easily.

1. Requirements Documented

• Java JDK (v8 or later)

• Apache Tomcat (v9 or later)
• Web browser (Chrome/Firefox)

2. Setup Instructions

• Step-by-step guide to download and install Tomcat.

• How to set environment variables like JAVA_HOME.
• Instructions to copy the WAR file to the correct directory.
• Details on how to verify successful deployment.

3. WAR File Transfer

• Shared the WeatherApp.war via email or USB.

• Also kept a zipped project folder for developers who want to customize the source code.

43
F. Alternative Deployment Options

While not implemented yet, future deployment plans could include:

• Cloud Deployment using platforms like Heroku or AWS Elastic Beanstalk.

• Dockerizing the app using a Dockerfile and Tomcat image.
• CI/CD Pipeline for automatic deployment after code updates.

G. Ensuring Environment Independence

• Ensured that the application does not use system-specific paths or configurations.
• Used relative URLs for internal links and resource references.
• Included external libraries like Gson inside the project so no extra installations are needed.

H. Version Control and Backup

• The complete source code was backed up in a Git repository.

• Tagged the deployed version (e.g., v1.0) for tracking.
• README file included to explain setup, structure, and usage.

I. Final Checklist Before Deployment

• ✅ WAR file generated successfully.

• ✅ All resources included and paths verified.
• ✅ Logs checked for errors post-deployment.
• ✅ Application responds correctly to valid and invalid inputs.
• ✅ UI loads with styling and interactivity.
• ✅ Setup guide written for new developers.

4.6 Maintenance and Improvement

The Maintenance and Improvement phase begins after deployment and continues throughout the life of the
application. It involves monitoring the app, resolving issues, gathering user feedback, and planning for future
enhancements.

For the Weather App, post-deployment maintenance was aimed at improving usability, performance, and
feature richness based on actual usage and user suggestions.

A. User Feedback Collection

Feedback was collected through informal testing and user observation. A few friends and peers used the app
on different devices and shared their experience.

44
Key insights from feedback:

• Users liked the simplicity and speed of the application.

• Visuals like background changes were engaging.
• Some users expected forecast data for upcoming days.
• Others asked for location-based weather rather than typing a city name.
• A few requested light/dark mode to reduce eye strain at night.

B. Analyzing UI/UX Performance

A structured review was done to evaluate the user interface and experience (UI/UX).

Observations:

• The layout was clean and minimal but could be improved with icons and better alignment.
• The search process felt slightly redundant if users checked weather frequently.
• The background changes were appreciated, but theme control was limited.
• Input field placeholder and labels could be more descriptive for better guidance.

C. Planned Improvements and Feature Expansion

Based on feedback and technical potential, a roadmap for improvement was created.

1. Adding 5-Day Weather Forecast

• Goal: Display upcoming weather for the next 5 days using OpenWeatherMap’s forecast API.
• Approach: Use a separate servlet or extend the current one to fetch forecast data.
• Display: Use cards or a horizontal scroll view to show weather per day.
• Impact: Helps users plan ahead and makes the app more useful.

2. GPS-Based Location Detection

• Goal: Auto-detect user’s current location using their IP or browser’s Geolocation API.
• Frontend: JavaScript can use navigator.geolocation.
• Backend: Coordinates sent to the servlet, then converted to a city name using reverse geocoding.
• Impact: Reduces manual input and adds a personalized experience.

3. Theme Toggle (Day/Night Mode)

• Goal: Provide light and dark themes manually or based on time.

• Frontend: CSS variables and a toggle button with JavaScript.
• User Control: Allow user preference to persist using localStorage.
• Impact: Enhances accessibility and user comfort.

45
D. Bug Fixes and Technical Maintenance

During regular use, minor issues were identified and fixed.

1. Network Timeout Handling

• A timeout error sometimes occurred on slow networks.

• Added timeout and retry logic in the backend using Java's HttpURLConnection.

2. Input Validation Enhancements

• Improved validation to strip whitespace and prevent numeric-only city names.

3. Responsive Fixes

• Adjusted CSS media queries for better display on smaller devices like iPhones.

E. Code Optimization and Refactoring

To prepare for future scalability:

• Moved repeated logic into helper methods.

• Organized code into packages (controller, model, view).
• Externalized API key and configuration values into a config.properties file.

F. Keeping Dependencies Updated

• Regularly checked for updates to Gson and servlet libraries.

• Ensured compatibility with the latest version of Apache Tomcat.

G. Monitoring and Logging

• Failed API responses.

• User inputs causing errors.
• Unusual activity for potential misuse.

I. Long-Term Roadmap

Outlined future plans to grow the app:

• Add charts for temperature trends using Chart.js.

• Push notifications for weather alerts.
• Multilingual support.
• Deploy on a cloud platform for global access

46
 5. Project Description

5. 1 Modern UI Structure

This section represents the basic layout of the homepage, focusing on a modern and intuitive user interface.
The structure is composed of clearly defined components like the header, hero area, feature highlights, a team
introduction, a preview card section, and a footer. This well-organized layout ensures users can navigate the
application effortlessly while accessing important features at a glance.

The Header serves as the anchor of the page, providing branding and navigation links. It's designed to
remain minimal and clean while remaining responsive on all devices. Right after the header lies the Hero
Section, which acts as the primary entry point for user interaction. It features a search input for city weather
queries, a concise tagline, and a visually appealing layout that encourages engagement.

The Features Section introduces core functionalities—such as real-time weather updates, location-based
previews, and template-based visualizations. Each feature is represented using icons and brief descriptions to
maintain clarity and a modern aesthetic.

Following this, the About Section offers a space to introduce the development team or contributors. This
helps personalize the app and adds credibility, especially in portfolio or collaborative academic projects.

The Preview Section is one of the highlights of the user experience. After entering a city and submitting the
form, weather results appear here in a template-styled layout. This includes temperature, weather icons,
humidity, wind, and more—delivered in a clean card format that visually aligns with the overall theme.

The Footer acts as a closing component, containing secondary navigation, copyright info, and credits.

In terms of styling, the entire UI is crafted using modern CSS practices, including flexbox and grid
layouts, media queries for responsiveness, hover transitions, and a mobile-first design approach.
Typography, spacing, and color contrast are selected to comply with accessibility and readability standards.

Animations and hover states are subtle yet effective in guiding users’ attention. Icons and buttons follow a
consistent rounded design to maintain a soft and user-friendly feel. The color palette is weather-themed—
usually blending blues, whites, and greys for a calm aesthetic.

In essence, the Modern UI Structure not only enhances user experience visually but also plays a functional
role in guiding users seamlessly through the application workflow, from search to results.

47
48
49
50
2 API Request and City Input Processing

✅ 1. doPost() Method Execution

Explanation:
This method is automatically triggered when the user submits a form with the POST method. It acts as the
entry point for processing the user's city input.

• Why it's needed: The POST method is preferred for sending form data securely and allows larger
payloads than GET.
• How it works: It receives the HTTP request and handles the server-side logic for processing weather
requests.

2. City Extraction

Explanation:
Using the line:

51
java

String city = request.getParameter("city");

The servlet retrieves the value the user entered into the search field.

• Why it's needed: The city name is required to form the API request and fetch city-specific weather
data.
• Error Handling (optional): You may add checks for null or empty inputs to avoid malformed API
calls.

3. API Key Declaration

Explanation:

java
String apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

This is your unique OpenWeatherMap key used to authenticate requests.

• Why it's needed: Without the API key, the request will be unauthorized, and the server will reject the
response.
• Security Note: In a real-world app, avoid hardcoding API keys—use environment variables instead.

4. API URL Construction

Explanation:
java
String apiUrl = "https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=" + city + "&appid="
+ apiKey;

This creates a complete request URL for the OpenWeatherMap API.

• Why it's needed: This is the full link that includes the city and the API key to get weather data.
• What it does: Concatenates the user’s city input and the API key into a standard HTTP GET request.

5. HTTP Connection Setup

Explanation:
java
URL url = new URL(apiUrl);
HttpURLConnection conn = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
conn.setRequestMethod("GET");

These lines initialize the HTTP connection and set the method to GET.

• Why it's needed: The servlet must connect to the OpenWeatherMap server and request data using
GET.
• Robustness Tip: Add a timeout and check the response code for better reliability.

52
6. Reading API Response

Explanation:

java
Scanner sc = new Scanner(url.openStream());
while (sc.hasNext()) {
inline.append(sc.nextLine());
}

This reads the data returned by the API line by line and stores it in a StringBuilder.

• Why it's needed: You need to store the full JSON response in a variable so it can be parsed later.
• What it stores: JSON weather data including temperature, wind, humidity, etc.

5.2 .Servlet – JSON Parsing and Data Forwarding

✅ 1. Parsing JSON Response

Explanation:

java
JsonObject jsonObject = JsonParser.parseString(inline.toString()).getAsJsonObject();

53
This converts the raw JSON string into a structured JsonObject using the Gson library.

• Why it's needed: Raw text from the API must be structured before accessing values like temperature
or humidity.
• Gson Advantage: It allows safe and readable access to nested fields.

✅ 2. Extracting Weather Data

Each line below fetches specific data from the JSON:

• Date:

java
String date = new Date().toString();

• Converts current timestamp into a readable date.

• Temperature:

java
double temp = jsonObject.getAsJsonObject("main").get("temp").getAsDouble() - 273.15;

• Extracts temperature in Kelvin and converts to Celsius.

• Humidity:

java
String humidity = jsonObject.getAsJsonObject("main").get("humidity").getAsString();

• Gets humidity percentage as a string.

• Wind Speed:

java
String wind = jsonObject.getAsJsonObject("wind").get("speed").getAsString();

• Retrieves wind speed from the JSON.

• Weather Description:

java

String description =
jsonObject.getAsJsonArray("weather").get(0).getAsJsonObject().get("description").getAsS
tring();

• Fetches the main weather condition like "cloudy", "clear sky", etc.

3. Setting Attributes for JSP

request.setAttribute("temp", temp);
request.setAttribute("humidity", humidity);
// and so on...

54
 • Why it's needed: These attributes act as variables that JSP can access and display.
• Use Case: Enables dynamic rendering of data in index.jsp.

4. Forwarding the Request to JSP

Explanation:

java
RequestDispatcher rd = request.getRequestDispatcher("index.jsp");
rd.forward(request, response);

• Why it's needed: This hands over control (and the weather data) to index.jsp, where it's presented
to the user.
• Advantage: Keeps logic (servlet) and presentation (JSP) separate—a key software design principle.

5.3JSP Page – HTML Structure and CSS Styling

55
Description:
Key Functional Steps (with Detailed Explanation):
1. JSP Page Directive (Lines 1–2):
jsp

<%@ page language="java" contentType="text/html; charset=UTF-8" pa.eEncoding="UTF-8"%>

• This line is critical in JSP to inform the server how to process the file.
• language="java": Specifies Java as the scripting language.
• contentType="text/html; charset=UTF-8": Ensures the output is treated as HTML and supports
all standard characters (important for city names or non-English weather descriptions).
• pageEncoding="UTF-8": Tells the server how to read the JSP file, preventing encoding issues.

2. Head Section (Lines 5–13):

html

<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<title>Weather App</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-
awesome/6.4.0/css/all.min.css" />
<link
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Orbitron&family=Poppins:wght@400;600&dis
play=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
</head>

• Meta Tags:
o charset="UTF-8": Character encoding again for browser compatibility.
o viewport: Ensures the app is responsive and scales properly on mobile devices.
• Title Tag: Sets the browser tab label to "Weather App".
• Font and Icon Imports:
o FontAwesome provides weather-related icons like clouds, rain, etc.
o Google Fonts includes "Poppins" and "Orbitron" for sleek, modern typography.

3. CSS Styling Section (Lines 15–166):

The entire internal <style> block defines the visual look and layout of the application. Here's a breakdown
of each major class:

A. body Styling:
css

body {
min-height: 100vh;
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #00a74d, #1e2a78, #3a4c99);
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;

56
 color: #fff;
font-size: 1rem;
transition: background 1s ease;
}

• min-height: 100vh: Ensures the app covers the full height of the viewport.
• background: Sets a smooth, modern gradient simulating a weather-themed sky.
• display: flex, justify-content, align-items: Centers content both vertically and horizontally.
• color: #fff: Sets default text color to white for readability.
• transition: Enables smooth background color transitions when the weather condition changes
dynamically (handled later by JavaScript).

B. .mainContainer:
css

.mainContainer {
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
box-shadow: 0 15px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
padding: 2rem;
border-radius: 25px;
width: 400px;
text-align: center;
animation: fadeIn 1s ease;
transition: all 0.5s ease;
}

• Frosted Glass UI: Uses rgba with low opacity and backdrop-filter: blur(10px) for a blurred,
glass-like effect.
• Box Shadow: Adds soft outer shadow for depth.
• Border Radius & Padding: Makes the container rounded and spacious.
• Animation: Fades in the container when it loads.

C. .searchInput:
css

.searchInput {
display: flex;
gap: 15px;
margin-bottom: 2rem;
position: relative;
}

• Aligns the city search input and search icon button side-by-side with spacing in between.
• margin-bottom: Adds spacing below the input box before weather info appears.

D. .humidityBox, .windSpeed:
css
.humidityBox, .windSpeed {
flex: 1;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3);
border-radius: 15px;
padding: 1.5rem;

57
 text-align: center;
backdrop-filter: blur(5px);
box-shadow: 6px 15px 15px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
transition: transform 0.3s ease;
}

• Designed for presenting Humidity and Wind Speed data.

• Semi-transparent cards with blur, shadows, and smooth hover zoom effect.
• flex: 1 ensures equal width for both cards inside their container.

Hover Effect:

css

.humidityBox:hover, .windSpeed:hover {
transform: scale(1.1);
}

• Cards slightly enlarge on hover for better interactivity.

E. Animations with @keyframes:

css
@keyframes fadeIn {
from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-30px); }
to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
}

• This animation gives the main container a fade + slide-up effect when the page loads, enhancing user
experience.

F. Hidden Input Styling:

css
input[type="hidden"] {
display: none;
}

• Ensures backend values (like current weather condition) are stored invisibly in the DOM for
JavaScript access later, without disrupting the layout.

Why This Structure Is Effective:

• Responsiveness: Mobile-first design using flexible layout and modern CSS.

• Visual Appeal: Clean typography, elegant gradients, and subtle animations deliver a premium look.
• Maintainability: Modular styling makes the page easy to update and expand (e.g., adding forecast
blocks).
• Performance: Minimal external dependencies keep it lightweight.

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5.4 Weather Display Logic and Input Handling

Description:

This section of the JSP page focuses on enabling user interaction (city search) and presenting dynamically
fetched weather data such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and more. It combines form submission,
JSP EL expressions, and responsive content blocks for a smooth user experience.

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Key Functional Steps
1. Lines 168–172: Search Form
jsp
<form action="MyServlet" method="post" class="searchInput">
<input type="text" name="city" placeholder="Enter City" required />
<button type="submit"><i class="fa-solid fa-magnifying-glass"></i></button>
</form>

Breakdown:

• <form action="MyServlet" method="post">:

o Submits the form data (city name) to the MyServlet using the POST method for security and
data encapsulation.
o This servlet processes the request, queries the weather API, and forwards the result back to
this JSP page.
• <input type="text" name="city"... />:
o Text box where the user types the name of the city they want to check.
o name="city" is crucial because it defines the parameter name sent to the servlet.
• <button type="submit">:
o Triggers the form submission.
o Contains a FontAwesome magnifying glass icon, enhancing visual clarity.

Image Insight:

• In the screenshot, this section is styled with flexbox (.searchInput) to align the input and button
horizontally.
• The white transparent background and shadow make it clearly visible over the gradient background.

2. Lines 174–176: Temperature Block

Jsp
<h1>${temperature}&deg;C</h1>
<input type="hidden" id="condition" value="${condition}" />

Breakdown:

• ${temperature}:
o A JSP EL (Expression Language) tag that inserts the current temperature value received
from the servlet.
o Automatically updates on new searches.
• &deg;C: Adds the degree Celsius symbol.
• <input type="hidden"...>:
o Holds the current weather condition (e.g., Rain, Snow, Clear).
o Not visible to the user but essential for JavaScript logic (e.g., changing the background based
on weather).

60
 Image Insight:

• The large temperature (<h1>...) is centered and visually emphasized using a large font size and
white color.
• The hidden input is not visible in the figure but is there in the code, ready for script-based
enhancements.

3. Lines 178–193: City and Date Details

jsp

<h2>${city}</h2>
<p>${date}</p>

Breakdown:

• ${city} and ${date}:

o Dynamic values set by the servlet after processing the weather API response.
o Provides context to the user about which city and which day the data corresponds to.

Image Insight:

• Clearly styled below the temperature block with clean spacing.

• Provides immediate clarity and reassurance to the user about what they’re seeing.

4. Lines 195–203: Humidity and Wind Cards

jsp

<div class="infoContainer">
<div class="humidityBox">
<i class="fa-solid fa-droplet"></i>
<h3>Humidity</h3>
<p>${humidity}%</p>
</div>
<div class="windSpeed">
<i class="fa-solid fa-wind"></i>
<h3>Wind Speed</h3>
<p>${windSpeed} km/h</p>
</div>
</div>

Breakdown:

• .infoContainer: A flexbox wrapper that aligns the two boxes side by side.
• .humidityBox and .windSpeed:
o Display humidity and wind speed using weather icons and dynamic data.
o ${humidity} and ${windSpeed}: Pulled from servlet attributes.
o Icons add visual association (droplet for humidity, wind swirl for speed).

61
5.5 JSP Page – Dynamic Background Handling via
JavaScript

📋 Full Description:

This JavaScript block dynamically updates the background of the web page based on the weather condition
passed from the backend via a hidden input field. The design enhances the visual feedback of the application,
helping users feel the weather, not just read it.

Code Explanation in Detail:

🧩 Line 1: Get Weather Condition from Hidden Input
javascript
let wc = document.getElementById("condition").value;

• Purpose: Grabs the value of the hidden input field with the ID condition.
• Context: This hidden field holds the weather condition string sent from the backend Servlet (e.g.,
"Clear", "Clouds", "Rain").
• Example: If the user searches for "London" and the weather is rainy, then wc = "Rain".

🧩 Line 2–9: Weather Icons Mapping Object

javascript
G
const weatherIcons = {
Clear: "Sunny",

62
 Clouds: "Cloudy",
Rain: "Rainy",
Mist: "Misty",
Snow: "Snowy",
Haze: "Hazy"
};

• Purpose: A key-value map to label internal weather codes (like "Clear") with human-readable
names (like "Sunny").
• Why it matters: Can be used for labels, tooltips, or for adding weather icons/images with
corresponding names.
• Note: Though not used directly in background logic, this can be referenced for display elements
elsewhere on the page.

🧩 Line 11–37: Switch Statement for Background

Logic
javascript
G
switch(wc) {

• Purpose: Evaluates the value of wc and applies the correct background gradient based on the weather
condition.

Case: "Clear"
javascript
G
case "Clear":
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #f9d423, #ff4e50)";
break;

• Visual Style: Bright sunny colors – orange/yellow.

• User Effect: Feels warm and cheerful, fits sunny weather.

Case: "Clouds"
javascript
G
case "Clouds":
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #bdc3c7, #2c3e50)";
break;

• Visual Style: Grey tones mimicking cloudiness.

• User Effect: Subtle, calm, cloudy mood.

Case: "Rain"
javascript
G
case "Rain":
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #314755, #26a0da)";
break;

63
 • Visual Style: Deep blues indicating rain.
• User Effect: Makes the UI feel cooler, realistic.

Case: "Mist"
javascript
G
case "Mist":
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #636363, #a2ab58)";
break;

• Visual Style: A foggy mix of greys and greens.

• User Effect: Delivers a mysterious or blurry vibe.

Case: "Snow"
javascript
case "Snow":
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #e6dada, #274046)";
break;

• Visual Style: White/silver tones.

• User Effect: Clean and cold – like snowfall.

Case: "Haze"
javascript
case "Haze":
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #3e5151, #decba4)";
break;

• Visual Style: Earthy golden/greyish colors.

• User Effect: Warm yet muted atmosphere.

Default Case: Fallback

javascript
default:
document.body.style.background = "linear-gradient(to right, #2193b0, #6dd5ed)";
break;

• When it’s used: If the weather condition from the backend is not recognized.
• Visual Style: Neutral blue gradient.
• Purpose: Ensures the app still looks good even with unrecognized input.

5.6 Image Overview

This is the landing page of your Weather Web App running locally at:

bash
localhost:8080/weatherapk/index.html

64
The user interface is clean, modern, and built to guide the user smoothly into the weather-checking process.

Detailed Breakdown and Key Elements

1. Page Background – Modern Gradient

• A linear gradient background (lavender to soft purple tones) adds aesthetic polish.
• The calming color palette helps make the app feel sleek and professional.
• This is important for first impressions and aligns with modern UI/UX design trends.

2. Centered Input Container (Card Box)

• The core card is centered vertically and horizontally, using flexbox layout.
• It has a semi-transparent backdrop with rounded corners and drop shadows.
• This container separates interactive content from the background, giving it depth.

3. Heading – App Title

• Bold heading: “Weather Web App” styled with a soft peach color.
• This creates hierarchy and immediately informs the user of the page’s purpose.

4. Tech Stack Subtitle

• Beneath the main heading:

65
 "Powered by Java, JSP, Servlet & OpenWeather API"

• This shows the underlying technologies driving the app, boosting technical credibility.
• It's useful if the page is being showcased in demos, reports, or portfolios.

5. Search Input Area

• The text input field is the main interaction element, where the user enters a city name (e.g.,
"mumbai").
• A search icon inside a button adds clarity and interactivity.
• Likely tied to an HTML <form> that submits the city to a Servlet backend for processing.

6. Footer Tagline

• Message at the bottom:

“Made with love by Suhas, Harshal, Kunal”

• This adds a human and team-oriented touch, making the project feel more personal.
• Great for team project submissions or presentations.

7. Responsive UX Assumptions

• Though the screenshot is desktop-based, the centered layout with padding and flexible widths
strongly suggests it is mobile-responsive.
• The input and button are large enough for touch devices.

5.7 Weather Display Page

This page is the core output screen of the Weather Web App. After a user enters a city name and submits the
form from the index page, the backend Servlet (MyServlet) processes the request using the OpenWeatherMap
API and sends dynamic weather data back to the front end. The page then visually displays real-time weather
data in an intuitive and elegant manner.

📷 Image Explanation: MyServlet Weather Output

URL Path:
bash
localhost:8080/weatherapk/MyServlet

This indicates the form action successfully redirected to the Java Servlet after submitting a city (in this case,
“Mumbai”).

66
Key UI Elements Breakdown:
1. Dynamic Gradient Background

• A warm orange-peach gradient background suggests clear or sunny weather.

• This background is likely controlled by JavaScript based on the weather condition (e.g., "Clear",
"Rain").

2. Weather Information Card (Main Box)

• A visually prominent card in the center contains all key weather data.
• Uses rounded corners, subtle shadows, and padding to enhance focus.

3. City Name and Timestamp

• City Display: "MUMBAI" is shown in bold yellow uppercase, styled to stand out.
• Date & Time: "THU APR 24 22:11:58 IST 2025" shows the exact retrieval time, fetched dynamically
from the server.

4. Temperature Display

• Bold and large-sized temperature value: 28°C.

• Likely retrieved using ${temperature} inside the JSP and styled with a clean monospace or digital
font.

67
5. Search Bar (for new queries)

• Located at the top of the card, allowing users to re-enter or change the city.
• Includes placeholder text ("Enter City Name") and a pink search icon button for familiarity and

Backend Logic

Behind the scenes:

1. The form submits a city name to MyServlet.

2. MyServlet.java connects to OpenWeatherMap API and fetches:
o Temperature
o Humidity
o Wind Speed
o Timestamp
o Weather condition (e.g., "Clear")
3. Servlet sets this data as request attributes (e.g., request.setAttribute("temperature", value)).
4. Data is passed to weather.jsp for rendering via ${} expressions.
5. JavaScript applies background and styling changes based on weather condition (wc hidden input
logic).

What This Page Achieves

• Serves as the output dashboard for real-time weather data.

• Combines backend processing (Java Servlet + OpenWeather API) with modern front-end aesthetics.
• Encourages user interaction and further queries via the search bar.
• Demonstrates a successful full-stack integration.

68
 6. Challenges and Solutions
6.1 Integrating OpenWeatherMap API

Problem:

The OpenWeatherMap API provides weather data in JSON format, which contains nested objects and
arrays. Initially, it was difficult to:

• Extract specific weather parameters (e.g., temperature, humidity, wind speed).

• Handle edge cases like invalid city names or missing fields.
• Convert raw JSON into a user-friendly, structured display format for the front end (JSP).
• Manage API rate limits and ensure stability during high request loads.

Additionally, working with the raw HTTP response and handling it directly inside a Servlet added to the
complexity.

✅ Solution:

To solve this problem effectively, the following structured approach was implemented:

1. API URL Construction

The servlet dynamically constructs the API endpoint by embedding the city name and API key:

java
String city = request.getParameter("city");
String apiKey = "your_api_key";
String apiURL = "https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=" + city + "&appid="
+ apiKey + "&units=metric";

2. Reading JSON Response

An HTTP connection is made using HttpURLConnection. The response is read line-by-line and built into a
single string:

java
BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new
InputStreamReader(connection.getInputStream()));
String inputLine;
StringBuffer response = new StringBuffer();
while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null) {
response.append(inputLine);
}
in.close();

69
3. Parsing with org.json or Gson

Once the JSON response is received, it’s parsed using the org.json library:

java
JSONObject jsonObject = new JSONObject(response.toString());

double temperature = jsonObject.getJSONObject("main").getDouble("temp");

int humidity = jsonObject.getJSONObject("main").getInt("humidity");
double windSpeed = jsonObject.getJSONObject("wind").getDouble("speed");

String weatherCondition =
jsonObject.getJSONArray("weather").getJSONObject(0).getString("main");

Alternatively, Gson can be used to map the JSON directly into a Java class structure for cleaner and type-safe
access.

4. Error Handling for API Failures

To avoid crashes or display issues when invalid data is returned:

• Try-catch blocks are used to catch JSONException, IOException, etc.

• A fallback message (e.g., "City not found" or "Weather data unavailable") is shown in the JSP page.
• Status codes from the API response are checked to confirm success (HTTP 200).

5. Passing Data to JSP

Once the required values are extracted, they are passed to the JSP:

java
request.setAttribute("temperature", temperature);
request.setAttribute("humidity", humidity);
request.setAttribute("windSpeed", windSpeed);
request.setAttribute("weatherCondition", weatherCondition);
request.getRequestDispatcher("weather.jsp").forward(request, response);

This separation ensures the business logic remains in the backend, while the frontend focuses on
presentation.

70
6.2 Dynamic UI Update Based on Weather
Problem:

The goal was to make the UI visually adapt based on the weather condition (e.g., Rain, Snow, Clear, Mist).
This included:

• Changing the background gradient.

• Updating weather icons.
• Maintaining responsive performance.

However, weather conditions vary widely (e.g., Thunderstorm, Drizzle, Haze, Fog, Snow, Clear, Clouds), so
hardcoding styles for each would be inefficient and messy. Additionally, since the weather data was
processed in the backend (Java), bridging the condition to the frontend (JavaScript) required careful
coordination.

Solution:

A clean, maintainable, and efficient method was implemented using server-client communication and
JavaScript logic.

6.3 Servlet–JSP Communication

Problem:

In the early stages of development, there were difficulties in passing weather data from the Servlet (Java
backend) to the JSP (frontend) without breaking the page structure or losing variables. The main issues
included:

• Improper or missing values in the UI.

• Null pointer exceptions.
• Inconsistent rendering due to reloading.

The confusion stemmed from the lifecycle of request/response objects and the fact that JSP is rendered after
the Servlet has forwarded the data. Initially, some values like temperature, humidity, and wind speed weren’t
appearing on the result page due to poor integration logic

Solution:

A structured Servlet-to-JSP data flow was implemented

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1. Data Retrieval in Servlet

Once the city is submitted, the Servlet connects to the OpenWeatherMap API, fetches the JSON response,
and extracts key data:

java
String temperature = mainObject.get("temp").toString();
String humidity = mainObject.get("humidity").toString();
String windSpeed = windObject.get("speed").toString();

2. Setting Data as Request Attributes

The Servlet uses request.setAttribute() to attach data:

java
request.setAttribute("temp", temperature);
request.setAttribute("humidity", humidity);
request.setAttribute("wind", windSpeed);
request.setAttribute("city", cityName);
request.setAttribute("weatherCondition", weatherCondition);

3. Forwarding to JSP

The Servlet then forwards the request to a JSP page:

java
RequestDispatcher rd = request.getRequestDispatcher("weather.jsp");
rd.forward(request, response);

4. Accessing Data in JSP Using ${}

In the JSP page (weather.jsp), these values are accessed using Expression Language (EL):

html
G
<h2>${temp} &deg;C</h2>
<p>${city}</p>
<p>Humidity: ${humidity}%</p>
<p>Wind Speed: ${wind} km/h</p>

5. Optional: AJAX for Partial Updates

In advanced cases, AJAX was used to send and receive weather data asynchronously, avoiding full page
reloads for a more seamless user experience.

72
6.4 Mobile Responsiveness
🔧 Problem:

While the desktop design was clean and professional, it broke on smaller devices like smartphones:

• Containers overflowed or became misaligned.

• Fixed pixel widths didn’t scale.
• Buttons and text were not touch-friendly.

This greatly impacted usability on mobile and tablets.

Solution:

A fully responsive layout was built using modern CSS techniques to ensure smooth appearance across all
screen sizes.

🧩 Step-by-Step Implementation
1. Flexbox for Centered Layout

The entire container and inner elements were wrapped using display: flex to achieve centering both
vertically and horizontally:

css

body {
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
height: 100vh;
flex-direction: column;
}

2. Percentage-Based and Viewport Widths

Instead of using fixed pixel sizes, widths and margins were defined using percentages, vw (viewport width),
and rem:

css

.container {
width: 90%;
max-width: 400px;
padding: 2rem;
}

73
3. Media Queries for Breakpoints

To handle different screen sizes, media queries were added:

css

@media (max-width: 600px) {

.container {
padding: 1rem;
width: 95%;
}

.search-box {
flex-direction: column;
}

.search-box input {
margin-bottom: 1rem;
}
}

4. Viewport and Scalable Typography

Used scalable units (rem, vh, vw) for consistent spacing and font sizes across devices:

css

h1 {
font-size: 2.5rem;
}

🌟 Result:

• Perfect viewing experience on mobiles, tablets, and desktops.

• Touch-friendly layout.
• Scalable and future-proof design structure.
• Professional look and feel across all devices.

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 7.Final Project Conclusion
The Weather Web Application project has been a comprehensive journey through modern web development,
integrating backend technologies, real-time APIs, and responsive frontend design. The primary objective of
this project was to build a user-friendly platform that delivers real-time weather information to users based
on their city input. Through this project, we aimed to demonstrate the power of Java Servlets, JSP, and third-
party APIs in building dynamic and interactive web applications.

At the heart of the application lies the OpenWeatherMap API, which provides real-time weather data,
including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and weather conditions. By leveraging this API, we were able
to dynamically fetch data for any valid city entered by the user and present it in a visually appealing format.
The use of API response parsing through JSON handling in Java (using org.json or Gson) ensured that the
application remained robust and scalable.

The frontend interface was crafted with user experience in mind. The homepage features a minimalist UI
with a gradient background and a centered input module, allowing users to type in their city and submit with
a single click. Once submitted, the data flows through the Servlet layer and is rendered back on a JSP page,
showing detailed weather information in a clean, card-based layout.

Special emphasis was placed on UI responsiveness and aesthetic design. The layout adapts smoothly to
different screen sizes using CSS Flexbox, Grid, and media queries. Icons, hover transitions, and rounded
corners enhance the user experience, while a dynamic JavaScript component changes the background theme
based on weather conditions like Rain, Snow, Clear, or Clouds—providing an immersive, real-time visual
experience.

Throughout development, we encountered and addressed several key challenges:

• Parsing and mapping JSON responses from the weather API

• Designing a dynamic background system that reacts to real-time weather conditions
• Ensuring smooth communication between Java Servlets and JSPs
• Making the application mobile-responsive for all screen sizes

Each challenge provided valuable learning opportunities. For example, handling exceptions and null values
in API responses strengthened our Java error-handling skills. Building switch-case logic in JavaScript for
dynamic theming improved our frontend coding proficiency. Managing data flow between Servlet and JSP
helped us understand MVC architecture in Java web applications.

Additionally, implementing AJAX for smoother transitions allowed us to optionally load data without full
page reloads, making the interaction feel faster and more intuitive. Security and performance best practices,
like input validation and efficient API calling, were also incorporated to make the application more reliable.

75
We also added branding and personalization with team credits and tech stack tags (e.g., “Powered by Java,
JSP, Servlet & OpenWeather API”) to maintain transparency and showcase the technologies used.

From a technical learning standpoint, this project allowed us to:

• Understand the fundamentals of Java Servlets and their role in web-based applications
• Master JSP syntax and EL (Expression Language) for dynamic content rendering
• Explore third-party API integration and JSON handling in Java
• Implement modern UI/UX design with responsive CSS
• Enhance interactivity with JavaScript and DOM manipulation

This project holds great potential for future expansion:

• Adding hourly or weekly weather forecasts

• Integrating radar or map overlays using Leaflet or Google Maps API
• Allowing location-based weather detection using the browser’s geolocation
• Incorporating AI-based suggestions like "Carry an umbrella today"

In conclusion, the Weather Web Application successfully achieves its goal of delivering real-time weather
information in a clean, accessible, and responsive manner. It combines the robustness of Java backend logic
with the elegance of modern frontend design. The lessons learned through this project will serve as a strong
foundation for future full-stack development endeavors.

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 8. Recommendation

1. Implement Weekly and Hourly Forecasts

What’s the current limitation?

Your current app displays only the current weather for the user-inputted city. While this is useful, it doesn’t
offer forward-looking information like:

• What will the weather be tomorrow?

• Will it rain this evening?
• How cold will it be over the weekend?

Users—especially travelers, event organizers, and commuters—often want to plan ahead, not just see
current conditions.

🚀 Why implement weekly and hourly forecasts?

By adding hourly and 7-day forecasts:

• Users get more value from your app.

• The application becomes more complete, rivaling professional weather apps.
• It increases user engagement, as people will revisit the app to track upcoming changes.

🔧 How to implement it?

You can achieve this using OpenWeatherMap’s One Call API, which includes:

• Hourly forecast (up to 48 hours)

• Daily forecast (up to 7 days)
• Weather alerts (if enabled in their area)

Here’s the typical process:

Step 1: Upgrade API usage

Use OpenWeatherMap’s One Call API, which requires:

• Latitude and Longitude (can be retrieved using the Geocoding API)

• Free or paid API key depending on usage limit

Example API Call:

77
bash

https://api.openweathermap.org/data/3.0/onecall?lat=19.0760&lon=72.8777&exclude=minutel
y&appid=YOUR_API_KEY&units=metric

Step 2: Modify backend (Servlet)

• Use HttpURLConnection or OkHttp in Java to call the API

• Parse the hourly and daily JSON arrays using org.json or Gson
• Store parsed data in attributes like:

java

request.setAttribute("hourlyForecast", hourlyList);
request.setAttribute("weeklyForecast", dailyList);

Step 3: Update JSP frontend

• Create scrollable cards or tabs for Hourly and Weekly forecasts

• Use c:forEach loop or plain JSTL/JavaScript to iterate over forecast arrays

Example (for hourly):

jsp

<c:forEach var="hour" items="${hourlyForecast}">

<div class="hour-card">
<p>${hour.time}</p>
<img src="icons/${hour.icon}.png"/>
<p>${hour.temp}°C</p>
</div>
</c:forEach>

Step 4: Style the forecast sections

• Use a responsive grid or horizontal slider

• Add icons for each weather type (sun, rain, cloud, etc.)
• Consider animated transitions for better UX

🎯 Benefits:
Feature Benefit
Hourly Forecast Users can plan their day, check for upcoming rain or temperature changes
7-Day Forecast Useful for longer-term planning like travel, meetings, events
Weather Trends Users can see how weather changes over time

Increased Engagement More users will return to check future updates

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2. Add Location Auto-Detection via Geolocation API

🌐 What is the current limitation?

Right now, users of your weather web app have to manually enter their city in the input field every time
they want to see the weather. This is:

• Time-consuming for frequent users.

• Error-prone due to spelling mistakes or language barriers.
• Less convenient on mobile devices.

The lack of auto-location detection reduces the app’s ability to deliver instant weather info based on where
the user actually is — which is a basic expectation in modern weather applications.

✅ Why is auto-detection important?

Integrating geolocation provides several benefits:

• Instant weather updates as soon as the app is loaded.

• Makes the app feel smart and interactive.
• Improves user experience by removing friction.
• Great for travelers or mobile users who may not want to type their current city each time.

For example:

When a user opens your app in Pune, it automatically fetches the weather for Pune and displays it
immediately without user input.

This feature adds a layer of personalization and real-time interaction that elevates the overall quality of the
application.

🔧 How does it work?

You can use the HTML5 Geolocation API in JavaScript to get the user's current latitude and longitude.
Then, send those coordinates to your Java Servlet, which calls the weather API and fetches data for the
detected location.

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3.Add Forecast Charts and Graphs for Next 5 Days

📌 Current Limitation

At present, your weather app provides current weather information — temperature, humidity, wind speed,
and condition — but lacks forecast data visualization.

While users can see the present weather, they don't have visibility into how the weather will change over
time, which is often critical for planning.

Why 5-Day Forecast Charts Matter

Weather apps that include forecast charts allow users to:

• Plan activities like travel, outdoor events, or commutes.

• Track changes in temperature, rain probability, or humidity across days.
• Get a visual understanding of trends rather than just reading numbers.

A line chart or bar graph showing temperature highs/lows over five days is far more user-friendly and
impactful than raw text.

🔧 How to Implement It in Your Project

1. Use OpenWeatherMap’s 5-Day Forecast API

OpenWeatherMap offers the following endpoint for 5-day forecast (3-hour intervals):

bash

https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/forecast?q={city name}&appid={API
key}&units=metric

You’ll receive a JSON with:

• Forecast every 3 hours for 5 days (40 entries)

• Each entry includes temp, humidity, condition, timestamp, etc.

2. Parse the Forecast in Your Servlet

In your Servlet (e.g., WeatherServlet.java), after fetching the forecast JSON:

• Use Java libraries like org.json or Gson.

• Extract temperatures and timestamps for the next 5 days.

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 • Group the 3-hour interval data into daily summaries.

java

JSONArray forecastList = jsonObject.getJSONArray("list");

Map<String, List<Double>> dailyTemps = new HashMap<>();

for (int i = 0; i < forecastList.length(); i++) {

JSONObject forecastEntry = forecastList.getJSONObject(i);
String date = forecastEntry.getString("dt_txt").split(" ")[0];
double temp = forecastEntry.getJSONObject("main").getDouble("temp");
dailyTemps.computeIfAbsent(date, k -> new ArrayList<>()).add(temp);
}

3. Calculate Daily Highs and Lows

For each date, calculate the average, max, and min temperature and store it in a format like:

java

List<ForecastData> forecastData = new ArrayList<>();

for (String date : dailyTemps.keySet()) {
List<Double> temps = dailyTemps.get(date);
double min = Collections.min(temps);
double max = Collections.max(temps);
double avg = temps.stream().mapToDouble(d -> d).average().orElse(0);
forecastData.add(new ForecastData(date, min, max, avg));
}
request.setAttribute("forecastData", forecastData);

Then forward to JSP for rendering.

4. Display the Forecast Chart in JSP

Use JavaScript charting libraries like:

• Chart.js ✅ (lightweight and simple)

• Google Charts
• ApexCharts

In your weather.jsp, include Chart.js:

html

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/chart.js"></script>

Then add a <canvas> element:

html
G

81
<canvas id="forecastChart" width="400" height="200"></canvas>

And generate the chart:

javascript
G
const ctx = document.getElementById('forecastChart').getContext('2d');
const chart = new Chart(ctx, {
type: 'line',
data: {
labels: ['Mon', 'Tue', 'Wed', 'Thu', 'Fri'], // dynamic from JSP
datasets: [{
label: 'Max Temperature (°C)',
data: [30, 32, 28, 31, 29], // dynamic from JSP
borderColor: 'red',
fill: false
},
{
label: 'Min Temperature (°C)',
data: [21, 22, 20, 23, 21],
borderColor: 'blue',
fill: false
}]
}
});

You can pass the data dynamically via <%= %> JSP scriptlets or <c:forEach> loops using JSTL.

Mobile Friendly Visualization

• Chart.js is responsive by default.

• Add styling with max-width: 100% for canvas.
• Use cards or containers to display each day’s forecast if needed.

Optional Enhancements

• Show icon previews (☀️ 🌧️ 🌫️) above each date.

• Include humidity and wind trends using additional graphs.
• Allow toggling between line chart and bar chart views.

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 9. Reference

This project uses Java Servlets to create a dynamic weather web application. The Servlet handles API
requests to OpenWeatherMap, processes the data, and displays real-time weather information to users
through JSP pages. It demonstrates effective integration of frontend and backend technologies

• Servlet as a Controller:
The Servlet acts as the central controller in the application, managing the communication between the client-
side (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and server-side (OpenWeatherMap API). It receives user input (like city
name), fetches weather data, and forwards the results to JSP for rendering.

• API Integration and Data Handling:

The project showcases how to connect external APIs using Java (specifically, the OpenWeatherMap API).
The Servlet uses libraries like Gson to parse JSON responses into Java objects, ensuring clean and structured
data handling before sending it to the frontend.

• Separation of Concerns (MVC Structure):

The project follows a basic Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern. The Servlet handles the logic
(Controller), JSP displays the weather information (View), and Java classes (like WeatherData models)
organize the API response (Model). This improves code readability, maintenance, and scalability.

9.1.OpenWeatherMap API Documentation

URL: https://openweathermap.org/api

Why It’s Important:

OpenWeatherMap provides reliable, real-time weather data through RESTful APIs. In your project, it acts as
the data source for fetching:

• ✅ Current weather conditions

• ✅ Forecast data (hourly and daily)
• ✅ Additional information like humidity, pressure, wind speed, etc.

Without this API, your application wouldn’t be able to display live weather results — making it essential for
real-time user experience.

Key Sections to Study (Explained in Detail):

1. Current Weather Data API

• Endpoint: https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q={city}&appid={APIkey}
• This endpoint returns current weather details like:

83
 Temperature → main.temp
o
Weather description → weather[0].description
o
Wind speed → wind.speed
o
Humidity → main.humidity
o
• ✅ You used this endpoint when the user enters a city name in the search bar.

2. 5-Day/3-Hour Forecast API

• Endpoint: https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/forecast
• This provides weather data in 3-hour intervals for 5 days.
• Useful for:
o Plotting weather trends (e.g., line graphs)
o Displaying future temperature forecasts or weather predictions
• Used with Chart.js in your app to visualize trends.

3. API Parameters & Units

• Important query parameters include:

o q = city name
o units=metric = gets temperature in Celsius
o lang=en = returns description in English
• Example Request:
https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=Mumbai&units=metric&appid=YOUR_
API_KEY
• 🧠 Knowing how to tweak parameters helped you build a flexible and customized user experience.

4. Response Format (JSON)

• The API returns responses in JSON, which looks like:

json

{
"main": {
"temp": 31.2,
"humidity": 70
},
"weather": [
{
"main": "Clouds",
"description": "broken clouds"
}
],
"wind": {
"speed": 4.12
}
}

• Your Servlet had to parse this JSON structure and extract relevant data fields to show in the frontend.

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How You Used It in Your Project:
1. Made HTTP Requests from Servlet

• You opened a connection to the API using Java’s HttpURLConnection.

• Example:

java
URL url = new URL(apiURL);
HttpURLConnection conn = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
conn.setRequestMethod("GET");

• Then, you read the response stream into a StringBuffer.

2. Parsed JSON in Java

• Used libraries like org.json or Gson to extract weather fields:

java

JSONObject obj = new JSONObject(response.toString());

double temperature = obj.getJSONObject("main").getDouble("temp");
String condition =
obj.getJSONArray("weather").getJSONObject(0).getString("main");

3. Mapped Data into JSP via Attributes

• Once parsed, you forwarded this data from Servlet to JSP using:

java
G
request.setAttribute("temperature", temperature);
request.setAttribute("humidity", humidity);
request.setAttribute("weatherCondition", condition);
request.getRequestDispatcher("weather.jsp").forward(request, response);

9.2 Java Servlet Documentation (Oracle)

URL: https://docs.oracle.com/javaee/7/api/javax/servlet/package-summary.html

Why It’s Important:

The Java Servlet API is the backbone of your Weather Web App's backend. It’s responsible for:

• 📥 Handling HTTP requests from the frontend (form submissions)

• 📤 Communicating with external APIs (OpenWeatherMap)
• 🧠 Processing logic (parsing JSON, managing errors)

85
 • Forwarding the processed data to JSP pages for rendering

Without servlets, your application wouldn’t be able to fetch, process, and serve dynamic content based on
user input.

Key Concepts Covered in This Documentation:

1. HttpServlet Class

• The core class you extended:

java
public class MyServlet extends HttpServlet

• Contains doGet() and doPost() methods, which respond to browser requests.

2. HttpServletRequest and HttpServletResponse

• HttpServletRequest lets you access form inputs:

java
String city = request.getParameter("city");

• HttpServletResponse lets you send back dynamic HTML, JSON, or forward to JSP:

java
response.sendRedirect("weather.jsp");

3. RequestDispatcher

• Helps you forward control (and data) from the servlet to a JSP page:

java
RequestDispatcher rd = request.getRequestDispatcher("weather.jsp");
rd.forward(request, response);

4. Servlet Lifecycle

• Explains how a servlet:

o Is initialized (init())
o Handles requests (doPost() / doGet())
o Is destroyed (destroy())
• Helps you optimize loading and cleanup resources (like network connections or memory buffers).

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How You Used It in Your Project:
1. Form Submission Handling

• When a user typed a city and hit search, the request was sent via POST to:

html
<form method="post" action="MyServlet">

• Your servlet then read this input using:

java
String city = request.getParameter("city");

2. Backend API Interaction

• Your servlet took this city, constructed the API URL, and fetched data using Java networking:

java
String apiURL = "https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=" + city +
"&appid=XYZ";

3. Data Processing and Forwarding

• After getting and parsing JSON data, the servlet prepared data for display:

java
request.setAttribute("temperature", temperature);
request.setAttribute("humidity", humidity);
request.setAttribute("windSpeed", windSpeed);
request.getRequestDispatcher("weather.jsp").forward(request, response);

4. Error Handling and Defaults

• You might have used try-catch blocks to handle:

o API failure
o Invalid city names
o Null pointer exceptions from missing JSON values

java

try {
// fetch and parse weather
} catch (Exception e) {
request.setAttribute("error", "City not found");
request.getRequestDispatcher("error.jsp").forward(request, response);
}

87
9.3 JSP (JavaServer Pages) Documentation

URL: https://docs.oracle.com/javaee/7/tutorial/servlets012.htm (or the Java EE official tutorial on JSP

basics)

✅ Why It’s Important:

JSP is the presentation layer of your Weather Web App. While Servlets handle logic and backend
processing, JSP takes the processed data and renders it as HTML to be displayed in the browser.

With JSP, you can:

• Dynamically insert weather data into your page (temperature, humidity, etc.)
• Mix HTML and Java expressions
• Create a responsive and attractive interface for end-users

📘 Key Concepts Covered in This Documentation:

1. JSP Expressions (${} and <%= %>)

• Allow embedding Java variables and objects directly into HTML.

• Example:

jsp
<p>City: ${city}</p>
<p>Temperature: <%= temperature %>°C</p>

2. JSP Directives

• Used at the top of the JSP file to define page-level configurations:

jsp
<%@ page contentType="text/html" pageEncoding="UTF-8" %>

3. JSP Scriptlets (<% %>)

• Allow embedding Java code blocks in your page.

• Typically avoided for clean code, but useful for simple logic.

jsp
<% if (temperature > 30) { %>
<p>It's hot today!</p>
<% } %>

4. JSP Lifecycle

• The page is first compiled into a servlet by the server.

• When requested, the servlet executes and renders the page.

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️ How You Used It in Your Project:
1. Displaying Weather Data

In weather.jsp, you used expressions like:

jsp

<h2>${city}</h2>
<p>Temperature: ${temperature} °C</p>
<p>Humidity: ${humidity} %</p>

These values were passed from the servlet using request.setAttribute().

2. Structuring with HTML & Styling

The page includes:

• A well-styled container with weather cards.

• Icons for visual appeal.
• CSS for responsiveness and UI animations.

Example HTML:

html
<div class="mainContainer">
<div class="weatherBox">
<p> ${temperature}°C</p>
<p> ${humidity}%</p>
<p> ${windSpeed} km/h</p>
</div>
</div>

3. Weather Condition Mapping to JS

In your page:

• You had a hidden input:

html

<input type="hidden" id="wc" value="${weatherCondition}">

• JavaScript read this value to dynamically update background gradients, icons, etc.

This seamless JSP-JS integration gave the app a dynamic and interactive feel.

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4. Error Handling / Default Messaging

You could show alternate content if values were missing:

jsp
<c:if test="${not empty error}">
<p>${error}</p>
</c:if>

Or use a default city:

jsp
<c:choose>
<c:when test="${not empty city}">
<h2>${city}</h2>
</c:when>
<c:otherwise>
<h2>Default City</h2>
</c:otherwise>
</c:choose>

90