HackWashU Databases Workshop
Washington University in St. Louis - HackWashU, Fall 2025
A comprehensive hands-on workshop teaching practical database concepts, API integration, and modern web development. Developed for HackWashU, the workshop guides participants through building two complete projects from scratch.
Workshop Projects
Project 1: Python Music Library 🎵
Build a relational SQLite database populated from the iTunes Search API:
- Relational Schema: Artists, Albums, and Songs tables with foreign key relationships
- API Integration: Fetch real music data from iTunes Search API
- Data Deduplication: Use dictionary caching to prevent duplicates
- CSV Exports: Generate exportable data for analysis
- SQL Practice: Query real music data with hands-on exercises
Project 2: Supabase Todo App ✅
Create a full-stack web application with user authentication:
- Cloud Database: PostgreSQL hosted on Supabase
- User Authentication: Complete sign up, login, and logout flow
- Row Level Security: Users only see their own todos
- Full CRUD Operations: Create, read, update, and delete todos
- Modern UI: Active/completed task separation with clean interface
Workshop Materials
- Step-by-step workshop guide with detailed instructions
- Code walkthroughs with explanations
- SQL query examples and exercises
- Troubleshooting guide for common issues
- Challenge exercises for advanced learners
- Discussion questions with comprehensive answers
Technologies Used
- Python
- SQLite
- Supabase (PostgreSQL)
- JavaScript (ES6+)
- HTML5/CSS3
- iTunes Search API
- Row Level Security (RLS)