Projects
Airport Lost & Found System

Airport Lost & Found System

C++CrowREST API
June 10, 2025
3 technologies

I developed a backend-driven system to manage lost and found items at airports using C++ and the Crow framework. The system handles efficient request processing and provides a structured way to track, manage, and retrieve lost items.

✈️ Airport Lost & Found Management System (C++ Crow Backend + Web UI)

A lightweight yet efficient RESTful system designed to manage lost and found items within an airport environment, focusing on fast retrieval, structured data handling, and real-time interaction through a custom-built backend.

🎯 The Challenge

Airports handle a high volume of misplaced items daily, requiring a system that can:

  • Efficiently store and retrieve item records
  • Allow quick reporting of lost and found items
  • Enable fast search based on identifiers
  • Maintain structured and collision-free data handling

The challenge was to build a backend system capable of handling these operations with minimal latency and clear data organization, while ensuring simplicity and scalability.

💡 The Solution and Architecture

I implemented a custom backend system in C++ using the Crow framework, paired with a static frontend interface for user interaction.

The architecture follows a modular monolithic approach, ensuring separation of concerns while keeping deployment simple and lightweight.

🔹 Core Data Layer

  • Implemented a custom Hash Table using chaining (vector + linked list)

  • Enables efficient:

    • Insertion of items
    • Retrieval of all records
    • Search by unique ID

  • Ensures fast lookup and optimized memory usage

🔹 Backend Layer (C++ Crow API)

  • Developed RESTful endpoints using Crow:

    • POST /add → Add lost/found item
    • GET /items → Retrieve all items
    • GET /search/<id> → Search by ID

  • Implemented JSON-based request/response handling

  • Configured dynamic port binding for cloud deployment (Render-compatible)

🔹 Presentation Layer (Frontend UI)

  • Built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

  • Provides:

    • Item reporting form
    • Search functionality
    • Display of all items

  • Integrated with backend using Fetch API for real-time interaction

⚙️ Outstanding Technical Aspects

  • Custom Data Structure Implementation: Designed and implemented a hash table from scratch instead of using STL maps, demonstrating strong understanding of data structures.

  • Lightweight Backend (C++ Crow): High-performance REST API without heavy frameworks, ensuring minimal resource usage.

  • Cloud Deployment: Successfully containerized using Docker and deployed on Render with proper environment handling.

  • API-Driven Architecture: Clear separation between frontend and backend, enabling scalability and independent deployment.

📈 Results and Impact

  • Fast Data Retrieval: Hash-based lookup ensures efficient search operations even with multiple records.

  • Real-Time Interaction: Users can instantly report and search items via the web interface.

  • Scalable Design: Backend can be extended with database integration (MySQL/MongoDB) or authentication features.

  • Production Deployment Experience: Hands-on experience with Docker, cloud hosting (Render), and frontend deployment (Vercel).

🚀 Future Enhancements

  • Database integration for persistent storage
  • User authentication system
  • Image upload for items
  • Advanced filtering (date, location, category)
  • Admin dashboard