System Requirements Document (SRD)

Project Name: retro-students

1. Introduction

The retro-students project aims to design and develop a smart educational app called ExamMate, tailored to help students efficiently complete their homework and prepare for exams, particularly for qualifications like IGCSE, GCSE, and A-Level. The app will serve as a supportive study partner, offering personalized assistance, structured revision tools, and ethical AI-driven solutions to enhance learning outcomes.

This document outlines the system requirements for ExamMate, ensuring it aligns with the needs of students in Qatar and beyond. The app will prioritize a clean, modern, and student-friendly interface, with features designed to reduce exam stress and promote effective study habits.

2. System Overview

ExamMate is an educational application designed to provide students with:

• Homework assistance through step-by-step solutions.
• Past paper recognition and practice tools.
• Personalized dashboards for tracking progress and setting goals.
• Smart revision modes tailored to individual weaknesses.
• Ethical AI features that encourage understanding over rote memorization.

The system will leverage cutting-edge technologies, including AI models for intelligent assistance, a responsive mobile-first design, and customizable themes to ensure an engaging user experience.

Key objectives:

• Simplify exam preparation for students.
• Promote ethical learning practices.
• Provide a seamless and intuitive interface for users.

3. Functional Requirements

Homework Assistance

• As a Student, I should be able to upload questions (text or images) for assistance.
• As a Student, I should receive step-by-step solutions with clear explanations.
• As a Student, I should see key concepts highlighted in the solutions.

Past Paper Recognition

• As a Student, I should be able to identify if a question is from past papers.
• As a Student, I should see details like exam board, subject, paper code, year, and session.
• As a Student, I should receive suggestions for similar past paper questions for practice.

Exam Selection & Personalization

• As a Student, I should be able to select my exam type (IGCSE, GCSE, A-Level, etc.).
• As a Student, I should be able to choose my subjects and exam boards.
• As a Student, I should receive customized content and difficulty levels based on my selections.

Customizable Dashboard

• As a Student, I should be able to personalize study themes/colors.
• As a Student, I should be able to select which subjects are displayed on my dashboard.
• As a Student, I should be able to set daily goals and reminders.
• As a Student, I should see a progress tracker showing my strengths and weaknesses.

Exam Countdown + Key Reminders

• As a Student, I should see a countdown timer for each upcoming exam.
• As a Student, I should see important formulas, key definitions, and exam tips next to the countdown.
• As a Student, I should be able to pin my own notes for quick revision.

Smart Revision Mode

• As a Student, I should be able to generate quizzes based on my weak topics.
• As a Student, I should receive flashcards and quick revision summaries.
• As a Student, I should access a “last-minute revision” mode for quick review before exams.

Ethical AI Mode

• As a Student, I should be able to toggle “exam practice mode” where only hints are provided instead of direct answers.
• As a Student, I should receive explanations prioritized over direct answers to encourage learning.

User Experience

• As a Student, I should experience a clean, modern, and student-friendly interface.
• As a Student, I should have fast and responsive interactions.
• As a Student, I should enjoy a mobile-first design optimized for smartphones.

4. User Personas

Student

• Primary user of the app.
• Needs assistance with homework and exam preparation.
• Values clear explanations, personalized tools, and ethical learning practices.

Admin

• Manages app content and user data.
• Oversees AI model updates and ensures ethical compliance.
• Monitors system performance and user feedback.

5. Visuals Colors and Theme

Color Palette

The retro-students project will feature a unique retro-inspired color palette that balances vibrancy with professionalism:

• Background: #F5F5DC (Beige)
• Surface: #2E4057 (Deep Blue-Grey)
• Text: #1C1C1C (Charcoal Black)
• Accent: #FF6F61 (Coral Red)
• Muted Tones: #A9A9A9 (Ash Grey)

This palette reflects a blend of nostalgia and modernity, creating a welcoming and focused study environment.

6. Signature Design Concept

The ExamMate homepage will feature a retro terminal aesthetic that instantly captivates users.

Concept Details:

• Interactive Terminal Interface: The homepage mimics a vintage computer terminal with glowing green text that types itself out dynamically, welcoming the user.
• Animated Background: A subtle animation of scrolling code and retro pixel art transitions between subjects (e.g., math equations, science diagrams).
• Micro-Interactions: Hovering over menu items causes them to "blink" like an old CRT monitor.
• Gamified Navigation: Users can "type" commands (e.g., "start revision") into the terminal to navigate to different sections.
• Color Shifts: The background color subtly changes based on the time of day, creating a dynamic and immersive experience.

This bold design will make the app unforgettable, combining nostalgia with cutting-edge functionality.

7. Non-Functional Requirements

• Performance: The app must load within 3 seconds on mobile devices.
• Scalability: Support up to 1 million users simultaneously.
• Security: Ensure data encryption for all user uploads and personal information.
• Availability: Maintain 99.9% uptime.
• Localization: Default to Qatar timezone and Arabic/English language options.

8. Tech Stack

Frontend

• React for Web
• React Native for Mobile

Backend

• Python
• FastAPI

Database

• MySQL (preferred)
• Alembic for migrations

AI Models

• GPT 5.4 for user-friendly responses
• Claude 4.6 Opas for academic or coding work
• Google Nano Banana for image generation

AI Tools

• Langchain
• Litellm for LLM routing

Orchestration

• Docker for local development
• Kubernetes for server-side orchestration

9. Assumptions and Constraints

Assumptions

• Students will primarily access the app via mobile devices.
• The app will support both Arabic and English languages.
• Users will have reliable internet access.

Constraints

• Ethical AI compliance must be maintained at all times.
• The system must adhere to Qatar’s data protection regulations.
• Limited budget for initial development phase.

10. Glossary

• IGCSE: International General Certificate of Secondary Education.
• AI: Artificial Intelligence.
• Ethical AI Mode: A feature that prioritizes learning over direct answers.
• FastAPI: A modern web framework for building APIs with Python.
• Alembic: A database migration tool for SQLAlchemy.

This document serves as the foundation for the design and development of ExamMate under the retro-students project.