System Requirements Document (SRD) for shadow-ecommerce

1. Introduction

Welcome to the System Requirements Document (SRD) for shadow-ecommerce, an e-commerce platform designed to provide a seamless and engaging online shopping experience. This document outlines the functional and non-functional requirements, user personas, design concepts, and technical specifications necessary to bring this project to life.

As envisioned by Kalam from India, shadow-ecommerce will cater to a specific product category, ensuring a tailored experience for its target audience. The platform will prioritize user-friendly navigation, efficient transactions, and a visually captivating design.

2. System Overview

The shadow-ecommerce platform will serve as a comprehensive online store, enabling users to browse, search, and purchase products within a specific category. The system will support multiple user roles, including customers, administrators, and guests, each with distinct functionalities.

The platform will be optimized for both desktop and mobile devices, ensuring accessibility and usability across various screen sizes. It will also integrate secure payment gateways, robust inventory management, and AI-driven personalization features to enhance the shopping experience.

Key features include:

• Intuitive product search and filtering
• Secure user authentication and account management
• Real-time inventory updates
• AI-driven product recommendations
• Multi-currency support tailored for the Indian market (default: INR)
• Responsive design for web and mobile platforms

3. Functional Requirements

User Stories:

• As a User, I should be able to browse products by category.
• As a User, I should be able to search for products using keywords.
• As a User, I should be able to filter products by price, rating, and availability.
• As a User, I should be able to view detailed product descriptions and images.
• As a User, I should be able to add products to a shopping cart.
• As a User, I should be able to securely checkout and make payments.
• As a User, I should be able to track my order status.
• As an Admin, I should be able to manage product listings (add, update, delete).
• As an Admin, I should be able to view and manage customer orders.
• As an Admin, I should be able to generate sales reports.
• As a Guest, I should be able to browse products without logging in.
• As a Guest, I should be prompted to create an account or log in during checkout.

4. User Personas

1. Customer

• Description: Registered users who browse, purchase, and track orders.
• Key Activities: Searching products, adding to cart, making payments, and tracking orders.

2. Administrator

• Description: Platform managers responsible for maintaining product listings, managing orders, and generating reports.
• Key Activities: Managing inventory, processing orders, and analyzing sales data.

3. Guest

• Description: Unregistered users who can browse products but must register or log in to complete a purchase.
• Key Activities: Browsing products and initiating the checkout process.

5. Visuals Colors and Theme

Unique Color Palette:

• Background: #F9F7F1 (soft beige for a warm and inviting feel)
• Surface: #FFFFFF (clean white for product cards and sections)
• Text: #333333 (dark charcoal for readability)
• Accent: #FF6F61 (vibrant coral for buttons and highlights)
• Muted Tones: #B2B2B2 (light gray for secondary text and borders)

This palette reflects a modern, minimalistic aesthetic with a touch of vibrancy to draw attention to key elements like call-to-action buttons.

6. Signature Design Concept

Interactive Product Showcase Carousel

The homepage of shadow-ecommerce will feature a bold and unforgettable 3D Interactive Product Showcase Carousel. Visitors will be greeted with a dynamic carousel that displays featured products in a rotating 3D space. Each product card will "pop out" as the user hovers over it, revealing additional details like price, rating, and a quick "Add to Cart" button.

Key Features:

• Animation: Smooth rotation and zoom-in effects as users interact with the carousel.
• Transitions: Seamless fade-ins and slide-ins for product details.
• Color Shifts: Accent colors will subtly pulse to draw attention to featured products.
• Micro-Interactions: Clicking on a product will expand it into a full-screen view with detailed descriptions, images, and purchase options.
• Mobile Adaptation: On mobile devices, the carousel will transform into a swipeable horizontal slider.

This design will create a memorable first impression, encouraging users to explore the platform further.

7. Non-Functional Requirements

• Performance: The platform should load within 2 seconds for 90% of users.
• Scalability: The system must handle up to 10,000 concurrent users.
• Security: All user data and transactions must be encrypted using industry-standard protocols.
• Localization: Support for Indian currency (INR) and regional languages.
• Accessibility: Compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

8. Tech Stack

Frontend:

• React for Web
• React Native for Mobile App

Backend:

• Python
• FastAPI

Database:

• MySQL (with Alembic for migrations)

AI Models:

• GPT 5.4 for user-friendly responses
• Google Nano Banana for image generation

AI Tools:

• Litellm for LLM Routing
• Langchain

Orchestration:

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

9. Assumptions and Constraints

Assumptions:

• Users will primarily access the platform from India.
• The platform will initially focus on a single product category.
• Payment gateways will support major Indian banks and UPI.

Constraints:

• The platform must comply with Indian data protection laws.
• Development should be completed within six months.
• Budget constraints may limit the use of premium third-party tools.

10. Glossary

• AI: Artificial Intelligence
• WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
• UPI: Unified Payments Interface
• LLM: Large Language Model
• RDBMS: Relational Database Management System
• NoSQL: Non-Relational Database Management System