TrailOpt - Intelligent Trip Planning & Optimization

A full-stack hiking trip optimizer that computes calorie expenditure, evaluates weather risk, generates packing lists, and performs gear weight minimization via dynamic programming.

Features

• Trip Analytics: Advanced calorie estimation using modified Naismith's rule + MET-based adjustments
• Weather Risk Engine: Evaluates cold exposure, heat exposure, storm probability, and wind risk
• Auto-Generated Packing Lists: Intelligent gear suggestions based on trip parameters
• Gear Optimization: 0/1 Knapsack DP algorithm to maximize usefulness while minimizing weight
• Visualizations: Charts showing weight breakdown, calorie burn, and gear distribution
• Google OAuth: Secure authentication with NextAuth
• 10 Pre-loaded Trails: Including Yosemite, Inca Trail, John Muir Trail, and more

Tech Stack

• Frontend: Next.js 14 (App Router), React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Recharts
• Backend: Next.js API Routes, Node.js, TypeScript
• Database: MongoDB with Mongoose
• Authentication: NextAuth (Auth.js v5) with Google OAuth
• Validation: Zod schemas

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• MongoDB (local or Atlas)
• Google OAuth credentials

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd TrailOpt

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Set up environment variables:

cp .env.example .env

Edit .env with your values:

MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/trailopt
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=your-secret-key-here
NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your-google-client-id
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET=your-google-client-secret

4. Generate NextAuth secret:

openssl rand -base64 32

5. Set up Google OAuth:

   • Go to Google Cloud Console
   • Create a new project or select existing
   • Enable Google+ API
   • Create OAuth 2.0 credentials
   • Add authorized redirect URI: http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/google

6. Start MongoDB (if running locally):

mongod

7. Run the development server:

npm run dev

8. Open http://localhost:3000

Project Structure

TrailOpt/
├── app/                    # Next.js App Router pages
│   ├── api/               # API routes
│   ├── auth/              # Authentication pages
│   ├── dashboard/         # Dashboard page
│   ├── trips/             # Trip management pages
│   └── gear/              # Gear inventory page
├── components/            # React components
│   ├── ui/               # Reusable UI components
│   └── layout/           # Layout components
├── lib/                   # Utilities and configurations
│   ├── db/               # Database connection
│   ├── models/           # Mongoose models
│   ├── schemas/          # Zod validation schemas
│   ├── data/             # Static trail data
│   └── utils/            # Core algorithms
└── middleware.ts         # Route protection

Core Algorithms

Calorie Estimation

• Modified Naismith's rule for time estimation
• MET-based adjustments for pack weight and terrain
• Temperature-based energy expenditure adjustments

Weather Risk Engine

• Cold exposure scoring based on temperature thresholds
• Heat exposure penalties for high temperatures
• Storm probability based on elevation and location
• Wind risk assessment

Packing List Generator

• Rule-based gear suggestions
• Temperature-based insulation recommendations
• Distance-based water and food calculations
• Multi-day trip shelter requirements

Knapsack DP Optimizer

• 0/1 Knapsack dynamic programming algorithm
• Maximizes priority/usefulness score
• Ensures essential items are always included
• Optimizes within weight constraints

API Routes

• POST /api/analytics - Calculate calorie estimates and fatigue scores
• GET /api/weather-risk - Evaluate weather risk for a trip
• POST /api/optimize-gear - Run knapsack optimization on gear list
• GET /api/trips - List user's trips
• POST /api/trips - Create a new trip
• GET /api/trips/[id] - Get trip details
• DELETE /api/trips/[id] - Delete a trip
• GET /api/gear - List user's gear items
• POST /api/gear - Create a gear item
• PUT /api/gear/[id] - Update a gear item
• DELETE /api/gear/[id] - Delete a gear item

Protected Routes

The following routes require authentication (handled by middleware):

• /dashboard
• /trips/*
• /gear/*
• /optimize/*

Design System

The application follows a comprehensive design system with:

• Primary blue color scheme (#4B6BFF)
• Soft pastel accent colors
• Consistent spacing (4px multiples)
• Rounded corners (12-20px for cards)
• Subtle shadows (z1-z3 elevation)
• Inter font family

Development

Build for production:

npm run build
npm start

Lint:

npm run lint

Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Required
MONGODB_URI	MongoDB connection string	Yes
NEXTAUTH_SECRET	Secret for JWT signing	Yes
NEXTAUTH_URL	Base URL of the application	Yes
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID	Google OAuth client ID	Yes
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET	Google OAuth client secret	Yes
OPENWEATHER_API_KEY	OpenWeather API key (optional)	No

Deployment to Vercel

Prerequisites

• GitHub account
• Vercel account
• MongoDB Atlas account (recommended for production)

Steps

1. Push to GitHub:

   git init
   git add .
   git commit -m "Initial commit"
   git branch -M main
   git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/trailopt.git
   git push -u origin main

2. Deploy to Vercel:

   • Go to vercel.com
   • Click "New Project"
   • Import your GitHub repository
   • Configure environment variables (see below)
   • Click "Deploy"

3. Environment Variables in Vercel: Add these in Vercel project settings → Environment Variables:

   • MONGODB_URI - Your MongoDB Atlas connection string
   • NEXTAUTH_SECRET - Generate with: openssl rand -base64 32
   • NEXTAUTH_URL - Your Vercel deployment URL (e.g., https://trailopt.vercel.app)
   • GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID - Your Google OAuth client ID
   • GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET - Your Google OAuth client secret

4. Update Google OAuth Redirect URI:

   • Go to Google Cloud Console
   • Update authorized redirect URI to: https://your-domain.vercel.app/api/auth/callback/google

5. MongoDB Atlas Setup:

   • Create a free cluster at MongoDB Atlas
   • Create a database user
   • Whitelist Vercel IPs (or use 0.0.0.0/0 for development)
   • Copy connection string and use as MONGODB_URI

Build Settings

Vercel will automatically detect Next.js and use these settings:

• Framework Preset: Next.js
• Build Command: npm run build
• Output Directory: .next
• Install Command: npm install

License

MIT

Author

Pranav