Custom
Messaging App for an IT e-Learning Service
Provider

Core Technology

GP Solutions decided to approach Intellipaat with an offering based on a ready-made system – Leverice messaging platform. This is a unique deep-threaded communication software that intelligently combines messaging and collaboration. The primary technology stack for the platform includes:

• Java programming language as the core back-end technology;
• Vue.JS framework for front-end development;
• Apache Kafka – an open-source platform, was applied to ensure scalability and sufficient capacity to sustain high-loaded messaging streams.

The key advantage of Leverice which influenced Intellipaat’s decision was its innovative messaging interface built around the topical discussion. What is more, the platform provided extendable architecture, allowing to build custom applications for absolutely different use cases.

Custom E-learning Messaging Application

Following the custom communication requirements set forth by Intellipaat, GP Solutions modernized Leverice by creating a tailor-made messaging application. It was built using Groovy – a powerful, optionally typed, and dynamic language compatible with the platform core built in Java. The new application deployed a customer-specific messaging structure presented in the screenshot below:

As part of this structure…

The workspaces are created by the system administrator and contain a set of predefined sub-channels:

• ‘Memes’ – for informal message exchange;
• ‘Support’ – for ongoing communication with the course service team;
• ‘Job notifications’ – contains regular posts advertising available job openings related to the course discipline;
• ‘Announcements’ – general notifications from Intellipaat staff;
• ‘Direct’ – for cases of direct communication with Intellipaat employees.

These channels are created by the system administrator, who invites students to participate in course-related communications. Each class channel also contains a pre-defined ‘Announcements’ sub-channel for posting general news and updates. Besides, class channels allow creating of more sub-channels that automatically add all course students in.

WS Administrator – for employees with access to full Leverice functionality allowing to create/delete any user, workspace, channel and manage the communication;

Support Specialist – a limited user role for Intellipaat employees responsible for handling student requests and supervision of ongoing communication;

Student – the role of course learners who can post messages and create sub-channels (the latter only for direct messaging with WS Administrators or Support Specialists).

The custom messaging app’s access rights work differently than the default Leverice settings.

Course channels are private, with access provided only to designated students. All users added to course channels get automatically added to the four sub-channels available by default: ‘Job Notifications,’ ‘Memes,’ ‘Support,’ and ‘Announcements.’

In ‘Announcements’ channels, students are unable to post messages. This right is allocated only to WS Administrators and Support Specialists.

‘Support’ channels are of split stream type. This means that Support Specialists and Administrators see one of them as many channels with messages from different users, while students – as a single channel with only their correspondence available.

The custom messaging application was made accessible to all students from the main Intellipaat platform. Any learner can access the app by clicking the ‘Peer Chat’ button available in the appropriate course section of the platform. It instantly redirects students to their course messaging channels to resume conversations.