I want to build an app that catalogs the contents of storage boxes. The basic idea is to photograph my belongings, assign them to a box, and print a QR code for each box. Scanning the code should open a fast, compact web page showing the box's contents, including item names and photos.
I know this may be more complicated than it first appears, but I'm willing to learn the difficult parts. I'm considering starting with a web app and hosting it myself instead of paying for an existing subscription service. I could make QR codes that link to simple pages, but I'd like guidance on where to begin and whether this is a realistic project for someone still learning.
3 Answers
This is a very feasible project. At its core, it’s an inventory app built around CRUD operations: creating, viewing, updating, and deleting boxes and items. The QR-code feature is an extra layer, but libraries already exist to generate the codes.
A practical approach would be to build a web app, store the box and item information in a database, and create a URL for each box. The QR code would contain that URL, so scanning it opens the corresponding inventory page. You could host the app locally on an old computer or a small device if you don’t want to pay for hosting.
For photos, store the image files in server storage and save their file paths or URLs in the database rather than putting the image data directly into the database. A structured beginner web-development course would be a good place to learn the foundations before building the full version.
Think about how often the contents will change. If items are regularly being added or removed, you probably don’t want to create a new QR code or retake every photo each time. Make the QR code identify the box permanently, while the page contents remain editable.
For example, scanning the code could always open Box 12’s page, where you can update quantities, remove items, or add new photos. That will make the system much more useful for an evolving inventory.
Another simple design is to make each QR code point directly to a page for one box. You could take ordinary photos of the contents, then upload them and attach them to that box’s page. Once the basic version works, you could add automation that detects a QR code in a photo and files the image under the right box.
Start with a small version: create boxes, add text items, view a box page, and generate a QR code. Add photo uploads and editing afterward. That keeps the project manageable while still giving you something useful early on.
That makes sense. I was initially thinking of the QR code as representing a fixed snapshot, but making it permanently identify the box would avoid having to replace labels whenever the contents change.