11 Software Engineering Projects to Improve Coding Skills

Rapid digital and technological transformation has created a vast market for mobile and desktop software applications, leading to high demand for software engineers. But if you’re a beginner, the best way to advance your career in software engineering is to work on practical, research-oriented projects that help you acquire the necessary skills and knowledge of various engineering concepts and practices. Here are 11 software engineering projects you can work on to gain coding expertise and enhance your CV.

Why is Project-Based Learning Effective?

Project-based learning is a teaching methodology that focuses on helping students gain advanced knowledge and skills by working directly on practical projects. It is more effective than traditional classroom learning as students get to work on real-life challenges. This helps them develop the core employability skills required in a particular sector. Students can also use the practical knowledge they gained while developing software engineering projects for advanced academic research.

11 Interesting Software Engineering Projects for Beginners

Android Task Tracker

You can create a tracker app powered by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot for Android mobile phones. This app can remind users about their daily tasks and meetings by sending a notification. It also allows users to set their daily goals and track productivity at the end of the day. 

You need Android studio tools, XML designing, and resource files to build the project. In addition, to work on this project, it is essential to know Java programming, object-oriented programming, and basic Structured Query Language (SQL).

Features:

• Sends regular notifications to remind the user about pending tasks
• User-friendly and supports easy navigation
• Easy to scale by adding integration features

Advantage:

• Building this app requires minimum hardware. Therefore, it is cost-efficient and can be developed quickly

Disadvantage:

• This app is supported only on Google Play on Android phones; you’ll need to modify it if you want to use it for iOS or Windows

ALSO READ: What is Coding?

Fingerprint Technology-Based ATM

This project is a biometric-based desktop application that allows users to withdraw money from ATMs using their fingerprints without the need for a debit card.

Features:

• Performs many banking transactions like withdrawing cash and viewing account balance
• You can add extra security features for double protection

Advantages:

• Encrypted transactions as all fingerprints are unique
• Reduces dependency on credit cards and the hassle of remembering ATM pins

Disadvantages:

• Personal data protection and confidentiality are the two major challenges of a fingerprint-based ATM, as fingerprints and other personal information can be stolen by hackers, increasing the risk of cybersecurity fraud

Employee Management Setup

An employee management system is a web-based application that allows companies to store all employee information in one place. In addition, it keeps track of employee performance by automating the management system. To build this project, you need an Arm controller, fingerprint module, integrated circuit, crystal oscillator, keypad, and power source module.

Features:

• Beginner-friendly, Python-based software engineering project
• Remote access
• Provides restricted access to various stakeholders

Advantages:

• Helps optimize human resource departments in large companies
• Increases transparency and helps track employee performance

Disadvantage:

• Faces data security challenges

Fingerprint-Based Voting Application

This is a biometric-based software application that enhances transparency and efficiency in the voting process. Voters can log in to the web application from anywhere through the Internet and use their fingerprints to cast their votes. To build this project, you need an ARM controller, fingerprint module, integrated circuit, crystal oscillator, keypad, and power source module.

Features:

• Keeps a record of identity proof for quick and easy verification
• Supports easy scalability to add more users

Advantage:

• Reduces the risk of vote tampering and promotes a fair election process

Disadvantage:

• Poses a significant security risk as the system stores identity cards and sensitive personal information of the users

Local Train Ticket Booking Application

It allows users to book local train tickets and get online receipts. You need to create two accounts for local train ticket booking applications—an admin account and a user account. Customers can log in from an individual user’s account and fill out the online form to book train tickets. You need an Android software development kit (SDK), Java development kit (JDK), Notepad, an Android debug bridge and Windows XP software to build this project.

Features:

• An admin account manages ticket requests and checks the booking history of travelers
• Users can select a train, source and destination, and travel class on the app

Advantages:

• Enhances the booking experience for users
• Reduces the hassle of printing booking receipts

Disadvantage:

• It is difficult to constantly update train routes and railway fares on the application and hence does not provide accuracy

Patient Tracker Application

This is one of the medical sector’s most beneficial software engineering projects. It allows medical practitioners to keep track of their patient data, including name, age, diseases, treatments, and cost. Also, it helps them record the medical history of all their patients and reduces paperwork.

Features:

• Smooth user interface (UI)
• Efficient database management
• Multiple filters for quick search of patient records

Advantages:

• Reduces paperwork
• Data can be accessed remotely 

Disadvantage:

• The app contains sensitive personal data, which results in a high data security cost

Data Leakage Detection Setup

Security breaches and data leakages are common in the modern world. This causes substantial financial losses to individuals as well as large organizations. You can build an advanced data leakage detection app or program that instantly alerts the user about potential security breaches by tracking unauthorized systems that have access to data.

Features:

• Discovers sources of data leakage
• Stores data in small packets for efficient leakage detection

Advantages:

• Helps ensure privacy
• Enhances customer trust
• Mitigates financial risks

Disadvantage:

• This setup is expensive as it requires advanced technology for maximum data protection

Credit Card Safety Application

This application detects credit fraud by analyzing user patterns and alerts in case of spam. It also uses location-based technology to detect strange transactions or activities and automatically asks for account verification or authentication. Also, it blocks hackers from using the credit card after three unsuccessful attempts. This reduces credit card fraud risks.

Features:

• Analyzes previous transaction history of the user to understand patterns
• Sends alerts on detecting unusual credit card activities

Advantages:

• Reduces the risk of financial losses
• Blocks hackers from using credit card information 

Disadvantage:

• The app stores the confidential financial information of users and requires secure networks and data protection technologies, all of which means you need to invest a large sum for this software engineering project

AI-Powered Shopping System

An AI shopping system can be designed to provide product recommendations to users based on their preferences and purchase history. This technology offers better responses when you feed it a large amount of data so that it can understand consumer behavior and preferences. 

Features:

• Ensures customer data protection with unique login IDs and passwords per user
• Offers custom product recommendations based on the user’s search entry

Advantages:

• Enhances the shopping experience for customers
• A user-friendly design allows easy navigation 

Disadvantage:

• Increases the risk of purchasing counterfeit items 

Camera Motion Sensor Setup

You can build a camera motion sensor setup to maximize security at homes and offices. This setup requires advanced sensor technology that continuously detects motion. It sends an alert to detect unusual activity and instantly sets off the alarm.

Features:

• Gets activated upon entering a security code
• Uses a motion detector algorithm to detect constant movements 

Advantages:

• Remote camera footage access
• Helps prevent crimes like burglary or shoplifting 

Disadvantage:

• It can raise false alarms, which need to be deactivated before entering the house

Health Management System

A smart health management system is an AI-based application that analyzes body mass index (BMI), stress levels, inactivity, and the users’ sleeping patterns based on data input. It also provides suggestions for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and helps with breathing exercises.

Features:

• Allows users to connect with health practitioners and nutritionists online
• Has a wide database containing various diseases and their symptoms 

Advantages:

• Helps users maintain a healthy lifestyle and achieve their fitness goals 
• Can help identify diseases at an early stage based on symptoms 

Disadvantage:

• It’s an AI model that provides results based on the user’s inputs, so it cannot ensure complete accuracy

You need basic knowledge of Java, Python, and SQL programming languages to build these software engineering projects. To advance your career, you can enhance your coding and programming skills with online technology courses from Emeritus.

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