File Explorer Web Application

This secure Flask web application functions as a user-friendly file explorer, empowering authorized users to navigate directory structures, view file metadata, search for files, and retrieve chosen file paths.

Key Features

• Secure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Implement robust authentication and authorization mechanisms to restrict access based on user roles, ensuring data security and integrity.
• Directory Browsing and File Listing: Seamlessly traverse directories and view organized file listings within the designated user's home directory.
• File Metadata: Gain insights into individual files by accessing details like size, modification date, and file permissions (subject to user permissions).
• Keyword-based File Search: Locate specific files within a user's home directory using a designated search bar and filter by keywords.
• Selected File Path Retrieval: Retrieve the paths of chosen files for further processing or integration with other applications.

Security Considerations

• Authentication and Authorization: Prior to deployment in a production environment, implement robust authentication (e.g., login with username and password) and authorization (e.g., RBAC) to control user access and actions.
• Data Validation and Sanitization: Validate and sanitize all user input to prevent potential security vulnerabilities like injection attacks.
• Secure File Uploads (Future Implementation): Implement secure file upload mechanisms that restrict upload locations and file types to mitigate potential security risks.
• Directory Permissions: Carefully configure directory permissions to limit unauthorized access and modifications.

Project Structure

The codebase adheres to a clear and maintainable structure, as outlined below:

├── app.py                   # Main application script
├── templates/
│   ├── index.html           # Template for directory listing page
│   ├── login.html            # Template for login page
│   ├── search_results.html   # Template for search results page
│   └── selected_file_paths.html # Template for displaying retrieved file paths
├── static/
│   └── ...                   # Static files like CSS and JavaScript
└── requirements.txt         # Text file listing required dependencies

Deployment Considerations

• Production-Ready Environment: Deploy the application to a secure hosting platform that meets your specific requirements.
• Configuration Management: Employ configuration management tools to streamline deployment and ensure consistent application behavior across environments.
• Logging and Monitoring: Implement comprehensive logging and monitoring solutions to track application activity, identify potential issues, and facilitate troubleshooting.

Getting Started (Development Environment):*

1. Clone this repository.
2. Install required dependencies using pip install -r requirements.txt.
3. Configure the application for your specific environment (e.g., database connection details, security settings).
4. Execute the application using python app.py (assuming the main script is named app.py).

Code Analysis

The provided code snippet showcases the core functionalities of the Flask web application:

• create_app function: This function establishes the Flask application instance, configures a secret key for session management, defines the user's home directory path based on the operating system, and implements helper functions for sorting files, formatting file sizes, applying datetime formats, retrieving file information, and handling login requirements for specific routes (placeholders for future implementation).
• Login and Logout Routes (Future Implementation): Implement user authentication using a login form or other suitable mechanisms. Upon successful login, store user credentials securely and manage user sessions. The logout route should terminate user sessions and redirect to the login page.
• Directory Indexing Route (index): This route renders the primary directory listing page. It retrieves the sorted files and current directory path (restricted to the user's home directory) and passes them to the template for rendering.
• File Metadata Route (view_file): This route displays a page with detailed information about a chosen file. It retrieves the file path (restricted to the user's home directory), checks for file existence, retrieves file info using helper functions, and handles potential errors.
• Search Route (search): This route renders the search results page. It retrieves the search query and directory path from request arguments (restricted to the user's home directory), performs a recursive search for files matching the query within the specified directory, and passes the search results to the template for rendering.
• Retrieve Selected File Path Route (retrieve_selected_file_path): This route retrieves a list of chosen files from a form and renders a page displaying those file paths.
• Upload Route (upload): This route is currently disabled due to security concerns. Future implementation should involve secure file upload mechanisms, user permissions checks, and restrictions on upload locations and file types.