Online Learning Platform

  • Pynest collaborated with an online learning platform that offers educational programs from top universities all over the world and industry leaders. The platform provides more than 50 current topics and 200 courses designed to keep users engaged from start to finish. The goal was to enhance platform functionality, improve performance, and ensure seamless integration with third-party services.
Python
Django
Learning Management System
Celery
PostgreSQL
AWS
Machine Learning
Kafka
API Integration
Platform Optimization

Client

Niche:
EdTech
Location:
USA
Year:
2024
  • The client is a leading online education platform that partners with prestigious universities and organizations to offer high-quality courses. Their mission is to provide accessible and practical knowledge to learners across the world.  Detailed information about the client cannot be disclosed under the provisions of the NDA.

Challenge

The client needed to expand the core functionality of their learning management system (LMS), optimize slow SQL queries, and integrate new third-party services. The platform required better handling of deferred tasks and improved system performance to ensure a seamless user experience.

Solution

Our development team restructured the platform by enhancing the backend architecture, optimizing SQL queries, and designing efficient workflows using Django, Kafka, and Celery. We ensured the system could handle high traffic loads while maintaining optimal performance.

Folder Functionality:

Implemented a folder system to organize and store courses, improving user experience and navigation.

SQL Query Optimization:

Fixed slow SQL queries, achieving a 30-50% improvement in execution speed.

Third-party Integrations:

Developed several integrations with external services to extend platform capabilities.

Task Management:

Optimized deferred task execution using Celery and Celery Beat, enhancing system efficiency and responsiveness.

Monitoring and Debugging:

Configured RabbitMQ queues and improved monitoring with tools like Grafana, Kibana, and Sentry.

Results Achieved:

30-50%

performance boost

40%

reduce of operational delays

50%

reduce of processing times

30-50% Performance Boost:

Optimized SQL queries reduced processing times by nearly half, enhancing overall platform speed.

Improved User Experience:

Folder functionality streamlined course management, resulting in higher user engagement and satisfaction.

Reliable Task Execution:

Celery optimizations ensured deferred tasks were handled efficiently, reducing operational delays by 40%.

Enhanced Stability:

Third-party service integrations expanded the platform’s capabilities without compromising performance.

Team

2

Data Engineers

1

Backend engineers

1

Frontend engineers

1

QA

Technical Stack:

Backend

Python3
Django
Django REST Framework
Celery
Kafka
PostgreSQL

Infrastructure

Infrastructure
Nginx
Docker
Docker

Monitoring and Logging

Sentry
Grafana
Graylog
Kibana
Vault

Testing and CI/CD

Pytest
Swagger API
GitLab CI/CD

Conclusion

Through strategic architectural decisions, performance enhancements, and seamless third-party integrations, the project successfully addressed the client’s challenges. The platform is now faster, more stable, and better equipped to handle increasing user demand. This transformation has not only improved the user experience but has also positioned the platform for scalable growth, ensuring it remains a leader in the online education sector.