LTUC AI Assistant
An intelligent learning companion for LTUC students, powered by OpenAI's advanced language models and built with Laravel.
Overview
The LTUC AI Assistant is a sophisticated web application designed specifically for Luminus Technical University College students. It provides an intelligent, conversational interface that helps students with academic questions, learning support, and educational guidance.
Intelligent Responses
Powered by OpenAI's advanced language models for accurate and helpful responses.
Student-Focused
Tailored specifically for LTUC students with academic context and support.
24/7 Availability
Always available to help with learning questions and academic support.
Why Laravel over Python?
While we acknowledge that Python is the dominant language in AI and machine learning ecosystems, we chose Laravel/PHP for this educational platform for several compelling reasons:
Superior Authentication & User Management
- Built-in Laravel Breeze: Complete authentication system out of the box
- Robust Session Management: Secure user sessions and CSRF protection
- Role-Based Access Control: Easy implementation of user roles and permissions
- Password Security: Built-in hashing, password reset, and email verification
Rapid Web Development
- MVC Architecture: Clean, organized code structure for large applications
- Eloquent ORM: Intuitive database interactions with relationships
- Blade Templating: Powerful templating engine for dynamic UIs
- Artisan CLI: Hundreds of built-in commands for development efficiency
Enterprise Web Features
- Advanced Routing: RESTful routing with middleware and route caching
- Database Migrations: Version control for database schema changes
- Queue System: Background job processing for file handling
- Caching: Redis/Memcached integration for performance
Production-Ready Infrastructure
- Mature Ecosystem: 10+ years of enterprise-grade packages
- Horizontal Scaling: Easy deployment across multiple servers
- Error Handling: Comprehensive logging and debugging tools
- Security: Built-in protection against OWASP top 10 vulnerabilities
Comprehensive AI Features
🤖 Core AI Capabilities
Advanced Conversational AI
- • Powered by OpenAI GPT-4o for natural, intelligent responses
- • Context-aware conversations with memory
- • Educational focus tuned for academic scenarios
- • Up to 16,000 tokens per response for detailed explanations
Personalized Learning Experience
- • Personal chat history saved for registered users
- • Multiple chat sessions with individual titles
- • Contextual responses based on previous conversations
- • Progress tracking and learning patterns
📁 Advanced File Processing (Up to 10MB)
Document Analysis
- • PDFs: Text extraction + embedded images
- • Word Documents: .docx, .doc with images
- • Spreadsheets: .xlsx, .xls, .csv data analysis
- • PowerPoint: .pptx, .ppt presentations
- • Text Files: .txt, .rtf, .md, .rst
Programming & Code Analysis
- • All Languages: Python, JavaScript, PHP, Java, C++, etc.
- • Web Files: HTML, CSS, SQL, JSON, XML
- • Config Files: YAML, TOML, ENV, Docker
- • Notebooks: Jupyter (.ipynb) cell-by-cell analysis
- • Build Files: Makefile, package.json, composer.json
Image & Visual Analysis
- • GPT-4o Vision: Advanced image understanding
- • OCR: Text extraction from images
- • Formats: PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP, WEBP, SVG
- • Analysis: Diagrams, charts, handwritten notes
- • Educational: Math problems, homework images
🎓 Academic & Educational Support
Math & Problem Solving
- • Math Equations: LaTeX formatting support
- • Calculus: Derivatives, integrals, limits
- • Algebra: Equations, matrices, polynomials
- • Statistics: Data analysis and interpretation
- • Homework Help: Step-by-step solutions
Learning Assistance
- • Concept Explanation: Complex topics simplified
- • Code Review: Bug detection and improvements
- • Research Help: Information synthesis
- • Writing Support: Essays, reports, documentation
- • Study Plans: Personalized learning paths
⚙️ Technical Features
Persistent Chat History
All conversations saved with full context retention and searchable history
Drag & Drop File Upload
Support for multiple files up to 10MB each with instant processing
Syntax Highlighting
Beautiful code display with copy functionality and language detection
Rich Text Formatting
Markdown support with tables, lists, and formatted content
Mobile Responsive
Perfect experience on all devices with touch-optimized interface
Secure Authentication
Laravel Breeze with CSRF protection and secure sessions
Rate Limiting
Built-in API throttling for optimal performance and fair usage
Demo Mode
Public demo access for testing without registration required
🎨 User Experience
LTUC Branding
Beautiful pink-purple gradients matching university colors
Dark Code Blocks
Professional ChatGPT-like code appearance
Interactive Elements
Hover effects and smooth animations
Copy to Clipboard
Easy code and text copying functionality
Technology Stack
Backend
Frontend
AI & Processing
Installation
Prerequisites
- PHP 8.3 or higher
- Composer
- Node.js 20.x
- MySQL or SQLite
- OpenAI API Key
Setup Steps
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/osamaalkhazali/LTUCBot.git
cd LTUCBot
# Install PHP dependencies
composer install
# Install Node.js dependencies
npm install
# Copy environment file
cp .env.example .env
# Generate application key
php artisan key:generate
# Run migrations
php artisan migrate
# Build assets
npm run build
# Start the development server
php artisan serve
Docker Deployment
The application uses a multi-stage Docker build process optimized for production deployment. The Dockerfile creates a lightweight, secure container with all necessary dependencies.
Docker Build Process
Stage 1: Node.js Build
- • Node.js 20 Alpine base
- • Install npm dependencies
- • Build frontend assets with Vite
- • Optimize for production
Stage 2: PHP Runtime
- • PHP 8.3-CLI Alpine base
- • Install required PHP extensions
- • Copy application code
- • Configure for production
Quick Start with Docker
# Build and run with Docker
docker build -t ltuc-ai-assistant .
docker run -p 8000:8000 ltuc-ai-assistant
# Or use Docker Compose
docker-compose up -d
Configuration
Environment Variables
Create your .env file with the following configurations:
# Application
APP_NAME="LTUC AI Assistant"
APP_ENV=production
APP_KEY=base64:your-generated-key
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://ltucbot.up.railway.app
# Database (Clever Cloud MySQL)
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=your-clever-cloud-host
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=your-database-name
DB_USERNAME=your-username
DB_PASSWORD=your-password
# OpenAI Configuration
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
OPENAI_ORGANIZATION=your_org_id_optional
# File Upload Limits
UPLOAD_MAX_FILESIZE=10M
POST_MAX_SIZE=10M
OpenAI API Setup
- Get API Key: Visit OpenAI Platform
- Create New Key: Generate a new secret key
- Add to Environment: Set
OPENAI_API_KEYin your.envfile - Set Usage Limits: Configure billing and usage limits in OpenAI dashboard
Usage Guide
Access the Application
Production
ltucbot.up.railway.appDemo Mode
Try without registration
Full Features
Register for chat history
Sample Text Questions
"Explain object-oriented programming"
"Help me understand calculus derivatives"
"Laravel development best practices"
File-based Interactions
"Analyze this code" + upload .php file
"Extract key points" + upload PDF
"What does this show?" + upload image
File Processing
Supported File Types
| Category | Extensions | Processing Method |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | .pdf, .docx, .doc, .txt, .rtf |
Text extraction + AI analysis |
| Spreadsheets | .xlsx, .xls, .csv |
Data parsing + structure analysis |
| Images | .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .bmp, .webp |
GPT-4o Vision API |
| Code | .php, .js, .py, .java, .cpp, .html, .css |
Syntax-aware processing |
| Data | .json, .xml, .yaml, .sql |
Structure-aware parsing |
| Archives | .zip |
Content extraction + analysis |
Processing Features
- • Automatic Type Detection - Smart MIME type analysis
- • Content Extraction - Text, code, and data extraction
- • Image Analysis - OCR and visual content understanding
- • Error Handling - Graceful fallbacks for unsupported files
Size Limits
- • Images: 10MB maximum for GPT-4o Vision
- • Documents: Configurable file size restrictions
- • Archives: Content extraction with size validation
- • Code Files: No specific size limit for text analysis
Live Deployments
Railway (Primary)
ltucbot.up.railway.app
- • Production environment
- • Automatic deployments
- • High availability
Render (Backup)
ltucbot.onrender.com
- • Backup deployment
- • Docker-based hosting
- • Redundancy and failover
Clever Cloud DB
MySQL Database
- • Managed MySQL hosting
- • Automatic backups
- • Shared across deployments
API Integration
OpenAI Configuration
The application uses OpenAI's latest models for optimal performance:
Chat Completions
'model' => 'gpt-4o',
'max_tokens' => 16000,
'temperature' => 0.7
Vision API (Images)
'model' => 'gpt-4o-mini',
'detail' => 'high'
Response Formatting
All AI responses include multiple formats for optimal user experience:
Development
Development Environment Setup
# Install development dependencies
composer install --dev
npm install --dev
# Set up testing database
php artisan migrate --env=testing
# Run development server with debugging
php artisan serve --env=local
Code Standards
- PSR-12: PHP coding standard compliance
- Laravel Conventions: Follow Laravel best practices
- Documentation: Comment complex functions
- Testing: Write tests for new features
Testing
Test Suite
The application includes comprehensive testing with PHPUnit:
Feature Tests
- • Authentication flow testing
- • Chat functionality testing
- • File upload testing
- • API endpoint testing
Unit Tests
- • File processing logic
- • Model relationships
- • Helper functions
- • Validation rules
# Run all tests
php artisan test
# Run specific test suite
php artisan test --testsuite=Feature
php artisan test --testsuite=Unit
Contributing
Development Workflow
Fork the Repository
Create your own fork of the project
Create Feature Branch
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
Make Changes
Follow PSR-12 coding standards
Run Tests
Ensure all tests pass
Submit Pull Request
With detailed description of changes
License & Acknowledgments
License
This project is open-sourced software licensed under the MIT license.
Acknowledgments
Built with ❤️ for Education
© 2025 LTUC AI Assistant | Powered by Laravel & OpenAI