Designing a Python Shoe Catalog with Advanced Search Features

Introduction to Modeling Shoes in Python

To build a searchable shoe store website, we start by modeling each shoe as a Python object. Each shoe has these core attributes:

Name
Color
Brand
Size

Defining the Shoe Class

Using Python, define a Shoe class with an __init__ method that initializes the attributes:

class Shoe:
    def __init__(self, name, color, brand, size):
        self.name = name
        self.color = color
        self.brand = brand
        self.size = size

This setup allows creating shoe objects with specific characteristics, e.g., an Air Jordan in black/red, size 8 made by Nike.

Organizing Code for Reusability

Place the Shoe class definition in a separate module (e.g., shoe.py). This practice:

Ensures the class is defined before use
Enables code reuse across different parts of the project

Import the class using:

from shoe import Shoe

Avoid naming conflicts by choosing variable names that don't shadow module names.

If you want to deepen your understanding of class organization and project structure, see Comprehensive Python Course: From Basics to Advanced Mega Projects.

Storing Shoe Objects

Maintain the catalog as a list of Shoe objects for efficient searching and iteration:

catalog = [
    Shoe("Air Jordan", "Black Red", "Nike", 8),
    # Additional Shoe instances
]

Implementing Search Functionality

Enable customers to search by brand or other attributes by iterating over the shoe list:

Basic Brand Match

keyword = input("Enter brand to search:").lower()
for shoe in catalog:
    if shoe.brand.lower() == keyword:
        print(f"{shoe.name} - {shoe.color} - {shoe.brand} - Size {shoe.size}")

Avoiding Variable Shadowing

Use descriptive loop variables to prevent masking imported module names.

Improving Search: Partial and Case-Insensitive Matching

Expand search to check if the keyword appears in the shoe's name, color, or brand using the in operator:

for shoe in catalog:
    if (keyword in shoe.name.lower() or
        keyword in shoe.color.lower() or
        keyword in shoe.brand.lower()):
        print(f"{shoe.name} - {shoe.color} - {shoe.brand} - Size {shoe.size}")

For more on handling object attributes and building efficient search algorithms, consider reviewing Comprehensive Overview of Data Structures and Algorithms Using Python.

Displaying Search Results

Since printing an object directly shows its memory location, format the output to display meaningful shoe details using f-strings.

Next Steps

With the foundation set, extend features by:

Adding filters on size and multiple keywords
Completing the catalog data entry
Enhancing user interface and search speed

By modelling shoe data effectively and implementing flexible search logic, the program provides an improved browsing experience tailored to customer preferences.

For a broader perspective on algorithmic approaches that can optimize search performance in your catalog, explore Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python: Search Algorithms.