Beating Double Bookings: Chang Wang’s Hotel App Is the Solution Small Hotels Need

Meet Chang Wang: Turning Passion into Real-World Projects

At Sigma School, every student begins with a dream, Chang Wang turned his into a fully functional hotel booking system.

Coming from a non-tech background, Chang didn’t just want to learn how to code, he wanted to build something useful. 

For his capstone project, he created a hotel booking app that not only showcases full-stack development but also reflects his problem-solving mindset and user-first design thinking.

Why Hotel Admins Struggle Without Tech: The Manual Booking Problem

Inspiration often comes from observing real-life inefficiencies—and for Chang, it was the outdated manual hotel booking systems still used by many small hotels. 

From double bookings to human error in guest details, manual processes are a frequent cause of stress for hotel staff. Chang envisioned a system that could simplify this—an app that gives hotel admins full control with clean interfaces and smart features.

A Smart Hotel Booking System Built with Full-Stack Power

To bring his vision to life, Chang used a modern tech stack:

• Frontend: React.js
• Backend: Express.js
• Database: Console database
• Authentication: Firebase Auth
• Image Storage: Firebase Storage
• External API: OpenWeatherMap API
  

The result? 

A full-featured booking system where admins can create, read, update, and delete bookings, manage room details with photos, and even view real-time weather conditions for any city—all from one dashboard. 

The app is also fully responsive, working smoothly across mobile, tablet, and desktop.

Hitting Roadblocks and Solving Them Like a True Developer

No project is complete without its challenges, and Chang faced two big ones:

1. Google Authentication Not Working
   Initially, he couldn’t log in via Google due to domain issues. But instead of giving up, Chang dove into Firebase settings and figured out that he needed to add his project domain to the list of authorized domains. Problem solved.
   
2. Weather API Integration Troubles
   Integrating the OpenWeatherMap API was trickier than expected. But with persistence and help from online tutorials, Chang successfully implemented a weather feature that changes the background based on temperature—a small touch that enhances the user experience.
   
   

From API Mastery to Responsive Design: Lessons Learned Along the Way

What did Chang walk away with? A whole toolkit of full-stack skills. He learned how to:

• Build and connect a custom API
• Use Firebase Authentication and Storage
• Integrate an external weather API
• Design and test responsive layouts for multiple devices
• Improve UX with features like auto-hiding toast notifications
  

His favorite part? Watching the entire system come together—one feature at a time.

More Than Just a Project: A Portfolio-Worthy App That Solves Real Problems

Chang’s hotel booking system isn’t just a capstone, it’s proof of what’s possible when a student is given the tools, guidance, and space to build something meaningful.

His project doesn’t just solve problems, it showcases his growth into a capable full-stack developer ready for real-world challenges.