Here's an improved version of your README.md file, designed to be more user-friendly and accessible for non-technical users:

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Online Leave Management System

Welcome to the Online Leave Management System! This is a user-friendly web application built with Django, designed to help manage employee leave requests efficiently. Whether you're applying for leave, checking your leave balance, or tracking the status of your applications, this system has you covered.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Getting Started
• Installation
• Usage
• Contributing
• Contact
• License

Features

• User Authentication: Secure login, logout, and password management.
• Leave Management: Easily apply for leave, view the status of your applications, and check your leave balances.
• Notifications: Receive timely updates about the status of your leave applications.
• Admin Interface: Admin users can manage users, leave types, and applications through an intuitive admin panel.

Getting Started

Follow these simple steps to set up the Online Leave Management System on your local machine.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• Python 3.x: A programming language used for building this application.
• Django: A web framework for Python.
• SQLite: The default database used by this application.

Installation

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Open your terminal and run the following command to clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/ahmednule/Online_leave_Management_system.git
cd Online-leave-management-system

Step 2: Set Up a Virtual Environment

Creating a virtual environment helps manage dependencies for your project.

For Windows:

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate

For Linux/Mac:

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate

Step 3: Install Dependencies

Install Django using the following command:

pip install Django

Step 4: Apply Migrations

Run the following command to set up the database:

python manage.py migrate

Step 5: Load Initial Data (Optional)

skip this process for now

Step 6: Create a Superuser (Optional)

To create an admin user with full access, run:

python manage.py createsuperuser

Step 7: Run the Development Server

Start the server with the following command:

python manage.py runserver

Step 8: Access the Application

Open your web browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:8000/ to access the application.

Usage

Once the application is running, you can log in, apply for leave, check your balances, and manage notifications. Admin users can access the admin interface to manage users and leave types.

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Feel free to fork this project and submit pull requests. Your input helps improve the project.

Contact

For any inquiries or support, please reach out to Judy Auma at judyauma@gmail.com.

License

This project is licensed under the Nairobi Technical Training Institute.