github.com/mhson281/currency-converter

Currency Converter

A simple desktop application built with the Fyne framework in Go for converting currencies between various options. This app fetches real-time exchange rates using a currency API and displays results in an easy-to-read format, including comma separators for large values.

Features:

    Convert between multiple currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, VND.
    Automatically fetches the latest exchange rates via an API.
    Validates input and displays user-friendly error messages.
    Results are formatted with commas for readability if the value exceeds 1,000.
    Built with the Fyne framework for a responsive and user-friendly interface.

Screenshots

Main Interface:

Installation

Prerequisites

• Go: Ensure you have Go installed on your system. You can download it from https://golang.org/dl/.

Instructions

• Clone the Repository:

git clone https://github.com/mhson281/currency-converter.git
cd currency-converter

• Install Dependencies

go mod tidy

• Run the Application

go run main.go

Usage

• Enter the amount to be converted.
• Select the source currency (From).
• Select the target currency (To).
• Click the Convert button to calculate the converted value.
• The result will be displayed below, formatted with commas for better readability if the value is large.

Some screenshots for reference:

Project Structure

currency-converter/
├── main.go         # Application entry point
├── api/
│   ├── api.go      # Handles fetching exchange rates from the API
├── ui/
│   ├── ui.go       # Defines the application UI components and layout
├── .env            # Environment file for API keys (not included in the repo)
├── go.mod          # Go module file
└── go.sum          # Go checksum file

Configuration

Setting up the API Key:

• The app uses a currency exchange API to fetch the latest rates. Add your API key to the .env file in the root of the project:

API_KEY=your_api_key_here

• If you don’t have an API key, you can get one for free from Open Exchange Rates:
  • Select sign up in the top right corner
  • Sign up for the always free plan
  • Log in with your newly created acount and generate the API key and plug it in the .env file

Dependencies

• Fyne: Used to build the graphical user interface.
• GoDotEnv: Used to load environment variables.
• net/http: Used for making HTTP requests to the API.
• strconv: Used for parsing and formatting numeric values.

Install dependencies via go mod tidy.

Future Improvements

• Add support for more currencies.
• Provide offline mode using locally cached rates.
• Add historical conversion rates and charts.
• Improve error handling and support rate-limiting for API requests.