SentinelOps Project

SentinelOps Project

Project Name: SentinelOps
Type: Python CLI Security/Scanning Tool (learning-focused)
Owner: Glenn Lewis Kanban

Project Goal

SentinelOps is a personal project designed to build a Python-based command-line interface (CLI) tool that simulates scanning operations. Its primary purpose is to serve as a learning platform for advanced Python programming concepts, CLI development, testing, and project structuring, while gradually expanding toward a more functional security tool.

Key Features

  1. Command-Line Interface (CLI)

    • Accepts user commands and flags (e.g., --version, --scan).
    • Handles arguments safely with argparse.

  2. Core Python Concepts

    • Decorators to enhance function behavior.
    • Generators to handle sequential data lazily.
    • Comprehensions for concise data transformations.
    • Context managers for safe file I/O.
    • Exception handling to make the CLI robust.

  3. Testing & Quality Assurance

    • Pytest tests for CLI commands, generators, and exception handling.
    • Linting with Flake8 and formatting with Black to maintain code quality.

  4. Project Structure & Environment

    • Organized Python package with __init__.py and optional __main__.py.
    • Virtual environment setup for safe dependency management.
    • .gitignore to avoid committing temporary or sensitive files.

Learning Objectives

  • Strengthen understanding of advanced Python features.
  • Practice building and structuring a Python CLI tool.
  • Gain experience in testing, linting, and project management.
  • Prepare the foundation for more complex functionality in later weeks.

Project Deliverables by Week

Week 1 – Core CLI Setup

Goal: Build the foundation for the CLI and project structure.
Deliverables:

  • Basic CLI skeleton with --version flag.
  • Python package structure with __init__.py and optional __main__.py.
  • Virtual environment created and configured.
  • .gitignore configured for Python, virtual environment, and IDE files.
  • Linting with Black and Flake8 set up.
  • Initial tests using pytest for CLI functionality.

Week 2 – Advanced Python Features

Goal: Add advanced Python functionality for better maintainability.
Deliverables:

  • Decorators applied to at least one function.
  • Generator producing dummy scan results.
  • Comprehensions used for filtering or transforming data.
  • Context managers used for file reading/writing.
  • Exception handling around risky operations.
  • Pytest tests covering decorators, generators, and exception handling.

Week 3 – CLI Enhancements

Goal: Extend CLI to handle multiple commands and options.
Deliverables:

  • Add --scan flag to simulate scan operations.
  • Support multiple argument types (strings, integers, flags).
  • Add help text and usage examples for all CLI commands.
  • Add input validation and error messages.
  • Write tests for all new CLI commands.

Week 4 – Data Handling

Goal: Process scan results and manage configuration.
Deliverables:

  • Read configuration files (JSON or YAML) using context managers.
  • Store scan results in structured formats.
  • Implement basic filtering and transformation of scan data.
  • Use comprehensions for data manipulation.
  • Exception handling for invalid or missing configuration files.
  • Tests for data handling functions.

Week 5 – Logging and Reporting

Goal: Add logging and basic reporting to CLI.
Deliverables:

  • Integrate Python’s logging module for debug and info logs.
  • Log CLI commands, scan results, and errors.
  • Create simple text or CSV reports of scan results.
  • Test logging and report generation.

Week 6 – Extended Features

Goal: Add more realistic scanning capabilities and advanced CLI options.
Deliverables:

  • Add additional simulated scan modules (e.g., ports, services).
  • Support multiple output formats for results (console, file, CSV).
  • Add CLI flags for advanced scanning options.
  • Write tests for all new scan modules and output options.

Week 7 – Integration and Final Testing

Goal: Ensure all components work together and the project is stable.
Deliverables:

  • Full integration testing of CLI, generators, decorators, logging, and data handling.
  • Improve test coverage to include edge cases.
  • Ensure all tests pass with pytest.
  • Polish CLI output and error messages.

Week 8 – Documentation and Packaging

Goal: Finalize project structure and create documentation.
Deliverables:

  • Write a comprehensive README with project summary, setup instructions, and usage examples.
  • Generate documentation for functions, modules, and CLI commands.
  • Prepare pyproject.toml or setup.py for packaging.
  • Ensure .gitignore, virtual environment, and project structure are clean and ready for sharing.

CLI & Python Features Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[User runs CLI command] --> B{Parse Arguments}
    B -->|--version| C[Print Version]
    B -->|--scan| D[Start Scan Generator]
    
    D --> E[Yield Scan Result 1]
    D --> F[Yield Scan Result 2]
    D --> G[Yield Scan Result N]
    
    E --> H[Print Result to Console]
    F --> H
    G --> H
    
    subgraph Advanced Python Features
        I[Decorators] --> D
        J[Comprehensions] --> D
        K[Context Managers] --> D
        L[Exception Handling] --> B
    end

    subgraph Testing & QA
        M[Pytest Tests] --> B
        M --> D
        M --> L
    end