NextGen LMS - Distributed Research & Learning Platform

A next-generation learning experience platform (LXP) that transforms students into researchers through challenge-based learning, distributed research, and collaborative knowledge building.

Getting Started | Features | Roadmap | Contributing

Overview

Unlike traditional course-based LMS platforms, NextGen LMS is designed as a distributed research and knowledge platform that:

Starts with real problems: Challenge-based learning with scientific problems from beginner to frontier research
Builds knowledge networks: Graph-based organization instead of linear courses
Enables collaboration: Real-time editing, team research, and peer review
Motivates through gamification: XP, badges, streaks, and leaderboards
Supports hybrid learning: Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) with events and mentor sessions
Ensures long-term retention: Spaced repetition micro-learning system

Tech Stack

Frontend

Technology	Version	Purpose
Next.js	15.1.0	React framework with App Router & Turbopack
TypeScript	5.7.2	Type-safe development (strict mode)
Tailwind CSS	3.4.16	Utility-first styling
shadcn/ui	-	Radix UI-based components
Tiptap	2.11.0	Rich text editor with 14+ extensions
@xyflow/react	12.3.0	Knowledge graph visualization
KaTeX	0.16.11	Math rendering
Lucide React	0.468.0	Icons

Backend & Database

Technology	Version	Purpose
Convex	1.29.3	Real-time database, auth, functions
@convex-dev/auth	0.0.90	Authentication with OAuth providers

Note: This project was migrated from Supabase to Convex. Legacy Supabase files remain in the repository for reference but are deprecated.

AI & State Management

Technology	Version	Purpose
Vercel AI SDK	4.0.0	AI integration framework
Zustand	5.0.2	State management
Zod	3.24.0	Schema validation

Implemented Features

Phase 1: Core LMS Foundation

Challenge-Based Learning: Scientific problems with 5 difficulty levels (beginner → frontier)
Gamification System: XP, levels (1 per 1000 XP), 15+ badge types, streaks, leaderboards
Research Nodes: 8 types (hypothesis, experiment, data, analysis, synthesis, literature, note, question)
Knowledge Graph Foundation: Bidirectional links with 8+ link types

Phase 2: Git-Lite Versioning & Scientific Workbench

Version Control: Node versions with snapshots, change tracking, diff support
Publication Workflow: Draft → Submit → Review → Publish
Peer Review System: Review assignments, notes, scores, AI review results
Real-time Collaboration: Editing sessions, cursor tracking via Convex real-time
AI Research Copilot: Conflict detection, similar research discovery, methodology suggestions
Vector Search: pgvector embeddings for semantic search

Phase 3: OMO (Online-Merge-Offline) & Micro-learning

Events Management: 11 event types, 4 delivery modes, QR check-in, capacity management
Mentor System: Availability slots, student-mentor booking, session scheduling
Micro-learning: 9 unit types, SM-2 spaced repetition, mastery levels, learning paths

Phase 4: Git for Science & Knowledge Graph Visualization

Visual Knowledge Graph: Interactive React Flow visualization with d3-force layout
Enhanced Graph: Semantic edges, strength metrics, graph traversal functions
i18n Infrastructure: Multi-language support (en/zh)
Theme System: Technical Minimalism design with dark mode

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Node.js 18+
npm or yarn
Convex account (https://convex.dev)

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/openwisdomlab/lms.git
cd lms

Install dependencies:

npm install

Set up environment variables:

cp .env.local.example .env.local

Edit .env.local with your credentials:

# Convex (Required)
NEXT_PUBLIC_CONVEX_URL=your_convex_deployment_url
CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY=your_convex_deploy_key

# OAuth (Optional)
AUTH_GITHUB_ID=your_github_client_id
AUTH_GITHUB_SECRET=your_github_client_secret

# OpenAI (for AI features)
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key

NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:3000

Set up Convex:
- Create a new Convex project at https://dashboard.convex.dev
- Run npx convex dev to initialize and sync the schema
- The schema is defined in convex/schema.ts
Run the development server:

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 to see the app.

Available Scripts

Command	Description
`npm run dev`	Start development server (Turbopack)
`npm run build`	Build for production
`npm run start`	Start production server
`npm run lint`	Run ESLint

Project Structure

lms/
├── convex/                        # Convex backend (PRIMARY)
│   ├── schema.ts                  # Database schema definition
│   ├── profiles.ts                # User profile functions
│   ├── challenges.ts              # Challenge functions
│   ├── researchNodes.ts           # Research node functions
│   ├── knowledgeGraph.ts          # Knowledge graph functions
│   ├── gamification.ts            # XP, badges, progress
│   ├── collaboration.ts           # Teams & real-time collaboration
│   ├── events.ts                  # OMO events management
│   ├── microlearning.ts           # Learning units & paths
│   ├── auth.ts                    # Authentication config
│   └── http.ts                    # HTTP routes for auth
├── src/
│   ├── app/                       # Next.js App Router
│   │   ├── [locale]/(lab)/        # Authenticated routes (route group)
│   │   │   ├── layout.tsx         # Lab layout with sidebar
│   │   │   ├── page.tsx           # Mission Control dashboard
│   │   │   ├── missions/          # Challenge Hub
│   │   │   ├── workspace/         # Research workspace
│   │   │   ├── knowledge/         # Knowledge base & graph
│   │   │   ├── teams/             # Team collaboration
│   │   │   ├── events/            # OMO events management
│   │   │   ├── learn/             # Micro-learning interface
│   │   │   └── research/[nodeId]/ # Research node editor
│   │   ├── [locale]/page.tsx      # Public landing page
│   │   └── [locale]/layout.tsx    # Locale layout with providers
│   ├── components/
│   │   ├── editor/                # Tiptap editor system
│   │   ├── ui/                    # shadcn/ui components (17+)
│   │   ├── layout/                # Header, sidebar, panels
│   │   ├── providers/             # React providers (Convex, Theme)
│   │   ├── research/              # Collaboration components
│   │   ├── knowledge/             # Knowledge graph visualization
│   │   └── events/                # Event management UI
│   ├── hooks/                     # Custom React hooks
│   ├── lib/                       # Utilities and configs
│   │   └── utils.ts               # Utility functions (cn, etc.)
│   └── types/                     # TypeScript definitions
│       ├── database.ts            # v1 base types (legacy reference)
│       ├── database-v2.ts         # v2 Git-Lite types
│       └── database-v3.ts         # v3 OMO/Micro-learning types
├── supabase/                      # [DEPRECATED] Legacy SQL schemas
├── public/                        # Static assets
└── docs/                          # Documentation

Roadmap

Phase 5: AI-Powered Research Assistant (Q1 2025)

Intelligent Writing Assistant: Context-aware suggestions while editing research nodes
Automated Literature Review: AI-powered paper summarization and relevance scoring
Research Gap Detection: Identify unexplored areas based on knowledge graph analysis
Hypothesis Generation: AI-assisted hypothesis formulation from existing data
Citation Recommendation: Smart citation suggestions based on content

Phase 6: Advanced Collaboration (Q1-Q2 2025)

Cross-Team Research Networks: Connect research across multiple teams
Research Lineage Tracking: Visual ancestry of forked/evolved research
Conflict Resolution Workflow: Structured process for resolving contradicting findings
External Collaboration: Invite external researchers with limited access
Research Milestone Tracking: Goal-based progress visualization

Phase 7: Analytics & Insights (Q2 2025)

Learning Analytics Dashboard: Comprehensive progress visualization
Research Impact Metrics: Citation counts, influence scores, contribution graphs
Team Performance Analytics: Collaboration health indicators
Knowledge Graph Analytics: Centrality, clustering, gap analysis
Personalized Learning Recommendations: AI-driven content suggestions

Phase 8: Platform Expansion (Q2-Q3 2025)

Mobile Application: React Native app for learning on-the-go
API for External Integrations: REST/GraphQL API for third-party tools
Plugin System: Extensible architecture for custom extensions
Multi-tenant Support: Organization-level deployments
Advanced Export: Export research to LaTeX, academic formats

Phase 9: Community & Scale (Q3 2025)

Public Research Repository: Share research publicly with DOI assignment
Peer Review Marketplace: Cross-organization peer review system
Research Funding Integration: Connect with funding bodies
Academic Institution Integration: LTI support for university systems
Research Conferences: Virtual conference hosting within platform

Future Considerations

Blockchain-based research verification
AR/VR lab simulations
Real-time collaborative experimentation
Integration with scientific instruments/IoT

Development Guidelines

Code Conventions

File Naming

Components: PascalCase (ScienceEditor.tsx)
Utilities/hooks: kebab-case (use-research-copilot.ts)
Types: kebab-case (database-v2.ts)

Component Structure

// Client Component with Convex (most common pattern)
"use client"
import { useQuery, useMutation } from "convex/react";
import { api } from "@/convex/_generated/api";

export function ResearchNodeViewer({ nodeId }: { nodeId: Id<"researchNodes"> }) {
  // Data automatically updates in real-time
  const node = useQuery(api.researchNodes.getById, { id: nodeId });
  const updateNode = useMutation(api.researchNodes.update);

  if (!node) return <Loading />;
  return <div>{node.title}</div>
}

// Server Component (for static content)
export default async function StaticPage() {
  return <div>{/* static content */}</div>
}

System Rules

These rules ensure development consistency across all contributors.

1. Architecture Rules

Server Components by default: Only use "use client" when client-side interactivity is required
Colocate related files: Keep component, types, and tests together
Use path aliases: Always use @/* for imports from src/
Feature folders: Group related components in feature directories

2. Database Rules

Schema definition: Add new tables to convex/schema.ts
Define indexes: Add indexes in table definitions for efficient queries
Authorization: Add function-level auth checks in Convex functions
Types auto-generated: Types are automatically generated by Convex in convex/_generated/

3. Styling Rules

Tailwind utilities only: No custom CSS unless absolutely necessary
Use CSS variables: For theming and dark mode support
Use cn() utility: For conditional class composition
Consistent spacing: Follow Tailwind's spacing scale (4, 8, 12, 16, etc.)

4. API & Security Rules

Never commit secrets: Use .env.local for sensitive values
Validate all input: Use Zod schemas for user input validation
Convex validators: Use Convex's built-in argument validators in functions
Check permissions: Verify user authorization with ctx.auth.getUserIdentity()

5. Git Workflow Rules

Conventional commits: feat:, fix:, docs:, refactor:, test:
Branch naming: feature/description, fix/description, claude/description-sessionid
PR requirements: All PRs need description, test plan, and review

6. Testing Rules

Test critical paths: Auth flows, data mutations, complex calculations
Mock external services: Convex, OpenAI calls should be mocked
Component testing: Use React Testing Library for UI tests

7. Performance Rules

Lazy load heavy components: Use dynamic() for knowledge graph, editor
Optimize images: Use Next.js Image component
Minimize client bundles: Keep client components small
Cache API responses: Use React Query or SWR patterns

Editor Development

The Tiptap-based Science Editor has specific patterns:

// Adding a new extension
// 1. Create extension in src/components/editor/extensions/
// 2. Register in science-editor.tsx extensions array
// 3. Add slash command if applicable
// 4. Create node-view if custom rendering needed

Database Schema Changes

// Adding a new table in convex/schema.ts:
export const newTable = defineTable({
  field1: v.string(),
  field2: v.number(),
  userId: v.id("profiles"),
})
  .index("by_user", ["userId"])  // Add indexes for queries
  .searchIndex("search_field", {  // Optional: search index
    searchField: "field1",
  });

// Create functions in convex/newTable.ts
// with authorization checks using ctx.auth

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
Follow development guidelines above
Commit your changes: git commit -m 'feat: add amazing feature'
Push to the branch: git push origin feature/amazing-feature
Open a Pull Request

PR Checklist

Code follows project conventions
TypeScript types generated via npx convex dev
Authorization checks added in Convex functions (if new tables)
Tests added/updated
Documentation updated
npm run lint passes

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Acknowledgments

Next.js - React framework
Convex - Real-time backend platform
Tiptap - Rich text editor
shadcn/ui - UI components
React Flow - Graph visualization

Built with care by OpenWisdomLab

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 42 Commits
convex		convex
messages		messages
scripts		scripts
src		src
supabase		supabase
.env.local.example		.env.local.example
.eslintrc.json		.eslintrc.json
.gitignore		.gitignore
CLAUDE.md		CLAUDE.md
FEATURE_COMPARISON.md		FEATURE_COMPARISON.md
README.md		README.md
docker-compose.yml		docker-compose.yml
fly.toml		fly.toml
next.config.ts		next.config.ts
package-lock.json		package-lock.json
package.json		package.json
postcss.config.mjs		postcss.config.mjs
tailwind.config.ts		tailwind.config.ts
tsconfig.json		tsconfig.json
vercel.json		vercel.json

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