Cash Flow Minimizer (Java 17 Console App)

A complete Java console application that minimizes the number of cash-settlement transactions among people.

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🚀 Features

• Pure Java 17+: No external libraries required.
• Object-Oriented Design: Dedicated Person model.
• Interactive Menu:
  1. Run with custom input
  2. Test sample
  3. Exit
• Flexible Input Formats:
  • Num txns N
  • N
  • Followed by N lines of Payer Payee Amount
• Efficient Algorithm:
  • Computes net balances using HashMap<String, Integer>.
  • Builds debtor/creditor lists and minimizes transactions with a greedy two-pointer approach.
• Robust Handling:
  • Zero balances
  • Exact matches
  • Multiple cycles
• CSV Export: Optional export of minimized payments.
• Standalone Tests: No JUnit dependency.

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📂 Project Structure

• src/CashFlowMinimizer.java → Main app, algorithm, menu, CSV persistence.
• src/Person.java → OOP model for settlement participants.
• src/Test.java → Standalone test runner for correctness.
• docs/console-demo.svg → Demo screenshot image.

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🛠️ Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Java 17 or higher

Running the Application

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd cashflow-minimizer-java

3. Compile the project:

   javac src/*.java

4. Run the application:

   java src/CashFlowMinimizer

Running Tests

1. Compile the test file:

   javac src/Test.java

2. Run the tests:

   java src/Test

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🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix:

   git checkout -b feature-name

3. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m "Add your message here"

4. Push to your branch:

   git push origin feature-name

5. Open a pull request.

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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