Constraint-Driven Timetabling with Real-Time Updates: Design and Implementation

The management of academic timetables presents a significant operational challenge for educational institutions worldwide. This paper presents an innovative scheduling system that transforms timetable generation from a time-consuming manual process to an automated, real-time solution. Our ap- proach formulates the scheduling problem as a constraint sat- isfaction challenge, implementing Google’s OR-Tools CP-SAT solver to generate conflict-free timetables that honor essential constraints such as faculty availability, classroom allocation, and curriculum requirements. The system’s distinguishing feature is its integration of Firebase for continuous data synchronization, allowing immediate reflection of scheduling changes—including class cancellations, extra sessions, and teacher swapping—across all user platforms. Built on a modular C4 architecture, the system provides distinct interfaces for administrators, faculty, and students through Flutter-based applications that function consistently across device types. Empirical evaluation reveals dramatic efficiency improvements with schedule creation time substantially decreased compared to manual methods, while update propagation occurs almost instantaneously. By combining deterministic constraint resolution with cloud-based real-time capabilities, our implementation creates a responsive academic scheduling ecosystem that significantly enhances institutional operations while improving the experience for all educational stakeholders.