SAE Syntax Generator

A browser-only, offline-capable expert system that recommends small area estimation (SAE) methods and generates ready-to-run R and Stata scripts from a description of your survey microdata and auxiliary data. No data leaves your machine.

Live app: https://bakodramane.github.io/SAE_Syntax_Generator/

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What it does

Small area estimation bridges the gap between nationally representative surveys and the need for reliable estimates at district, county, or municipality level. This tool:

1. Lets you describe your data (variable types, what auxiliary data you have, Stata version).
2. Recommends the most appropriate SAE method from a catalogue of 16 methods.
3. Generates a complete, commented R script and Stata .do file — ready to run with your real variable names filled in.

Target users: statisticians in national statistical offices and development organisations, including those working in countries where Stata 14 is the installed standard.

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Quick start (local development)

git clone https://github.com/bakodramane/SAE_Syntax_Generator.git
cd SAE_Syntax_Generator
npm install
npm run dev          # opens http://localhost:5173/SAE_Syntax_Generator/

Requirements: Node.js ≥ 18.

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Running tests

npm test             # Vitest unit tests (catalogue schema + engine logic)
npx playwright test  # Playwright end-to-end smoke test

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Building for production

npm run build        # outputs to dist/
npx vite preview     # serve the built app locally

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Deployment

The app deploys automatically to GitHub Pages on every merge to main via the .github/workflows/deploy.yml workflow. No manual steps are required.

To deploy a fork to your own GitHub Pages, enable Pages (Settings → Pages → Source: GitHub Actions) and push to your main branch.

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Adding a new SAE method

See docs/adding-a-method.md for a step-by-step guide. No engine code needs to change — you only create one TypeScript file in src/catalogue/.

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Stata v14 compatibility

See docs/stata-v14-notes.md for a full breakdown of which methods work on Stata 14, which fall back to the mixed command, and which require R.

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Project structure

src/
  catalogue/      # One .ts file per SAE method (human-editable)
  engine/         # Recommender and code-generation logic
  types/          # Shared TypeScript interfaces
docs/
  adding-a-method.md   # Guide for contributing new methods
  stata-v14-notes.md   # Stata version compatibility reference
  SAE-CATALOGUE.md     # Full method taxonomy and design spec
  PHASES.md            # Build plan and acceptance criteria

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Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md.

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Licence

MIT — see LICENSE.