blarbar

Inspiration

Blarbar was inspired by the need for a dynamic and engaging platform for real-time social polling, moving beyond static surveys to foster immediate community interaction around opinion-based questions.

What it does

Blarbar is a real-time social polling application enabling users to:

Create & Vote: Post questions with two options (text/images) and see real-time vote updates. Engage: Comment on polls and follow other users. Notify: Receive real-time notifications for votes, comments, and new followers. Manage Profile: Customize username, bio, and avatar. Search: Find polls, users, and comments. Share: Easily share poll links or branded screenshots.

How we built it

Blarbar was built using a modern web development stack:

Frontend: React, TypeScript, Vite, Tailwind CSS, Lucide React, React Router DOM. Data Management: React Query for efficient server state. Backend & Database: Supabase (PostgreSQL, Authentication, Storage, Realtime, Edge Functions for atomic operations). Screenshot Generation: html2canvas for client-side branded screenshots.

Challenges we ran into

Key challenges included:

Real-time Synchronization: Ensuring instant updates across all users. Optimistic UI: Implementing immediate UI feedback for votes with robust rollback. RLS Policies: Configuring precise Row Level Security for data privacy. Image Handling: Managing uploads, previews, and storage. Client-side Screenshotting: Capturing DOM elements and adding branding.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of:

Seamless Real-time Experience: Instant updates for votes and comments. Intuitive UI: Clean and easy-to-use interface. Robust Supabase Integration: Full utilization of Supabase's features. Optimistic UI: Enhanced performance and responsiveness. Branded Screenshot Sharing: A unique feature for social media engagement. What we learned Key learnings included:

Supabase Ecosystem: Deep understanding of integrating Supabase services. React Query: Advanced patterns for state management. Row Level Security: Importance of fine-grained access control. Real-time Data Flow: Strategies for managing dynamic data. UX Design: Impact of subtle UI/UX choices on user satisfaction.

What's next for Blarbar

Future plans include:

Enhanced Social Features: Direct messaging, groups, mentions. Diverse Poll Formats: Multiple-choice, ranking, open-ended questions. Advanced Analytics: Detailed insights for poll creators. Monetization: Exploring premium features or non-intrusive advertising. Mobile Apps: Developing native iOS and Android applications. Internationalization: Supporting multiple languages. Accessibility: Continuous improvements for broader usability.

Built With

• bolt
• supabase