LinkUp io | Devpost

Project Story: Building LinkUp.io About the Project LinkUp.io was born from a simple yet profound question: What would make the best community app? Our journey began with a deep dive into the essence of community spirit and how it has evolved with technology. We looked back at the classic ways people organized and participated in community events, from notice boards in local stores to announcements in town halls. Our goal was to replicate that sense of belonging and ease of access in a digital format, thus giving birth to LinkUp.io, a platform that aims to be the digital heartbeat of communities worldwide.

Inspiration The inspiration for LinkUp.io sprang from nostalgia and a genuine need. We reminisced about the times when community events were the highlights of our calendars, bringing together neighbours and strangers alike, turning them into friends and family. Yet, as the world sped up, those connections seemed to fray. We wanted to weave that communal tapestry back together, using technology not as a wedge but as a bridge. This vision propelled us to create a space where local businesses, attractions, and events could thrive and be discovered by anyone, anywhere.

Challenges We Faced The path to realizing LinkUp.io was not without its hurdles. Integrating various APIs, including Square for transactions and Supabase for our backend needs, posed significant technical challenges. We also grappled with designing an intuitive user interface that could cater to both tech-savvy users and those less familiar with digital platforms. Ensuring updates worked flawlessly required numerous iterations and tests. Perhaps the most daunting challenge was creating a custom geolocator for the app, making users feel truly connected to their local community through a screen.

How We Built It LinkUp.io's foundation is built on a stack comprising Next.js, Chakra-UI, and Saas-ui for the frontend, with Supabase powering our backend. This combination allowed us to leverage the strengths of server-side rendering for SEO and speed, while also ensuring a responsive and accessible user interface.

The development process was iterative, beginning with prototyping core features like user registration, business profile creation, and bulletin posts. We employed the Square API for managing transactions and event ticketing, integrating seamlessly with our event calendar feature.

What We Learned

Throughout the development of LinkUp.io, we refined our project management approach, learning to narrow our focus to essential features that fit our timeframe. This strategy helped us streamline development, avoiding the pitfalls of feature creep, and ensuring that every element added truly benefits the user experience.

What's Next for LinkUp.io

Looking ahead, we're excited to expand LinkUp.io's capabilities to enhance user interaction and engagement. We plan to develop a notifications system using Node.js to keep users informed and engaged. Additional features on our roadmap include a more dynamic events page, an enhanced business directory with individual profiles and the ability to follow businesses, and more personalized user experiences with bookmarks, likes, and comments. We also aim to refine our event management features, introducing multiple ticket types and improved business interaction tools. These updates will make LinkUp.io even more comprehensive and user-friendly, solidifying its position as the digital nucleus of community interaction.