Agora

Agora is a two-person debate platform built to strengthen critical thinking and restore substance to online discourse. The app's AI judge scores arguments objectively and gives transparent feedback.

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Inspiration

Online discourse is broken. Social media rewards engagement over accuracy. Forums amplify loud voices, not rigorous arguments. We asked: what if debate had rules like a courtroom? Fixed roles, time limits, and an impartial judge evaluating logic.

What It Does

Agora is a structured two-person debate platform. Participants argue opposing sides under strict constraints: turn limits, word counts, optional timers. An AI judge evaluates arguments on logic, evidence, and clarity, then provides transparent scoring with constructive feedback. You see exactly why you won or lost. There's also a optional voice mode that users can enter to speak one on one synchronously.

Features

Core Capabilities

  • AI Analysis - Gemini 2.0 Flash detects logical fallacies and fact-checks claims in real-time
  • Structured Format - Enforced turn limits, word limits, and fixed roles (For/Against)
  • Text + Voice Modes - Switch seamlessly between typed and spoken arguments
  • Voice Debates - Web Speech API for live voice mode with instant transcription
  • Debate Discovery - Browse and join active debates as participant or spectator

Post-Debate Analysis

  • Argument Map Visualization - Interactive graph showing debate flow using Cityscape
  • Nodes represent claims and counter-arguments
  • Edges show relationships between positions
  • Toggle between text and graph views

Intelligence

  • Live Evaluation - Each turn analyzed for fallacies, factual accuracy, and evidence quality
  • AI Judge - Declares winner based on claim extraction, evidence scoring, and counter-argument effectiveness
  • Evidence Caching - AI generates counter-arguments with supporting sources

Real-Time

  • Instant Sync - Sub-second message updates via Firestore
  • Spectator Reactions - Live audience emoji engagement
  • Auto-End Timer - Countdown-based debate conclusion

How We Built It

  • Next.js + TypeScript: Strict component architecture, explicit typing for debate lifecycle
  • CSS modules: Professional styling, no casual chat aesthetics
  • Stubbed backend: Realistic mock data structures for parallel development
  • Design principle: Every UI decision reinforces discipline and fairness

Challenges

  1. Making constraints help the natural flow of discourse while not overstepping
  2. Balancing scoring transparency with complexity
  3. UI Design and live audio issues

What We Learned

Users want fair rules.

What's Next

Mobile optimization, better chat interface, more responsiveness, educational partnerships, tournaments, social media embedding.

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