Inspiration
Friendli is a social media platform that helps users find and join events happening in their area. Users can browse a variety of events, ranging from concerts, sports games, and cultural festivals to smaller meetups and social gatherings. By following their interests and discovering what's happening around them, users can RSVP to events, see who else is attending, and plan their outings. Friendli turns event discovery into a social experience, helping users make the most of their free time and connect with like-minded people.
What it does
How we built it
We built Friendli using a combination of React for the front-end interface and Node.js with Express for the back-end. The platform is powered by a MongoDB database that stores event details and user data. To make event discovery intuitive and engaging, we integrated Google Maps API, allowing users to see event locations on an interactive map. Our team used Agile development methodologies to iteratively build and refine the platform, focusing on creating a seamless user experience for browsing and joining events.
Challenges we ran into
One of the main challenges we faced was developing an interface that looks good and is easy to use. Designing a layout that presents event information clearly while keeping the platform visually appealing required several iterations. Balancing aesthetics with functionality was crucial to ensure that users can quickly find and join events without feeling overwhelmed.
What we learned
Building Friendli taught us a lot about web development, from front-end design to back-end integration. We learned the importance of user experience design and how critical it is to iterate based on feedback. This project also gave us hands-on experience with building a complete website from scratch, managing everything from database setup to real-time data handling. The journey from idea to a working product has been a valuable learning experience in both technical skills and project management.
What's next for Friendli
Next, we plan to enhance Friendli by adding more personalized features, such as event recommendations based on user preferences and past activities. We also aim to introduce social features like chat rooms for event attendees and options for users to share events on other social media platforms. A mobile app is on the horizon, making it easier for users to discover and join events while on the go. Our goal is to continue improving Friendli, making it the go-to platform for finding and enjoying events in the community.
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