Instagram Clone FLutter

Instagram-style app built with Flutter & Node.js, powered by Supabase Postgres, featuring posts, stories, reels & profiles for web and mobile

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Inspiration

We wanted to recreate the familiar Instagram experience but with a modern stack—Flutter for cross-platform UI, Node.js backend, and Supabase PostgreSQL for a scalable, serverless database. The goal was to allow seamless use across web and mobile with a unified codebase.

What it does

Our Instagram Clone allows users to:

  • Sign up and log in via email
  • Create posts (permanent) and stories
  • View a feed of other users' posts and stories
  • Search for users by username
  • Watch reels randomly fetched from the database
  • View profiles, profile pictures, and post counts
  • Upload and display media in a grid layout

How we built it

  • Frontend: Flutter & Dart for shared UI between Android and Web.
  • Backend: Node.js with Express.js to handle API requests.
  • Database: Supabase PostgreSQL to store user, post, story, and reel data.
  • Media Uploads: Handled via Express routes with file upload middleware.

Challenges we ran into

  • Handling media uploads in a serverless environment like Vercel.
  • Ensuring smooth performance and consistent UI across both web and Android.
  • Structuring the backend for scalability with Supabase’s serverless Postgres.
  • Synchronizing story deletion logic exactly at the 24-hour mark.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Built a fully functional Instagram-like experience in a short time frame.
  • Single Flutter codebase for both web and Android deployment.
  • Successfully integrated Supabase PostgreSQL with Express and Flutter.

What we learned

  • How to use Supabase DB with Node.js in a serverless context.
  • Best practices for Flutter UI organization and reusable components.
  • The nuances of designing schema for social media-like platforms.

What's next for Instagram Clone Flutter

  • Add follow/follower system.
  • Implement likes, comments, and notifications.
  • Support for video uploads in posts and stories.
  • Advanced search and explore algorithms.
  • Better media hosting with CDN integration.

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