Shake & Decide

Shake & Decide is a fun Magic 8 Ball app built on Bolt.new—ask a question, shake, and get a playful answer.

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Shake & Decide

Inspiration

The inspiration for Shake & Decide came from a mix of nostalgia and curiosity. The classic Magic 8 Ball has always been a fun, mysterious way to get an answer when you can’t decide. We thought—why not bring that into the digital age with a modern, clean, and interactive twist?

What started as a simple idea turned into a complete app powered entirely by AI—from the concept to the code. This project was designed, structured, and even debugged with the help of ChatGPT, making it a fully AI-generated build on the Bolt.new platform.

What it does

Shake & Decide is a digital Magic 8 Ball that answers your yes-or-no questions with a shake. It features:

  • A realistic 3D-inspired ball with a glossy black finish and subtle lighting
  • A center answer window that says “Ask and Shake” at rest, then shows randomized responses
  • Smooth animations using react-native-reanimated
  • A clean dark theme with responsive layout across devices
  • Tap-to-shake support on web and a mobile structure ready for real shake detection

It’s fun, unpredictable, and doesn’t take itself too seriously—just like the original.

How we built it

This project was 100% AI-assisted and built with the following stack:

  • Bolt.new: Our primary development platform and where the full app runs
  • TypeScript: The core language used throughout the codebase
  • React & React Native: For building the interface and behavior
  • Expo: To enable cross-platform support for iOS, Android, and web
  • Expo Router: For easy navigation and clean file-based routing
  • React Native Reanimated: For high-performance, fluid shake animations
  • Lucide Icons: For clean, scalable visuals

Challenges we ran into

  • Tuning the shake animation to feel natural and satisfying
  • Aligning visual elements to look great on both desktop and mobile screens
  • Debugging cross-platform layout differences between web and native rendering
  • Getting smooth response transitions with Reanimated and state updates

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • The entire app—from UI design to functional code—was generated using AI, showcasing the power of AI-assisted development
  • Smooth and responsive animation that gives a premium feel to a simple concept
  • Fully responsive dark-themed UI that feels cohesive and clean on all screen sizes
  • A fun, finished app built on Bolt.new that could actually live on someone’s home screen

What we learned

  • How to fully leverage AI tools in an end-to-end dev workflow
  • Deepened our understanding of React Native animations and Expo’s cross-platform potential
  • Learned to balance performance with visual polish across platforms
  • Discovered creative ways to work within the limitations of Bolt.new while still delivering a fully functional experience

What's next for Shake & Decide

We’re excited to take Shake & Decide further with optional integrations:

  • Voice responses using ElevenLabs to give each answer a dramatic flair
  • Tavus integration for a video oracle that “speaks” the answer on screen
  • RevenueCat paywalls for unlocking fun premium answer packs like “Sassy Oracle” or “Corporate Consultant”
  • Native shake detection on mobile to enhance realism
  • Publishing it on a custom domain with Entri & IONOS

At its core, Shake & Decide is a reminder that tech can be playful—and even the smallest apps can bring a little delight to someone’s day.

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