Inspiration
I found the FirstCommit hackathon one day before the deadline. Instead of overthinking what to build, I decided to take the limited time I had and make something I would actually want to use.
The idea came from a simple problem: when people get bored, the easiest thing to do is start scrolling. I wanted to create an alternative that turns boredom into something real.
What it does
SideQuest gives users small real-world challenges they can try when they don't know what to do.
Users can discover quests by category, time, and difficulty, get recommendations based on their interests, use Quest Roll for a random challenge, or use I'm Bored to quickly find something.
The core loop is:
I'm bored → find a SideQuest → try it → complete it → discover something I can now do.
How we built it
SideQuest was built with HTML, CSS, and Vanilla JavaScript, using ES modules and LocalStorage for persistence.
Because of the limited time, I focused on building the core experience instead of adding unnecessary backend complexity.
Challenges we ran into
The biggest challenge was turning the idea into a focused MVP with very little time.
I had to constantly decide what was actually necessary for the core experience and what could be left for later.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
I'm proud that I went from discovering the hackathon to having a working, deployed product in roughly a day.
I also built the main experience around a simple loop rather than trying to turn SideQuest into another productivity app.
What we learned
I learned more about structuring a frontend application, managing state with LocalStorage, building responsive interfaces, and working quickly under a deadline.
Most importantly, I learned that shipping something real beats endlessly planning something perfect.
What's next for SideQuest
I'd like to expand the quest library, improve personalization, add more interesting completion experiences, and eventually explore social features where people can share the things they've completed.
The long-term goal is simple: make SideQuest a place people open when they're bored instead of opening another social media app.
AI Usage
AI tools were used as development aids for brainstorming, UI/product iteration, debugging, code assistance, and reviewing implementation decisions.
I reviewed, tested, and adapted the implementation throughout development and understand the code and decisions behind the project.
Credits
- Google Fonts — DM Sans and Space Grotesk
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