Zipfinder

• 

  Recommendations for 4 different types of places based on a city or zip code.

Inspiration

We wanted to do something sort of like what Google Maps and Yelp do with their recommendations, but in the form of a quick, random response. We thought it would be interesting to make an app that provides random, almost "off-the-top-of-your-head" recommendations for businesses in the area, unlike the more 'well-tread' recommendations other apps provide. Maybe it would be a good introduction to the area, or a way to expand your horizons!

What it does

You give the app a zipcode, it consults with an external database (Yelp) about the businesses / attractions in the area encompassed by the zipcode. It then randomly chooses four items, one for each major category considered by our app (Restaurant, Store, Arts / Entertainment, Recreation (Physical activities)). If you don't like what you can see, you can refresh either by resending the zipcode or hitting the 'refresh' button, giving a new random selection of four choices.

How we built it

We built the app with a Javascript React frontend and a Python Flask backend. Data for the app was drawn using the Yelp Fusion API.

Challenges we ran into

None of us were particularly experienced with React OR Flask; we had to learn (or in one case remember) how they work on the fly. We made a few significant errors that took some time to correct; a particularly tricky one involved a race condition between the front-end and back-end alongside some particularly opaque errors.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We all had to learn a language / framework we weren't particularly familiar with; considering the time-constraints involved, we're proud of the outcome despite its shortcomings.

What we learned

Aside from the new technologies, we learned that complications are common when attending a Hackathon, especially if one is working with something unfamiliar.

What's next for Zipfinder

Probably a review of what could be improved after we've had time to sleep.

Built With

• chakra-ui
• flask
• javascript
• python
• react
• yelp-fusion