NeighbourLink

Phase 1: Project Conceptualization & Requirements Gathering Identified the need for a hyperlocal platform to connect neighbors and build stronger communities Conducted research on neighborhood connectivity pain points and opportunities Defined target users: residents within a defined neighborhood (1-15km radius) Documented core use cases and user needs in the Software Requirements Specification Established project scope and out-of-scope features Created initial wireframes and user flow diagrams Phase 2: Architecture Design & Technology Selection Designed high-level system architecture Selected technology stack: Frontend: React with TypeScript Backend & Database: Firebase (Firestore) Storage: AWS S3 for image storage Notifications: Firebase Cloud Messaging Maps: OLA Maps API integration Set up project repository and development environment Established coding standards and project structure Phase 3: Core Feature Development Implemented user authentication and profile management Email registration and login flow User profile creation and editing Optional ID verification infrastructure Developed resource sharing functionality Post creation form with categories (Medical, Tools, Books, etc.) Search and filter capabilities by distance and category Image upload and storage integration with AWS Added geolocation services User location detection and storage Custom radius setting for notifications Location-based filtering of content Phase 4: Communication Features Built in-app messaging system Encrypted user-to-user communications Photo sharing in conversations Conversation management interface Implemented emergency alerts system High-urgency posts with notification priority Radius-based alert distribution Response tracking for emergency requests Phase 5: Community Features Expansion Developed event management capabilities Event creation with date, time, location details RSVP functionality and attendee tracking Calendar view integration Added local business promotion tools Business profile creation Special offer posting and management Business verification process Created community updates system Thread-based discussions and replies Issue reporting with status tracking Infrastructure and construction updates sharing Phase 6: Advanced Community Tools Implemented skills exchange platform Skill registration and discovery Service offering and request system Skill-based user filtering Added volunteer coordination features Volunteer registration and management Active/inactive status toggling Direct communication with volunteers Enhanced user trust and safety User verification badges Reporting mechanisms Safety recommendations for exchanges Phase 7: Optimization & Quality Assurance Conducted comprehensive testing across features Optimized performance for mobile and desktop Enhanced loading states and UI feedback Implemented responsive design optimizations Added progressive loading for resource-intensive features Created custom loading animations (NeighbourLinkLoader) Phase 8: Launch Preparation & Documentation Completed user documentation and help resources Finalized deployment scripts and processes Set up notification service workers Added Firebase messaging for push notifications Created comprehensive README and documentation Implemented disaster recovery and backup systems