All about my experience creating FireSale, a website built from scratch to notify and direct users to local shopping deals.
Preface
Before diving into all of the details, I'd like to share the fruits of my labor. For those eager to see FireSale in action, here's the project demo link. If you're curious about the code and the nuts and bolts behind our project, feel free to explore the repository on GitHub.
Now, let's begin the journey...
My First Hackathon Experience: Building FireSale at HackUTD
Stepping into HackUTD, my first-ever hackathon, I was a bundle of nerves and excitement. Little did I know that it would be one of the most transformative experiences, where I would dive deep into coding under pressure, team collaboration, and the satisfaction of seeing a concept materialize into a functional project.
The Inspiration
Drawing inspiration from apps like GasBuddy, which directs users to the nearest affordable gas stations, our team wanted to build something that brings local shopping deals to the fingertips of users. Thus, FireSale was born—a platform to notify users of the hottest local shopping deals.
Journey with FireSale
Designing FireSale's frontend, I delved into Next.js—a React framework I've been keen on mastering—and complemented it with the aesthetically pleasing and highly functional Tailwind CSS. This combo ensured that our website wasn't just about functionality; it looked good too.
The backend posed its challenges, but Firebase came to the rescue. I've always appreciated Firebase for its scalability and real-time data features, and during the hackathon, its efficiency became more evident than ever.
Finally, the cherry on the top was the integration of Google Maps using their Web API. This allowed FireSale to not only notify users of deals but also direct them to the store's exact location—a feature we believed was essential for our on-the-go target audience.
Challenges and Triumphs
Navigating the tight timelines of a hackathon is no easy feat. Every minor hiccup, whether a coding anomaly or integration issue, becomes a race against the clock. With FireSale, we faced our share of these moments. Yet, it was these very challenges that heightened our sense of purpose and teamwork. Each obstacle became an opportunity—to innovate, to brainstorm, and to seek solutions as a cohesive unit. The satisfaction wasn't just in the completion of FireSale but in the journey we undertook, with its highs and lows, leading us to a product we were proud to showcase.
In Retrospect
Emerging from HackUTD IX, not only did I have a tangible project to showcase, but I also gained invaluable insights into rapid development, teamwork under pressure, and the art of problem-solving. The skills and memories I acquired while developing FireSale are invaluable.
To anyone considering attending a hackathon—take the leap! It's an arena not just to code but to innovate, collaborate, and grow.
Until the next code adventure,
Kush Gupta