Inspiration
I once received a paper flyer for my HOA potluck that ended up lost on my fridge, by the time I saw it, the event was over. In an age of digital connectivity, we wanted an app that simplifies discovering, creating, and joining local social events in real time.
What It Does
Nearby lets you:
- Discover events within a set radius of your home
- Create new community gatherings in just a few clicks
- Join and comment on events with shared interests
How We Built It
- Backend: Django with PostgreSQL for relational data modeling
- Frontend: Bootstrap-styled pages for rapid UI development
- Data: Designed and iterated on event, user, and RSVP tables
- Auth: Implemented a simple login flow (secure auth on roadmap)
Challenges
- First-time hackathon experience for half the team—balancing learning Django and PostgreSQL under time pressure
- Technical hurdles integrating a robust authentication system in 24 hours
- Rapidly adapting database schema as new features emerged
Accomplishments
- Delivered a fully functional event-sharing website in under 24 hours
- Encouraged community participation through an intuitive, map-based interface
- Split frontend, backend, and database work effectively across the team
What We Learned
- Rapid prototyping with Django and Bootstrap
- Designing and integrating PostgreSQL schemas
- Effective team communication and task division under tight deadlines
What’s Next
- Complete login, user profile, and enriched comment pages
- Upgrade to secure authentication (OAuth/JWT)
- Polish UI/UX and add mobile app support
Built With
- Django
- PostgreSQL
- Bootstrap
- Python
- HTML5 / CSS3
Try it out and connect with neighbors near you!