My first coded project - part 1
I started to get into web development in 2021 as an after-hour hobby, learning a few things here and there but didn't build a proper app until now!
I live in my inbox and I wanted to save myself some time checking the same things over and over every morning, so I built https://ledigest.email/ : a daily automated email with the info I'm interested in every morning.
So far in this 'MVP' version, I can display:
- weather forecast
- top products on Product Hunt yesterday
- my events scheduled today (from Google Calendar)
- my tasks due today (from Google Tasks)
I'm planning to add more, especially if a small group of people use it.
Here's what the email looks like: https://ledigest.email/demo.png
How I built this:
- Vue3 for the frontend
- Vanilla JS for the backend
- Tailwind for the CSS
- Flowbite for pre-built UI components
- Netlify for hosting, users, db, lambda functions
- Integrations with Google, Product Hunt and OpenWeatherMap APIs
The development really went through a snowball effect - it was hard and slow at the beginning and my pace picked up as I started to understand better each component of the app and how to get them to work together. Same thing with the APIs - the first integration took a while and the ones after that went much faster (still, Google OAuth isn't easy for the non-initiated...).
Would love to get your thoughts on this - and of course, feel free to try and use the app.
Like the idea!
Seems you have 2 classic choices for market entry - (1) appeal to broad base of customers, which will then require a large # of integrations or (2) focus on one vertical market which really values daily developments (Stock Traders?, Lawyers? Reporters? Bloggers?).
Advantage of #2 is (a) you are able to focus your effort on improving the product, rather than building a huge bunch of integrations (b) have effective ways to reach a well-defined audience and (c) faster path to revenue.
Please keep posting your progress!
Good feedback, makes perfect sense, thank you.
It looks useful actually and the design looks good! Surprised you programmed the backend in VanillaJS!
Just so you know, I noticed an error with the UI. Maybe you already know but just in case: when you go to "Get Started" if you press "Digest" from the navbar, the page gets kind of locked. And I am not able to go back with the browser button for example.
Anyways, congrats, looks like you made a great first project!
Thank you. On the backend, I had Netlify functions and a bunch of utilities I needed, vanilla javascript seemed the most straightforward way to do it. Would you suggest something else?
It's not locked FYI, it's just that you have to sign up/sign in first before accessing that section (point that I should have hidden it until the user is signed in).
That makes sense! Just FIY though, the back button stops working in chrome after pressing on "Digest".
Anyways, great product and I'll check for updates.
Got it, thank you.
This is a great product and even more so since it's your first. Massive congratulations on that! I bet you learned a tonne. Really impressive tech stack, too!
This makes me feel good, thank you!
Would love to work with you😭
I really love code