🚧 Project Upgradation Plan

[warmachine028]

Modernizing Our Social Media Application

1. Database Migration: MongoDB to PostgreSQL

Rationale:

• Increasing complexity of data relationships
• Need for ACID compliance and data consistency
• Improved query performance for relational data

Implementation:

• Adopt PostgreSQL as the primary database
• Consider using NeonDB or Vercel Postgres for cloud-hosted solution
• Implement Prisma as the ORM for type-safe database access

Action Items:

• Design new database schema
• Update application logic to use new database structure
• Implement and test ACID-compliant transactions

2. File Storage Optimization

Rationale:

• Previous issues with Base64 encoded images in MongoDB
• Need for efficient media management and delivery

Implementation:

• Adopt UploadThing for media management
• Since Upload thing only provided 2 GB for the Free tier, Cloudinary could be a better alternative since it provides 25 GB Free storage
• Automate the generation of multiple image versions (original, thumbnail, etc.)

Action Items:

• Set up Cloudinary integration
• Implement server-side logic for file uploads
• Create client-side components for file selection and upload
• Implement image optimization and versioning pipeline

3. Authentication Enhancement

Rationale:

• Improve user experience for account management
• Simplify implementation of advanced features (e.g., password reset)

Implementation:

• Adopt a third-party authentication service (Auth0, Clerk, or Kinde)
• Implement OAuth for social login (Google, GitHub)

Action Items:

• Evaluate and select authentication service provider
• Implement authentication flow in the application
• Set up OAuth providers (Google, GitHub)

4. State Management Modernization

Rationale:

• Adopt modern Redux practices for improved performance and developer experience
• Enhance user experience with infinite scrolling and skeleton loading

Implementation:

• Migrate from Redux Thunk to Redux Toolkit and RTK Query
• Since Redux, RTK Query posed additional complexities in terms of data fetching and optimistic updates, zustand was decided to be a better state management library along with React Query for data fetching and caching.
• Implement infinite scrolling for post lists
• Add skeleton loaders for improved perceived performance

Action Items:

• Implement zustand for app state management
• Implement react-query for data fetching, optimistic updates
• Develop infinite scrolling component for posts
• Create and implement skeleton loaders for key components

5. SEO and Performance Optimization

Rationale:

• Improve search engine visibility
• Enhance user experience with faster perceived loading times

Implementation:

• Implement server-side rendering (SSR) or static site generation (SSG) where appropriate
• Optimize meta tags and implement structured data
• Use skeleton screens for content loading

Action Items:

• Audit current SEO performance
• Implement SSR/SSG for key pages
• Optimize meta tags and add structured data
• Create and implement skeleton screens for content loading

6. New Feature: Popular Tags

Implementation:

• Develop backend logic to track and calculate tag popularity
• Create UI components to display popular tags
• Implement post filtering by popular tags

Action Items:

• Design and implement database schema for tag tracking
• Develop API endpoints for popular tags and related posts
• Create UI components for displaying popular tags
• Implement post filtering logic based on selected tags

7. Future Considerations

Followers/Following Feature:

• Design database schema for user relationships
• Implement API endpoints for follow/unfollow actions
• Create UI components for follower lists and follow buttons

AI-Powered Recommendations (Tentative):

• Research integration of Gemini or similar AI models
• Design recommendation algorithm based on user behavior
• Implement backend logic for generating recommendations
• Create UI components for displaying personalized recommendations

Additional Considerations:

1. Performance Monitoring: Implement tools like New Relic or Datadog to monitor application performance post-migration.

2. API Documentation: Use tools like Swagger or OpenAPI to document your new API structure.

3. Testing Strategy: Develop a comprehensive testing strategy, including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests for the new features and refactored components.

4. Gradual Rollout: Consider implementing feature flags for a gradual rollout of new features and to easily toggle between old and new implementations during the transition.

5. User Feedback: Plan for collecting and analyzing user feedback on the new features and improvements to guide future iterations.

6. Security Audit: Conduct a security audit after implementing the new authentication system and database to ensure data protection and compliance with relevant regulations.

This refined plan provides a structured approach to updating your social media application, focusing on modern web standards and improved user experience. Remember to prioritize these tasks based on your team's capacity and the project's immediate needs.