Building a Global Events Discovery Platform: A Technical Deep Dive

Project Overview

As a MERN stack developer, I recently led the frontend development of a comprehensive events discovery and booking platform. The platform enables users to discover and book events worldwide while allowing event organizers to post and manage their activities. This article details the technical implementation, challenges faced, and solutions implemented.

Tech Stack

Frontend

• Next.js for the main application framework

• React for component architecture

• TypeScript for type safety

• ConnectyCube for real-time communications

• Material UI/Custom Components for UI

Backend Integration

• Symfony (PHP) backend

• PostgreSQL database

• RESTful API integration

Infrastructure

• Docker for containerization

• Vultr for hosting

• AWS S3 for storage

• AWS Lambda for image processing

• CloudFront for CDN

• GitHub Actions for CI/CD

Key Features & Implementation

1. Event Discovery & Booking System

The core functionality of our platform revolves around event discovery and booking. I implemented a responsive event listing system featuring infinite scroll to handle large datasets efficiently. The search functionality includes advanced filtering options such as date ranges, categories, and location-based searching. The booking system integrates secure payment processing with real-time availability updates.

Key implementations include:

• Advanced search and filter system with instant results

• Dynamic pricing calculator for different ticket types

• Real-time availability checker

• Secure checkout process

• Booking confirmation and e-ticket generation

• User dashboard for booking management

2. Real-Time Communication Suite

One of the most challenging aspects was implementing a comprehensive communication system using ConnectyCube. This system enables seamless interaction between event organizers and attendees through multiple channels:

Voice and Video Calls:

• One-on-one and group video conferencing capabilities

• Audio-only call options

• Screen sharing functionality

• Call quality optimization based on network conditions

• Automatic reconnection handling

Chat System:

• Real-time messaging with offline support

• File and media sharing capabilities

• Read receipts and typing indicators

• Chat history preservation

• Push notifications for new messages

3. Image Optimization Service

I developed a sophisticated image handling system using AWS services. The system automatically processes and optimizes images upon upload:

Upload Flow:

• Initial upload to primary S3 bucket

• Automatic Lambda trigger on upload completion

• Image processing including compression and format optimization

• Storage in secondary bucket with optimized versions

• CDN distribution through CloudFront

Optimization Features:

• Automatic image compression

• Format conversion based on browser support

• Multiple resolution generation for responsive design

• Metadata preservation

• EXIF data handling

4. Infrastructure & DevOps

The entire application infrastructure was built with scalability and maintenance in mind:

Docker Implementation:

• Containerized frontend and backend services

• Environment-specific configurations

• Volume management for persistent data

• Network isolation between services

• Health check implementations

Deployment Strategy:

• Automated deployment using GitHub Actions

• Blue-green deployment methodology

• Rolling updates with zero downtime

• Automated backup procedures

• Environment-specific deployment configurations

CDN and Performance:

• CloudFront distribution setup with custom domain

• Cache policy optimization

• HTTPS implementation with ACM certificates

• Geographic distribution of content

• Origin failure handling

Subscription Management

The platform supports two distinct types of activity subscriptions:

One-time Purchase:

• Immediate access provisioning

• Single payment processing

• Order confirmation system

• Access management

• Receipt generation

Recurring Subscriptions:

• Flexible subscription plan management

• Automated billing cycle handling

• Subscription modification capabilities

• Cancel/Pause functionality

• Payment retry mechanism

Technical Challenges & Solutions

1. Image Optimization

Challenge: Managing large-scale image uploads while maintaining quality and performance.

Solution Implementation:

• Serverless image processing pipeline

• Automatic quality adjustment based on image content

• Format selection based on browser support

• CDN integration for global delivery

• Cache strategy optimization

2. Real-time Communications

Challenge: Ensuring stable video/voice calls across different network conditions.

Solution Approach:

• Adaptive bitrate streaming

• Network quality monitoring

• Fallback mechanisms for poor connectivity

• Connection state management

• Quality optimization algorithms

3. Performance Optimization

Performance improvements were implemented across various areas:

• Dynamic code splitting strategies

• Bundle size optimization

• Image and component lazy loading

• Server-side rendering optimization

• API response caching

Conclusion

This project demonstrated the successful implementation of complex features while maintaining scalability and performance. Key learnings include:

• The importance of proper architecture planning

• The value of automated deployment pipelines

• The benefits of serverless architecture for specific tasks

• The significance of proper error handling and monitoring

Future Improvements

• WebSocket implementation for real-time updates

• Enhanced analytics dashboard

• Mobile application development

• AI-powered event recommendations

• Improved search algorithms