As developers, we love automation. So why do content creators still manually reformat the same article for Medium, Substack, Reddit, YouTube, and Hashnode? That's the problem ShabDify solves.

The Technical Challenge

Content platforms have different requirements:

Character limits: LinkedIn posts vs Twitter threads
Markdown support: Hashnode's full markdown vs LinkedIn's basic formatting
Audience expectations: Technical depth for Hashnode vs professional tone for LinkedIn
Community guidelines: Reddit's informal style vs Substack's newsletter format

Most solutions attempt API integrations, but APIs change, rate limits exist, and platforms restrict third-party posting. ShabDify takes a different approach.

MVP Architecture & Features

Tech Stack

Frontend: Flutter (cross-platform mobile)
Backend: Firebase (authentication, database, storage)
Rich Text: Custom Flutter implementation
State Management: Provider/Riverpod
Authentication: Google & Apple Sign-In

Core Features (Week 1 Delivery)

1. Medium-Inspired Rich Text Editor Clean writing interface built in Flutter with essential formatting tools. No bloated WYSIWYG editor—just the features content creators actually use.

2. Platform-Specific Content Optimization Support for 5 platforms from launch:

Medium (clean, story-focused articles)
Substack (newsletter format)
Reddit (community discussions)
YouTube Posts (social engagement)
Hashnode (technical content)

3. Copy-Paste Workflow FAB → Bottom sheet → Platform selection → Optimized content copied to clipboard. Simple, reliable, and platform-agnostic.

4. Firebase Integration

User authentication (Google/Apple)
Article storage with CRUD operations
Tagging system for content organization
Cross-device synchronization

5. User Feedback System Built-in feedback and bug reporting to iterate quickly based on real usage.

Why Copy-Paste Over APIs?

API Challenges:

Rate limiting and authentication complexity
Platform policy changes breaking integrations
Limited formatting control
Approval processes for posting permissions

Copy-Paste Benefits:

Platform-agnostic (works regardless of API changes)
User maintains full control over posting
No rate limits or authentication issues
Faster development and more reliable UX

Implementation Timeline

Days 1-2: Project setup, Firebase configuration, basic UI structure
Days 3-4: Rich text editor implementation, platform optimization logic
Days 5-6: Authentication, data persistence, platform selection UI
Day 7: Testing, bug fixes, store preparation

Technical Decisions

Flutter Choice: Single codebase for Android, iOS, and web deployment with native performance Firebase: Handles auth, database, and scaling without backend complexity
Copy-Paste Strategy: Prioritizes reliability over API convenience
MVP Scope: Ship working product, iterate based on feedback

What's Next

Post-MVP features will include:

Additional platform support (Twitter, Dev.to, Medium)
Advanced formatting options
Collaboration features
Analytics integration
AI-powered content suggestions

Open Source Consideration

Considering open-sourcing core components to benefit the developer community. The platform optimization logic could be valuable for other content tools.

For developers interested in the technical journey, I'll be documenting the entire build process, architectural decisions, and code patterns. Follow along as we build ShabDify in public.

ShabDify MVP Features: Rich Text Editor + 5-Platform Publishing (Medium, Substack, Reddit, YouTube, Hashnode) + Firebase Backend in Flutter