Introduction to TalkIt
TalkIt is a voice-based social network I’m building to explore the potential of audio communication in social media. In this series, I’ll document the entire process of building this project from concept to completion.
Why Voice?
Text-based social media dominates our digital landscape, but voice offers unique advantages:
- Emotional nuance that text can’t capture
- Accessibility for those who struggle with typing or reading
- Efficiency - speaking is faster than typing for most people
- Authenticity that’s harder to fake than text
Project Goals
The primary goals for TalkIt are:
- Create a platform where users can share short voice messages (talks)
- Build a following system similar to Twitter/X
- Implement a discovery mechanism for finding interesting talks
- Ensure excellent audio quality and user experience
- Make it accessible across devices
Technical Stack
For this project, I’ll be using:
- Frontend: React Native for mobile apps
- Backend: Node.js with Express
- Database: MongoDB for flexibility
- Audio Processing: WebRTC and custom audio processing
- Cloud Storage: AWS S3 for audio files
- Authentication: Firebase Auth
Series Overview
This series will cover the entire development process:
- Concept and Planning (this post)
- Backend Architecture
- Audio Processing Pipeline
- Mobile App Development
- User Testing and Iteration
- Launch and Growth Strategies
In the next post, I’ll dive into the backend architecture and start building the core API for TalkIt.
Stay tuned!