Since exams were approaching, the school library almost became my second home. I was ready to head home and walked down stairs. As I was getting close to the main entrance, someone tapped on my shoulder. When I turned around, it was my old friend. It had been a very long time since we talked each other so we started catching up. He told me that he had recently joined the HELIX Incubator at Seneca College and was looking for someone who can build an application.

He told me about the struggles he had during his school years in finding a private math tutor. Alsom it was equally challenging for him to find students when he wanted to offer tutoring as a side job. These past experiences sparked his idea for a tutor-matching platform where people can share their profiles and match based on their preferences like location and price.

I became curious, but I was also running late. We got each other’s numbers and I headed home. The next day, we ran into each other again. This time, I learned more about the project and the passion he had for it. It was my last semester before graduation, and I saw this as a great chance to use my CS skills and knowledge. Without much thought, I decided to join the team.

The team was small, only two software developers. We had a tight deadline of two months to build and release the MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Time was running out and with few resources, we had to make quick decisions along the way. For the frontend, React.js was our choice and for the backend, Google Cloud’s Firebase platform seemed right. Firebase let us to progress quickly beacuse it offered many features like authentication, database management, and hosting out-of-the-box. Since the platform included a location-based matching feature, we integrated Google Maps APIs for that part. With this serverless infrastructure, we were able to boost development speed by focusing on core features in the frontend without worrying too much about the backend.

The pressure was high, but the experience was incredibly rewarding at the end. I got to work hands-on with real-world challenges, and used new software tools to quickly build and release the service. Looking back, that regular cold day in Toronto opened a door I wasn’t expecting but was thrilled to walk through. To learn more about how the platform works, check out these helpful videos!

Need a private tutor? Check out this link for local options!

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