Personal discovery project

SideQuest

A cozy, mobile-first activity picker for finding something to do right now.

SideQuest gives someone a timely activity idea when they want to do something but do not know where to start. I built it to explore discovery and small real-world experiences instead of creating another general-purpose tracking app.

GitHub ↗

Status: Active / In Development
Type: Personal Project
Started: 2026

Overview

SideQuest is an activity picker for moments when someone wants a change of pace but does not have a plan. It can choose one context-aware idea or return up to three options based on what the user is in the mood for.

The goal is intentionally small: make it easier to start an interesting afternoon, evening, or weekend without turning the decision into another task.

Why I built it

There were plenty of days when I wanted to get out of my apartment and do something, but I had no idea what to do. Other times, the day just felt stale and I wanted something that could make it a little more fun, interesting, or relaxing.

Instead of scrolling through lists of places or trying to come up with something myself, I decided to build my own solution. SideQuest turns that “what should I do?” moment into something simple by giving me an activity based on what I’m in the mood for.

How it works

01
Start from the current moment

The app reads basic date and time context, such as season and time of day.
02
Get one idea or set preferences

The user can request a suggestion immediately or filter by duration, location, energy, social setting, and more.
03
Open the Sidequest

A result shows the activity, useful context, and an optional guide when one is available.
04
Save it, complete it, or try another

Favorites, completed activities, and skipped suggestions stay in the browser for future visits.

Features

Context-aware suggestions

Uses the current season, month, time of day, and weekend context to choose a fitting idea.

Activity filters

Narrows ideas by time, duration, location, season, energy level, and social setting.

Favorites

Saves activities the user wants to revisit.

Sidequest history

Keeps a small local record of completed activities.

Activity guides

Provides supplies, steps, tips, and optional recommendations for supported ideas.

Seasonal themes

Includes cozy, dark, spring, summer, fall, winter, and system theme options.

Mobile-first navigation

Uses a compact four-tab experience designed around phone-sized screens.

Installable web app

Includes a web manifest and service worker for a more app-like experience.

Technical highlights

React 19 + TypeScript

Builds the interactive interface with typed application data and UI state.

vinext + Vite

Provides the application framework and development/build tooling.

Nitro API routes

Keeps activity selection and guide requests on the server.

Supabase + PostgreSQL

Stores the curated activity catalog and optional guides.

Protected catalog access

Uses server-only credentials and Row Level Security so the complete catalog is not exposed to the browser.

Local browser state

Stores favorites, history, skipped suggestions, theme, and seasonal preferences locally.

Responsive PWA design

Combines mobile-first layouts with a manifest and production service worker.

Vercel deployment setup

Uses Nitro’s deployment adapter and repository configuration prepared for Vercel.

What I learned

SideQuest has given me practical experience shaping a larger frontend around one clear purpose, working with dynamic data, building narrow server APIs, and protecting backend-only credentials. Repeated mobile use has also pushed me to refine navigation, loading states, browser history, responsive layouts, and the details that make an interface feel calm rather than busy.

Current status

SideQuest is in active development. The core discovery, filtering, favorites, history, guides, themes, API, and catalog systems are implemented, while the experience continues to improve through testing and use.