Slashie (web)
Next.js front end for a local task marketplace: task hunters browse open work on the home page; customers post tasks and review quotes; workers run quotes and earnings from the dashboard. Backed by a GraphQL API.
Engineering wiki: docs/coding-guidebook.md · docs/README.md
How Slashie works
Slashie (slashie.app) is a two-sided local task marketplace: customers post work they need done; workers find tasks, send quotes, get chosen, complete the job, and build reputation.
As a customer (getting work done)
You post a task with a short description of what you need, when you want it, and a budget you are comfortable with. That budget is a starting point—you and workers can still agree changes before work starts.
Once the task is live, nearby workers respond with quotes. Each quote typically shows price, the worker’s profile, reviews, completion signals, and sometimes portfolio-style context so you can compare options.
When you accept a quote, the amount you agreed is handled on-platform (held until release). The worker does the job; when you are satisfied, you release payment and can leave a rating and review to help the next customer.
As a worker (earning)
You sign up as a worker, add skills and profile details, then browse tasks (with notifications when available). You send quotes with your price and a short pitch. If the customer chooses you, you complete the work; payment is arranged directly between you and the customer outside Slashie.
Connections and membership
Unlike marketplaces that charge a service fee on every job, Slashie lets workers reach customers for free within a monthly time-limited allowance (the allowance renews each month, measured in UTC; the free tier currently allows 3 quote connections per calendar month unless you have paid membership or Worker Pro). Workers who need more volume can subscribe to a membership for unlimited connections.
Map-first discovery
Slashie is map-focused: map search and browse are first-class so people can discover and reason about local work quickly, alongside list-style views and filters.
Project brief: Slashie web MVP
Document version: 1.0
Date: 14 March 2025
Author(s): Product / engineering (update as needed)
Stakeholder(s): Engineering, design, operations (update as needed)
1. Executive summary
- What is this project? A web MVP that connects people who need help (“customers”) with workers who browse open tasks, send quotes, and track work. The default homepage experience is the task hunter view: a filterable task list plus a map-style browse page (
/map). Without authentication, users can read tasks and open details; quoting and account-only views require sign-in.
- Why are we doing it? To validate demand for a lightweight marketplace for local handyman-style work without committing to native apps or a full product suite upfront.
- Desired outcome: A shippable web experience backed by a live GraphQL API, with clear separation between customer routes (quotes on your tasks, posted requests, profile) and the worker dashboard (quotes you sent, earnings, worker setup)—so we can learn from real usage and iterate.
2. Problem statement / opportunity
- User problem: Homeowners and small businesses struggle to find reliable local help quickly; workers need visible, actionable leads without heavy platform friction.
- Business problem: We need a credible MVP to test positioning, conversion from browse → quote, and repeat use.
- Opportunity: Local services marketplaces remain fragmented; a focused “post a task / receive quotes” loop can differentiate if execution is fast and trustworthy.
- Evidence / data: TBD—add bounce rates, interview quotes, or pilot metrics when available.
3. Goals & objectives (SMART)
| Goal | SMART sketch |
|---|
| Primary | Ship a stable web MVP on Render with core task and quote flows within the agreed programme milestone. |
| Measurable | Track task posts, quotes submitted, and sign-ups (e.g. via PostHog); define numeric targets TBD. |
| Achievable | Scope is web-only, single API, no mobile app in this phase. |
| Relevant | Supports validation of marketplace liquidity and UX before larger investment. |
| Time-bound | Align milestone dates with your roadmap TBD. |
4. Target audience
- Primary: task hunters / workers: People looking for paid work; they land on
/ (and /map), filter tasks, open details, and log in to submit a quote (after worker setup). Their quotes and bookings live on My tasks (/tasks); their plan on Plan & billing (/billing).
- Primary: customers (task posters): People who need a task done; they use Post a task (
/tasks/create), My tasks (/tasks), Profile (/profile) and Account (/account). They review quotes on their tasks and track posted work.
- Secondary: Internal team using Storybook and deployments for QA and design review.
5. Proposed solution / high-level scope
Web app (Next.js, Chakra UI, Apollo Client) talking to Handyman Apollo GraphQL.
In scope (MVP-level):
- Home (
/): Signed-in visitors go to map browse at /search. Guests go to /home.
- Map browse (
/map): Same data as the home list with a list + illustrative map column (real geocoding when the API supports it).
- Global nav: Post a task, Search (
/search), My tasks (/tasks). When signed in: account menu, Profile, Log out.
- My tasks (auth required):
/tasks: hosted tasks and quotes you sent, grouped Needs you, Booked / In progress, Open and Completed.
- Settings (auth required):
/profile (how others see you), /account (contact, sign-in, notifications) and /billing (Plan & billing). /dashboard and /earnings redirect to /tasks.
- Task detail and submit a quote (auth + worker setup).
- Auth: register, login, forgot/reset password,
me query
- Component library documentation in Storybook
- Analytics hook-up (PostHog)
How it meets goals: Delivers discover → send quote or post → receive quotes → manage each role in the right surface, against a single deployed API.
6. Out of scope (this phase)
- Native iOS/Android apps
- In-app payments settlement UI (beyond what the API already exposes)
- Full admin/back-office product
- Full SEO/content programme beyond MVP pages
- Add further exclusions as the team agrees.
7. Key metrics & KPIs
- Activation: Tasks created per week; quotes submitted per week.
- Engagement: Return visits; dashboard refreshes; task detail views.
- Quality: GraphQL error rate; failed auth flows.
- Baselines & targets: TBD once instrumentation and launch window are set.
8. Risks & assumptions
Risks
- API schema or auth behaviour changes break the client (mitigation: GraphQL codegen + staged deploys).
- Cold starts / latency on free-tier hosting affect perceived quality.
- Trust & safety not fully covered in MVP (moderation, disputes).
Assumptions
- GraphQL API remains the system of record for tasks, quotes, and related entities.
- Users accept email/password (and any configured OAuth) for workers/customers.
- List any legal/regional assumptions (e.g. UK-only) as you formalise.
9. High-level timeline / phases (optional)
- Discovery / alignment: Requirements and API contract TBD
- MVP build: Core pages + auth + dashboard TBD
- Hardening: Accessibility, error handling, monitoring TBD
- Launch & learn: Render production URLs, iterate on metrics TBD
10. Dependencies
- Backend: Apollo GraphQL service (schema, auth, rate limits).
- Infrastructure: Render (web + Storybook); env vars and secrets configured per environment.
- Tooling: Bun for installs/scripts; GraphQL codegen for typed operations.
- Design / content: Brand, copy, and illustration as allocated.
Next steps
- Review this brief with engineering and design.
- Replace TBD items with agreed numbers, dates, and owners.
- Prioritise any post-MVP backlog from section 6 (out of scope).
Deployments (Render)
Requirements
- Bun (recommended) or Node.js 20+ compatible with Next.js 16
Setup
bun install
GraphQL codegen
Types are generated from the remote schema (SDL) when you run codegen locally or in CI. Production bun run build does not run codegen (see prebuild in package.json); run bun run codegen when the API schema changes.
bun run codegen
Ensure .env includes:
NEXT_PUBLIC_GRAPHQL_URL — API base (no /graphql suffix; the app appends /graphql).SCHEMA_ACCESS_TOKEN — value for the X-Schema-Token header when fetching /schema (see codegen.ts).NEXT_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY — Stripe publishable key (pk_test_… / pk_live_…) for worker subscription Checkout; must match the API’s Stripe mode. Never put STRIPE_SECRET_KEY in the web app.
Run the web app
bun run dev
Then open http://localhost:3000.
Run Storybook
bun run storybook
Then open http://localhost:6006.
Lint / format
bun run lint
(Biome is configured with --write for fix/format in this script.)
