The latest articles on Forem by Ilhan Malkić (@ilhan_malki_ad65ae741d82). https://forem.com/ilhan_malki_ad65ae741d82 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3727230%2F8d6cab68-32da-4303-8531-b42fb4acdec8.jpg https://forem.com/ilhan_malki_ad65ae741d82 en Ilhan Malkić Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:04:19 +0000 https://forem.com/ilhan_malki_ad65ae741d82/im-a-web-developer-from-bosnia-building-my-first-social-platform-1ifj https://forem.com/ilhan_malki_ad65ae741d82/im-a-web-developer-from-bosnia-building-my-first-social-platform-1ifj <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F439zo9fso4g6y0vydm8m.jpeg" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F439zo9fso4g6y0vydm8m.jpeg" alt="Verome preview" width="710" height="1537"></a></p> <h2> How it started </h2> <p>Verome started as a <strong>high school graduation project</strong>.<br> The original goal was simple — build a working web application inspired by<br> social platforms I use every day.</p> <p>What began as a school assignment quickly turned into something more.<br> Instead of stopping after graduation, I decided to continue developing it<br> and explore what it could become.</p> <h2> Not just another clone </h2> <p>While Verome is inspired by existing social networks,<br> the goal is <strong>not to copy them</strong>.</p> <p>This project is an experiment in:</p> <ul> <li>building a community-first platform</li> <li>learning how social features scale</li> <li>designing something simple before adding complexity</li> </ul> <p>I’m focusing on learning, iteration, and user feedback.</p> <h2> Vision </h2> <p>Long term, I’d love to see Verome grow into:</p> <ul> <li>a small but active community</li> <li>a platform where people can share and connect</li> <li>something built <strong>with users</strong>, not just for them</li> </ul> <p>Right now, it’s early-stage — and that’s the exciting part.</p> <h2> Tech stack </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>React</strong> – frontend and UI logic </li> <li> <strong>Firebase</strong> – authentication, users, posts, chats, messages, stories, and reels </li> <li> <strong>Supabase</strong> – file storage (images &amp; media)</li> </ul> <p>This setup allowed me to move fast while keeping the app flexible<br> and easy to iterate on as a solo developer.</p> <h2> Using AI in the process </h2> <p>AI played an important role in building Verome.</p> <p>I used AI tools to:</p> <ul> <li>brainstorm features and UI ideas</li> <li>speed up problem-solving</li> <li>understand unfamiliar concepts</li> <li>iterate faster during development</li> </ul> <p>AI didn’t replace learning — it <strong>accelerated it</strong>.<br> All architectural decisions and final implementations were still mine.</p> <h2> Looking for feedback </h2> <p>Since this is still early, I’d really appreciate:</p> <ul> <li>feedback from developers</li> <li>ideas for features</li> <li>opinions on what works and what doesn’t</li> </ul> <p>If you’re curious, feel free to check it out:<br> 👉 <a href="https://verome.online" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://verome.online</a></p> learning react firebase ai