Challenges
The primary objective was to replicate the full functionality of an evolving 5-year web application to a mobile app.
The Slate Editor Barrier: The core Slate.js editor was built for web browsers and was not natively compatible with React Native, which was the project's greatest technical hurdle.
Legacy Logic Complexity: The platform features a complex multi-tier scoring system (gamification) and an extensive admin suite developed over half a decade, requiring deep domain knowledge to replicate accurately.
Multi-Region Requirements: The app needed to support distinct configurations, API endpoints, and compliance standards for the US and AU markets within a single codebase for both iOS and Android.
Scope Of Work
Relia Software built a large-scale mobile app solution (Android + iOS) from scratch, comprising over 1,037+ TypeScript files, 253+ screen components, 81 custom hooks, and 13 state stores to match the web app's scale.
Community Feed: Main post stream with the ability to view, create, edit, and delete posts and comments.
Rich Text Editor (Slate Editor on mobile): Full support for bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, heading, code block, blockquote, lists, links, highlights, mentions (@), hashtags (#), GIF embedding, and syntax highlighting for 45+ programming languages.
Authentication: Login, SSO, registration, password recovery, magic links, and invitation flows.
Notification System: Push notifications via OneSignal with detailed per-board settings.
Gamification: Multi-tier point system, badges, and a real-time point meter during post creation.
Admin System: Full suite of administrative tools: community management, board configuration, user management, and notification setup.
Bookmark & Draft: Save favorite posts and drafts.
Media Handling: Photo and video capture, uploading, and media carousel viewer.
Community Discovery & Search: Search and explore communities.
User Profile: User profiles and weekly summaries.
Deep Linking: Support for yellowdig:// scheme and universal links.
Multi-Region: Simultaneous deployment for US and AU markets with separate configurations.
Over-the-air Updates: App updates without going through the App Store or Play Store.
Solution
Hybrid Slate Bridge: Built a standalone Vite/React sub-project embedded via a React Native WebView to solve the Slate.js issue. A custom bi-directional bridge was designed to synchronize toolbar state, content, editor height, scroll position, and input events between the native layer and the web-based editor.
Complex Scoring Re-implementation: Decoded and rebuilt 5 years of backend logic into a mobile-friendly real-time feedback system. The complex scoring rules are rebuilt based on text length, files, and community social interaction. Also, a live point meter shows users how many points they earn while they are typing.
Performance Optimization: Utilized Shopify FlashList, memoFC pattern and Zustand to ensure smooth rendering of media-heavy community feeds containing complex rich text.
Mobile Syntax Highlighting: Integrated Prism.js to support code blocks with syntax highlighting for over 45 programming languages, meeting the specialized requirements of a social learning platform.
Enterprise-Grade Admin System: Successfully implemented advanced administrative features on mobile, ensuring admins have full control over community management, board configurations, and user notification settings.
Multi-Region Deployment Strategy: Managed simultaneous builds for various environments (Dev, US, AU) using a single codebase. Handled unique API endpoints, CDNs, push notification tokens, feature flags, and bundle identifiers for each specific region.
AI Module: Integrated AI-driven features powered by the backend.
Results & Impact
Speed to Market: Successfully replicated a 5-year web ecosystem on mobile in just 6 months.
Scale: Supports 253+ screens and 130+ reusable components, maintaining performance through 190+ iteration builds.
Agility: Implemented OTA Updates, allowing the client to push critical updates in minutes without waiting for App Store/Google Play review cycles.
Domain Expertise: The Relia team independently mastered complex EdTech business logic (multi-tier scoring and admin workflows) with minimal client training.
