u-explor
u-explor is a community travel platform where real travelers publish, price, and sell itineraries to other travelers. The product includes sign-in, a “become a creator” flow, and supporting content like blog/FAQ. Technically it’s implemented as multiple apps: a Node.js/Express backend (MongoDB + Mongoose) and a Next.js frontend and portal. The backend includes JWT auth, Swagger docs, security middleware, file uploads to AWS S3, email via SMTP (Nodemailer), job scheduling (Agenda + cron), real-time features via Socket.IO, Firebase Admin for SSO, and Stripe payment integrations.
Tech stack
Challenges
- •Keeping backend services secure and scalable while supporting real-time and scheduled workflows
- •Supporting payments and user identity flows across multiple apps and surfaces
- •Coordinating a multi-surface product with consistent UX and secure APIs
Solutions
- •Implemented layered API architecture with validation, security middleware, and Swagger documentation
- •Integrated Stripe for payments, AWS S3 for storage, and Firebase Admin for SSO-related flows
- •Built a cohesive Next.js portal experience on top of a secure Node/Express backend
Impact
Multi-surface product: backend + web + portal
Production-ready integrations for payments, storage, identity, and automation
Scalable foundation for experiences/marketplace features
Screenshots
Project details
- Role
- Full-Stack Developer
- Category
- Marketplace / Experiences
- Scope
- Multi-app system