Building a Modern Munro Tracking App: A Developer’s Journey

Embarking on a new side project can be a rewarding way to enhance your skills and bring your ideas to life. If you’re a budding web developer feeling slightly stagnant in your current journey, taking on a fresh challenge like creating a user-friendly, feature-rich application might be just what you need.

Introducing the Concept

As a passionate hill-walker from Scotland, I’ve always been fascinated by Munros—peaks over 3,000 feet. There are 282 of these mountains, and many enthusiasts enjoy “Munro Bagging,” the process of climbing and ticking off each hill. While several websites exist to track progress and provide information about these mountains, many of them feel outdated and lack modern features.

My goal is to develop a sleek, contemporary single-page application that offers a more polished experience. I want to include social features that enable users to compare their list with friends, plan trips collaboratively, and enjoy a more engaging interface.

Strategic Planning for Development

After some initial research, I’ve outlined a tech stack that aligns with my goals and current skill growth. Here’s my plan:

Frontend: Next.js combined with Tailwind CSS—this will allow for dynamic, SEO-friendly pages, especially for individual Munro profiles.

Mapping Features: Mapbox GL for interactive, customizable maps that provide detailed terrain information.

Backend and Authentication: Supabase for managing user accounts, database storage, and authentication—all in one solution that’s simple to integrate.

Hosting: Vercel, which offers seamless deployment for Next.js applications.

Seeking Feedback

Given this is a significant step outside my comfort zone, I’d love input from experienced developers. Am I heading in the right direction? Are these tools suitable for my project’s scope? Any tips or additional recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for your guidance!