Building a Modern Munro Tracking App: Is This the Right Approach?

As an aspiring developer looking to expand your skills through a personal side project, it’s fantastic to see you tackling something meaningful and fun. Your goal of creating a contemporary, feature-rich platform for hill-walking enthusiasts aligns well with both your interests and your aspirations to challenge yourself professionally.

Understanding the Context

You’ve been involved in web development for several years, primarily through no-code and low-code tools such as Squarespace and Webflow. You’re comfortable with foundational web technologies—HTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript—and have dabbled in custom plugin development. However, you’re feeling like your growth has plateaued, and you’re eager to take on a new challenge that pushes your boundaries.

Your Project Concept

Your inspiration comes from Scotland’s ‘Munro Bagging’ tradition—climbing and cataloging over 280 peaks exceeding 3,000 feet. While existing websites like munromap.co.uk and munrobagger.scot serve this audience, they tend to be quite basic and outdated. Your aim is to develop a sleek, modern single-page application (SPA) that offers a more engaging experience with additional social features, allowing users to compare their lists with friends and plan trips collaboratively.

Proposed Tech Stack

To achieve this, you’ve outlined a robust tech stack:

• Frontend: Next.js paired with Tailwind CSS for efficient, SEO-friendly page development, especially important for individual Munro info pages.

• Mapping: Mapbox GL, offering versatile, interactive map functionalities tailored for scenic outdoor activities.

• Backend & Authentication: Supabase, providing a straightforward backend-as-a-service environment for database management, user authentication, and storage.

• Hosting & Deployment: Vercel, optimized for Next.js applications, ensuring smooth continuous deployment.

Is This the Right Path?

Your planned architecture demonstrates thoughtful consideration of modern tools suited for a scalable and performant web app. Moving from your previous experience with no-code tools to a custom codebase involving Next.js and Mapbox is indeed a substantial step up—and a wise move for building a feature-rich, responsive, and SEO-optimized platform.

While you’re on the right track, here are some additional pointers:

1. Project Phases: Break down the development into smaller milestones—initial MVP (minimum viable product), then iterative enhancements. For example, start with core features like Munro info pages and mapping, then add social comparisons.

2. Learning Resources: