/SoloSpark Product Requirements Document (PRD)

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# SoloSpark Product Requirements Document (PRD)

## 1. Product Overview
SoloSpark is a streamlined social media management platform designed for solopreneurs—freelancers, influencers, and side-hustlers—who need to schedule posts, track performance, and save time without complexity. Leveraging practical AI for captions and scheduling, SoloSpark delivers a fast, affordable, and intuitive solution. The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) targets Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, with a lean and reliable launch, built on a modern tech stack including Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Supabase, Clerk, and BullMQ.

## 2. Objectives
- Deliver a focused MVP with scheduling, analytics, and AI tools tailored to solopreneurs.
- Save users time with AI-driven caption generation and optimal posting time suggestions.
- Establish a scalable foundation for future growth, avoiding overengineering.
- Differentiate with simplicity, affordability, and a compelling value proposition.

## 3. User Persona
**Solopreneur/Content Creator**  
Description: Solo professionals managing their social media (e.g., freelancers, influencers, side-hustlers).  
Needs: Easy scheduling, simple insights, time-saving tools, and low cost.  
Pain Points: Overcomplicated tools, time constraints, and confusing pricing.  
Focus: The "solo chaos gremlin" posting at 2 AM in pajamas with cold coffee, seeking efficiency.

## 4. Core Features (MVP)
### 4.1 Post Scheduling
- Platforms: Instagram, X, and LinkedIn (LinkedIn integration stubbed initially due to API approval delays).
- Functionality: Schedule posts with text, images, or links; queue for auto-publishing via BullMQ.
- Smart Scheduling: AI suggests optimal posting times based on audience activity (via OpenAI GPT-4o-mini).

### 4.2 Visual Calendar
- View: Drag-and-drop calendar for scheduled posts, built with Framer Motion for smooth interactions.
- Editing: Reschedule or edit posts directly from the calendar interface.

### 4.3 Basic Analytics
- Metrics: Likes, comments, shares, and reach, stored in Supabase PostgreSQL.
- Outcome: Simple insights (e.g., “Your X posts get 2x more likes than Instagram”), displayed via shadcn/ui components.

### 4.4 AI-Powered Boosts
- Caption Suggestions: AI generates captions or hashtags using OpenAI GPT-4o-mini, tagged with a subtle "✨ AI-generated" badge.
- Basic Trend Alerts: Highlights trending hashtags in your niche using X API and OpenAI (optional, removable if it delays launch).

## 5. Workflows
### 5.1 Onboarding
- Sign up with email or social login via Clerk’s pre-built UI.
- Connect Instagram, X, or LinkedIn with one-click API setup (LinkedIn stubbed initially).
- Set a default schedule or let AI suggest one based on user preferences.

### 5.2 "Post Once, Tweak Everywhere" (Key Workflow)
- Create a single post with text, images, or links in the Post Editor (React Hook Form with zod validation).
- Select multiple platforms (Instagram, X, LinkedIn) using platform toggles.
- Customize per platform (e.g., hashtags for Instagram, shorter text for X).
- Schedule or queue for all platforms in one action, processed by BullMQ on Railway.
- This workflow is a core differentiator, streamlining multi-platform posting for solopreneurs.

### 5.3 Tracking
- View post performance in a simple dashboard built with shadcn/ui and React Query.
- Receive quick feedback (e.g., “Your last post doubled your usual reach!”) with static mock data initially.

## 6. Non-Functional Requirements
- **Ease of Use**: Intuitive, distraction-free UI for time-strapped solopreneurs, adhering to mobile-first design (<768px).
- **Speed**: Schedule posts in under 30 seconds; aim for sub-second TTFB via Netlify’s CDN and Next.js optimization.
- **Reliability**: 99.9% uptime for publishing, ensured by BullMQ retry logic and Supabase’s managed PostgreSQL.
- **Security**: Encrypt credentials and data with Clerk and Supabase; sanitize inputs for external API calls.
- **Performance**: Achieve a Lighthouse score >90 for Performance and Accessibility, per frontend guidelines.

## 7. Key Technical Requirements
- **Frontend**: Next.js with React, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui, React Query, Context API, React Hook Form, and Framer Motion.
- **Backend**: Next.js API routes with tRPC for type-safe APIs, integrated with Clerk for authentication.
- **Database**: Supabase PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM for type-safe queries.
- **Authentication**: Clerk for email, social login, and JWT-based API protection.
- **Background Jobs**: BullMQ with Upstash Redis, workers hosted on Railway for persistent processing.
- **APIs**: Instagram, X, LinkedIn (LinkedIn stubbed initially pending API approval).
- **Hosting**: Netlify for frontend and API routes; Railway for BullMQ workers.
- **CI/CD**: GitHub Actions for linting, testing, and deployment automation.

## 8. Monetization Strategy
**Freemium Base**:  
- **Free Plan**: 3 channels, 20 posts/month, basic analytics.  
- **Solo Pro Plan**: $12/month flat—unlimited posts, all features, no per-channel fees.  
- **Non-Profit Discount**: 50% off Solo Pro.  
**Outcome**: Simple, affordable pricing that resonates with solopreneurs.

## 9. Competitive Edge
- **Simplicity**: Cleaner than Buffer, no Hootsuite bloat, enabled by Next.js and Tailwind CSS’s component-based architecture.
- **AI Value**: Time-saving captions and scheduling powered by OpenAI GPT-4o-mini, with rate limiting via Upstash Redis.
- **Pricing**: Flat $12/month outperforms Buffer’s $6/channel model.
- **Focus**: Tailored for solopreneurs, with a scalable stack optimized for speed and ease.