Detour

A React Native dating app for digital nomads, built with Expo.

Overview

Detour helps digital nomads connect with like-minded travelers. Features include:

• Profile discovery based on location
• Real-time messaging
• Match notifications
• Subscription-based premium features

Tech Stack

Layer	Technology
Mobile	React Native + Expo SDK 54
Routing	Expo Router (file-based)
Backend	Convex (DB + functions + file storage)
Auth	Clerk (phone, Google, Apple)
Payments	RevenueCat (subscriptions)
Notifications	Expo Notifications
Styling	NativeWind (Tailwind CSS)

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     Mobile App (Expo)                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Screens (app/)  │  Contexts  │  Hooks  │  Components      │
└────────┬─────────┴─────┬──────┴────┬────┴────────┬─────────┘
         │               │           │             │
         ▼               ▼           ▼             ▼
    ┌─────────┐    ┌─────────┐  ┌─────────┐  ┌──────────┐
    │  Clerk  │    │ Convex  │  │RevenueCat│ │Expo Push │
    │  (Auth) │    │(Backend)│  │(Payments)│ │(Notifs)  │
    └─────────┘    └─────────┘  └─────────┘  └──────────┘

Data Flow:

1. User authenticates via Clerk → JWT token issued
2. Token validated by Convex → User data loaded
3. User actions (swipe, message) → Convex mutations
4. Matches/messages → Trigger push notifications
5. Subscription status → RevenueCat entitlements

See docs/architecture.md for detailed diagrams.

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• npm 9+
• Xcode (iOS) or Android Studio (Android)
• Physical device for push notifications

Setup

1. Install dependencies

   npm install

2. Create environment file

   cp .env.example .env.local

3. Configure environment variables (see below)

4. Start Convex backend

   npx convex dev

5. Start Expo

   npx expo start

Environment Variables

Create .env.local with:

# Convex
CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT=dev:your-project
EXPO_PUBLIC_CONVEX_URL=https://your-project.convex.cloud

# Clerk
EXPO_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=pk_test_xxx

# RevenueCat
EXPO_PUBLIC_REVENUECAT_IOS_API_KEY=appl_xxx
EXPO_PUBLIC_REVENUECAT_ANDROID_API_KEY=goog_xxx

# App
EXPO_PUBLIC_APP_ENV=development

Project Structure

detour/
├── app/                    # Expo Router screens
│   ├── (tabs)/            # Main app tabs
│   ├── onboarding/        # Onboarding flow
│   ├── chat/              # Chat screens
│   └── _layout.tsx        # Root layout
├── convex/                 # Backend
│   ├── schema.ts          # Database schema
│   ├── users.ts           # User functions
│   ├── matches.ts         # Match functions
│   ├── messages.ts        # Message functions
│   ├── swipes.ts          # Swipe + match creation
│   ├── files.ts           # File storage
│   └── notifications.ts   # Push notifications
├── components/             # UI components
├── context/               # React contexts
├── hooks/                 # Custom hooks
├── lib/                   # Utilities
└── docs/                  # Documentation

Scripts

Command	Description
npm start	Start Expo dev server
npm run ios	Run on iOS simulator
npm run android	Run on Android emulator
npm run lint	Lint code
npm run typecheck	Type check
npm run test	Run tests

Documentation

Document	Description
Architecture	System design & data flow
API Reference	Convex function documentation
Deployment	Build & release guide
Setup Guides
Clerk Setup	Authentication configuration
Convex Setup	Backend configuration
RevenueCat Setup	Payments configuration
Push Notifications	Notification setup
Troubleshooting	Common issues & solutions

Key Features

Authentication

• Phone (SMS verification)
• Google OAuth
• Apple Sign-In
• Secure token storage

Discovery

• Location-based profiles
• Swipe to like/pass
• Automatic match detection

Messaging

• Real-time chat
• Read receipts
• Message previews

Notifications

• Match alerts
• Message notifications
• Deep linking to chat

Subscriptions

• Free trial support
• Monthly/yearly plans
• Restore purchases

Development

RevenueCat Testing

RevenueCat requires a development build for purchase testing:

eas build --profile development --platform ios

Use sandbox/test accounts for purchases.

Push Notification Testing

Push notifications require:

1. Physical device (not simulator)
2. EAS project configured
3. APNs key (iOS) / FCM (Android) for production

Test with Expo Push Tool.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

License

Proprietary - All rights reserved.