Introduction

StaySafe is a cross-platform mobile application developed using React Native and Expo. The application was created as paired project with a fellow student, as part of the Mobile Application Development module at university.

The application aims to improve personal safety by allowing others such as friends or family to check in on planned travel and activities. Various additions such as live location sharing, alerts/notifications, image sharing and detailed activities are included to further enhance the safety of the user.

Tech Stack

• React Native
• Expo
• MySQL
• Custom API

Developing the Project

This project was quite interesting as we had 5 weeks to fully develop the application from scratch, of course working with a partner which makes it much easier to power through.

Each week, me and my partner would get together to discuss what has been done so far and what we each plan to work on next. We made use of GitHub and branches to ensure that we can effectively collaborate and work on various features simultaneously.

We also prepared a set of 12 functional requirements which were paired with a short user story. These were prioritised using the MoSCoW method, ensuring that we focused on the core functionality and we used this to track our progress throughout the project.

At the end of the project, we also had to prepare and present a presentation to the lecturer, showcasing the key features of the application and discussing the development process.

Conclusion

Overall the project was an overwhelming success, resulting in an A+ (82%) grade.

It was great being able to work on a project with a partner, allowing us to collaborate and share ideas to create a solid mobile application. The project further strengthened my React knowledge, whilst allowing me to dive into the world of mobile app development and the unique traits that come with this, such as access to various sensors and device features.