Algobytes

Inspiration

Honestly, we've all been there staring at LeetCode at 2 AM, dreading another grinding session. Interview prep feels like homework, and let's be real, that's why we all procrastinate it. So we thought: what if learning algorithms felt more like playing Wordle? What if you actually wanted to open the app every morning? That's the idea behind Algo Bytes, turn studying into something you'd genuinely look forward to.

What it does

Algo Bytes is a gamified learning platform that turns Blind 75 algorithm problems into engaging daily challenges. Users drag and drop code blocks to construct optimal solutions. Complete the daily challenge, get a shareable result, and build your streak. Want more practice? Our Practice Lab has curated challenges organized by algorithm type, with a credit system that rewards daily engagement. It's designed to make you want to practice, not force you to.

How we built it

We built Algo Bytes with Next.js for both frontend and backend, using TypeScript for type safety. Supabase handles our PostgreSQL database and authentication, making it easy to track user progress, streaks, and practice credits. We designed the entire flow around simplicity, no animations, no overcomplicated features, just a clean puzzle game that teaches algorithms.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was learning Supabase authentication from scratch. None of us had worked with Supabase before, and understanding how sessions work, how to protect routes, and how RLS policies worked was overwhelming at first. The documentation was great, but translating it to our specific use case required a lot of experimenting. Another challenge was resisting feature creep. We initially planned animated code execution with pointers moving through data structures but realized that would take days. We pivoted to static visuals and position-based validation instead.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're proud of building a complete, polished product in only a few days. The drag-and-drop mechanic feels smooth, the UI looks professional, and the entire flow works end-to-end, auth, daily challenges, practice mode, credits system, shareable results. We're especially proud of the design decisions we made: dark minimalist theme, no distracting animations, laser focus on the core puzzle mechanic. We also created a reusable challenge data structure that makes it easy to add new problems, we built 5 challenges during the hackathon and could easily scale to 100+.

What we learned

We learned a ton about authentication and database security. Understanding RLS policies, JWT tokens, and session management. We learned that sometimes simpler is better. By cutting animations and complex features, we shipped a cleaner product faster. We learned that gamification isn't about points and badges, but about motivation. The daily challenge creates a ritual, the shareable results create social proof, and the streak counter creates commitment.

What's next for Algo Bytes

Post-hackathon, we're launching with 30+ challenges covering all major algorithm patterns. We'll add two more game types: Bug Hunter (spot and fix bugs under time pressure) and Trace Race (predict code execution step-by-step). We're building a mobile app with React Native. We'll add global leaderboards with real-time updates. Long-term, we want to build a challenge marketplace where the community can submit problems and expand into system design and behavioral interview prep. Our vision: become the default way developers practice for technical interviews, not because they have to, but because they genuinely enjoy it.

Built With

• css
• next.js
• supabase
• tailwind