UniConnex (UniLinks)

A vibrant student networking platform featuring AI-powered social coaching, swiping discovery for events and partners, and intelligent campus recommendations.

UniConnex is a comprehensive student networking platform designed specifically for university students to connect, collaborate, and grow their social and professional networks. Built with AI-powered features, UniConnex helps students discover events, find collaboration partners, join clubs, and improve their social skills through interactive AI coaching.

• Tinder-style interface for discovering campus opportunities
• Swipe through collaboration requests, events, clubs, and networking opportunities
• AI-powered match recommendations based on your interests and academic profile
• Filter by categories: Collaboration Requests, Clubs & Orgs, Events & Parties, Networking
• Create your own collaboration requests, events, and networking posts

• Live roleplay practice with AI personas for real-world scenarios
• Get personalized icebreaker suggestions for different social situations
• Practice interviews, networking mixers, hackathons, and study groups
• Receive comprehensive feedback on your:
  • Content quality and appropriateness
  • Delivery and confidence
  • Body language and presence
  • Voice tone and pacing
• Adjustable tone settings (pressure, niceness, formality)
• Real-time reply suggestions during practice sessions

• Browse courses by faculty (Science, Arts, Engineering, Management)
• View detailed course information
• Find collaboration partners for specific courses
• Integrated with the discovery feed

• Track hearted events and collaboration requests
• Never miss important campus opportunities
• Visual calendar view of all your interests

• Customizable avatars
• Academic information (major, GPA, skills, interests)
• Experience and bio sections
• Multi-account support for testing and privacy

• Node.js (v16 or higher recommended)
• npm or yarn
• A Gemini API key from Google AI Studio

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/olibreadstick/UniLinks.git
   cd UniLinks

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables

   Create a .env.local file in the root directory:

   GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here

   Replace your_gemini_api_key_here with your actual Gemini API key from Google AI Studio.

4. Run the development server

   npm run dev

5. Open your browser

   Navigate to http://localhost:3000 (or the port shown in your terminal)

• Frontend Framework: React 19 with TypeScript
• Build Tool: Vite
• AI Integration: Google Gemini AI (gemini-3-flash-preview)
• Styling: Custom CSS with modern UI components
• State Management: React Hooks (useState, useEffect)
• Storage: Browser LocalStorage for data persistence

UniLinks/
├── components/           # React components
│   ├── AICoach.tsx      # AI social coaching interface
│   ├── DiscoverySwipe.tsx # Swipe interface for discoveries
│   ├── Navigation.tsx    # Bottom navigation bar
│   ├── Onboarding.tsx   # User onboarding flow
│   ├── Welcome.tsx      # Welcome screen
│   ├── McGillCourses.tsx # Course browser
│   └── Calendar.tsx     # Calendar view
├── services/
│   └── gemini.ts        # Gemini AI API integration
├── App.tsx              # Main application component
├── types.ts             # TypeScript type definitions
├── index.tsx            # Application entry point
├── metadata.json        # App metadata
├── package.json         # Dependencies and scripts
├── tsconfig.json        # TypeScript configuration
├── vite.config.ts       # Vite configuration
└── README.md           # This file

1. Create Your Profile

   • Enter your name, major, and interests
   • Add skills and experiences
   • Upload a profile picture (optional)

2. Explore the Discovery Feed

   • Swipe right (❤️) on opportunities you like
   • Swipe left (✗) to pass
   • Click on cards to view more details

3. Try the AI Coach

   • Select a scenario (hackathon, interview, networking, etc.)
   • Choose a practice mode (coach tips or live roleplay)
   • Get personalized icebreakers and conversation starters
   • Practice with AI personas and receive detailed feedback

4. Browse Courses

   • Navigate to the McGill Courses tab
   • Select your faculty
   • View courses and find collaboration opportunities

5. Check Your Calendar

   • View all hearted events and collaboration requests
   • Plan your campus engagement

1. Navigate to the Discovery tab
2. Click "Create New"
3. Select the type (Collaboration Request, Event, Club, Networking)
4. Fill in details:
   • Title and description
   • Target group size (for collaborations)
   • Tags and categories
   • Event date/time (for events)
5. Submit to make it discoverable by other students

We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

• Follow the existing code style and TypeScript patterns
• Test your changes thoroughly
• Update documentation as needed
• Keep commits focused and descriptive

The app uses the Google Gemini AI API for intelligent features. The following functions require API access:

• Recommendations: Personalized event and club suggestions
• Match Reasons: Explaining why items match your interests
• Icebreakers: Context-specific conversation starters
• Roleplay Practice: AI personas for social skill development
• Feedback Analysis: Comprehensive communication coaching

Note: The app includes fallback responses when the API quota is exceeded, ensuring a smooth experience even without active API calls.

1. Coach Mode: Get tips, icebreakers, and suggestions for scenarios
2. Roleplay Mode: Practice live with AI personas who simulate real people you'd meet
3. Feedback Analysis: Receive detailed scores and actionable improvement suggestions

• Collaboration Requests: Find partners for projects, labs, or study groups
• Events: Hackathons, frosh week, campus parties, and social gatherings
• Clubs & Organizations: Discover student groups aligned with your interests
• Networking: Internship opportunities, career fairs, and professional events

• Filter by category and subcategory
• AI-powered relevance matching
• Interest-based recommendations
• Faculty-specific content

npm run build

This creates an optimized production build in the dist/ directory.

To preview the production build:

npm run preview

This project was created for educational purposes. Please refer to the repository for license information.

Built with ❤️ for university students looking to make meaningful connections on campus.

Powered by:

• React & TypeScript
• Google Gemini AI
• Vite

• View in AI Studio: https://ai.studio/apps/drive/13wYN7yY90-nH4vfFb9u_hpSGMIKILmbE
• Report Issues: Use the GitHub Issues tab
• Questions: Open a discussion in the repository