LinkUp

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Features
• Screenshots
• Installation
• Usage
• Firebase Integration
• Photo Duel Feature
• Contributing
• License
• Contact

Introduction

LinkUp is a modern and interactive mobile application built in Kotlin, integrated with Firebase for real-time data management and storage. The app allows users to share photos, interact with posts, manage their profiles, explore short video reels, and participate in engaging Photo Duels. With a responsive and intuitive user interface, LinkUp ensures smooth social engagement.

Features

• 📸 Post Creation
  Users can upload photos with captions, which are stored in Firebase Storage and displayed in a real-time feed.

• 🎥 Reel Feature
  Users can upload short videos that are showcased in the reels section for interactive content browsing.

• 🔄 Real-Time Feed
  Posts are updated instantly using Firestore, allowing seamless interaction with other users’ posts.

• ❤️ Likes & Comments
  Users can like posts and leave comments, updated in real time.

• ⚔️ Photo Duel
  Users can create photo duels where others vote on their preferred image. The winner is automatically declared after the voting period ends.

• 👤 User Profiles
  Users can create and edit their profiles, including changing profile pictures and updating bios.

• ➕ Follow System
  Users can follow/unfollow others to customize their feeds.

• 🖼️ Full-Screen Post View
  Users can view posts in full-screen mode by tapping on the post image.

• 📤 Share Post
  Users can share posts to other platforms or directly with friends.

• 🗑️ Delete Post
  Users can delete their own posts from their feed or profile.

• 📱 Responsive Design
  The UI is designed for a smooth and intuitive experience across various screen sizes.

Screenshots

Here are some screenshots of the LinkUp app:

Home Feed	Search	Follow List	Photo Duel

Installation

Step-by-step instructions to set up the LinkUp app:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Aadarsh45/LinkUp.git

2. Open the project in Android Studio.

3. Build the project:

   • Sync Gradle by clicking on "Sync Now" in the top right corner if prompted.

4. Run the application:

   • Connect your Android device or start an emulator.
   • Click on the "Run" button or use the shortcut Shift + F10.

Usage

Instructions for using the app:

1. Open the LinkUp app on your device.
2. Create and share posts with photos or short videos.
3. Interact with posts by liking or commenting.
4. View posts in full-screen mode by tapping on the post image.
5. Share posts with others or delete your own posts.
6. Explore the reel feature for short video content.
7. Participate in Photo Duels by voting for your preferred images.
8. Create your own duels and let the community decide the winner.
9. Edit your profile, follow other users, and customize your feed.

Firebase Integration

Firebase Authentication

// Firebase Authentication for User Login
val auth = FirebaseAuth.getInstance()

fun loginUser(email: String, password: String) {
    auth.signInWithEmailAndPassword(email, password)
        .addOnCompleteListener { task ->
            if (task.isSuccessful) {
                Log.d("Login", "Login successful")
            } else {
                Log.d("Login", "Login failed: ${task.exception?.message}")
            }
        }
}

Firebase Firestore Setup

// Firestore Database for Storing Posts
val db = FirebaseFirestore.getInstance()

fun addPost(post: Post) {
    db.collection("posts")
        .add(post)
        .addOnSuccessListener { documentReference ->
            Log.d("Firestore", "Post added with ID: ${documentReference.id}")
        }
        .addOnFailureListener { e ->
            Log.w("Firestore", "Error adding post", e)
        }
}

Firebase Storage for Image Upload

// Uploading Image to Firebase Storage
val storageRef = FirebaseStorage.getInstance().reference.child("posts/${UUID.randomUUID()}.jpg")

fun uploadImage(fileUri: Uri) {
    storageRef.putFile(fileUri)
        .addOnSuccessListener {
            Log.d("Storage", "Image upload successful")
        }
        .addOnFailureListener { e ->
            Log.w("Storage", "Image upload failed", e)
        }
}

Photo Duel Feature

Overview

The Photo Duel feature is a gamified comparison tool that allows users to post two images side-by-side and let others vote on which one they prefer. The feature includes real-time vote updates and automatic winner declaration after the voting period.

Core Functionality

• Create duels by selecting two images, adding captions, and setting a time limit.
• Allow other users to vote for either image.
• Automatically declare a winner when the time limit expires.
• Duels are displayed in a horizontally scrolling list at the top of the home feed.

Data Flow

1. Creating a Duel

   • User selects two images from the gallery.
   • Adds captions and sets a time limit.
   • Images are uploaded to Firebase Storage.
   • Duel data (image URLs, captions, time limit) is saved in Firestore.

2. Displaying Duels

   • HomeFragment fetches duels from Firestore.
   • Duels are displayed using a horizontally scrolling RecyclerView.
   • Ended duels display the winner and disable voting.

3. Voting Process

   • Users vote by clicking on either image.
   • Vote count is incremented via a Firestore transaction.
   • UI updates to reflect new vote count.

4. Winner Declaration

   • System checks if the duel has ended.
   • Compares vote counts and declares a winner.
   • UI displays the winner and voting is disabled.

Security & Moderation

• A "Do not compare humans" warning is displayed to discourage harmful comparisons.
• Firebase rules ensure only valid duels are processed.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps to contribute:

1. Fork the repository.

2. Create a new branch:

   git checkout -b feature-name

3. Make your changes.

4. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m 'Add some feature'

5. Push to the branch:

   git push origin feature-name

6. Open a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

For any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out at aadarshchaurasia45@gmail.com.