Every developer knows the feeling:
You ship some code, hit refresh, and boom - an error message stares back at you like it’s written in an alien language. 👽
You copy-paste it into Google. Open 10 tabs. Jump between Stack Overflow posts from 2014. Still confused. Still frustrated.
That pain is where ErrExplain was born.
Why I Built ErrExplain 🤔
I joined the Appwrite Sites Hackathon 2025 with a simple goal:
👉 Make error messages easier to understand and easier to share.
Because let’s be honest - debugging should feel like solving puzzles, not running in circles.
What ErrExplain Does 🛠
ErrExplain has 3 main superpowers:
- Explains errors in plain English → No jargon, just clarity.
- Suggests fixes → Practical, real-world solutions to try right away.
- Generates a shareable link → So you can send the error analysis to a teammate in seconds.
Basically, it’s like having a helpful debugging buddy who doesn’t roll their eyes when you ask, “But why isn’t it working?” 😅
Building It 🧑💻
The stack that powered ErrExplain:
- Frontend → Next.js 15, React 19, Tailwind CSS 4
- Backend → Appwrite Functions + Database, Node.js, node-appwrite
- AI → Groq (Llama 4 Maverick) via Vercel AI SDK
- Extras → Zod (validation), Sonner (toasts), Lucide React (icons), Recharts (charts)
- Deployment → Appwrite Sites 💚
Simple, modern, and fully serverless.
The Journey 🌍
ErrExplain didn’t make it to the hackathon winners’ list, but here’s what happened instead:
→ 50+ upvotes on Peerlist
→ 600+ views, 150+ visitors, 25+ countries
→ Encouraging feedback from the Vercel AI SDK team, the Appwrite community, and devs on Twitter/X
And honestly? That kind of love felt like a win in itself. 🙌
Highlights I’m Proud Of ✨
- Built in just a few weeks during the hackathon sprint
- First time combining Vercel AI SDK + Appwrite Functions in a real-world project
- Developers actually using it and telling me it saved them time
- Showcased in the Vercel community - which was surreal for me 🚀
What’s Next 🔮
I’m excited to keep improving ErrExplain!
This was just version 1.0 - the potential is way bigger.
Final Thoughts ❤️
Building ErrExplain taught me two things:
- Hackathons aren’t only about winning - they’re about building, learning, and sharing.
- If you solve your own frustration, chances are others will thank you for it too.
So thank you to Appwrite for organizing the hackathon, to Vercel for the amazing AI SDK, and to everyone who supported ErrExplain with upvotes, shares, or feedback. 💚
→ Try ErrExplain here
→ Source Code on GitHub
→ Vercel Community Showcase
→ Follow me on Twitter/X
Here’s to fewer headaches and clearer errors for all of us. 🚀
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