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Group trip planning has always felt more chaotic than it should be. Chats scattered across apps, links buried in conversations, screenshots lost in the scroll, and decisions that nobody remembers making. I kept running into this problem with friends, classmates, and community groups — and eventually realized the issue wasn’t the people, it was the tools.
So I built Dayla, a real‑time collaborative planning app designed for groups who explore, move, and make decisions together. Think of it as a shared space where everyone can contribute instantly — routes, notes, tasks, ideas, packing lists, weather updates — all updating live for the whole group.
This post breaks down the why, the how, and the tech behind Dayla.
Why I Built Dayla
Most planning tools fall into two categories:
- Traditional travel planners (TripIt, Wanderlog, Roadtrippers)
- Outdoor apps (AllTrails, Komoot)
They’re great, but they’re built for solo planning or static itineraries. They don’t solve the real problem: coordination.
Group planning is messy because:
- Everyone contributes in different places
- Information gets lost
- Decisions don’t sync
- No tool treats planning as a shared, real‑time activity
I wanted something that felt like a living workspace — closer to Google Docs than a travel app — but built for people who are outdoors, moving, and making decisions together.
That’s where Dayla started.
The Core Idea: Real‑Time Collaboration
Real‑time collaboration isn’t a feature in Dayla — it’s the foundation.
Every update is live:
- Editing notes
- Adding tasks
- Updating routes
- Dropping ideas
- Changing weather or conditions
- Packing lists
- Group decisions
If one person updates something, everyone sees it instantly. No refresh. No sync delay. No “wait, which version are we using?”
This single decision shaped the entire architecture.
The Tech Behind Dayla
Dayla is built with a modern, lightweight stack optimized for speed, real‑time updates, and mobile‑first usage.
Frontend
- Next.js for routing, rendering, and performance
- React for UI
- TailwindCSS for styling
- Zustand for state management
- PWA support for offline access and mobile‑friendly behavior
Backend
- API Routes in Next.js
- PostgreSQL for structured data
- Prisma as the ORM
- WebSockets for real‑time events (messages, updates, presence)
Storage
- Object storage for images, voice notes, and attachments
Deployment
- Netlify — chosen for its simplicity, fast deploys, and reliable DX
- Resend — clean API, great deliverability, minimal setup
Sustainability Tools
- Climatiq Emission Tracking API
- Accurate, transparent data
- Strong EU standards
- Germany‑based, which aligns with my sustainability values
Designing for Fast‑Moving Social Users
One thing I learned early: Dayla isn’t for corporate workflows. It’s for groups who are:
- young
- social
- mobile
- outdoors
- making decisions quickly
This is why tools like Miro — while powerful — don’t fit this use case. Miro is built for structured project management, not spontaneous group planning on the go.
Dayla needed to feel:
- lightweight
- friendly
- fast
- intuitive
- collaborative
- mobile‑first
So every design decision focused on reducing friction and increasing shared clarity.
Sustainability as a First‑Class Citizen
Because Dayla is built for outdoor exploration, sustainability isn’t an afterthought — it’s integrated.
Features like:
- smart packing (Ntelipak)
- emission tracking
- eco‑conscious route planning
help groups explore nature responsibly.
This is where Climatiq’s API became essential. It provides reliable, transparent data that fits perfectly into Dayla’s mission.
What I Learned Building Dayla
A few takeaways from the journey:
1. Real‑time collaboration changes everything
It forces you to rethink data flow, UI updates, and user expectations.
2. Groups behave differently than individuals
Designing for collective decision‑making is a different challenge.
3. Simplicity wins
Users don’t want a complex tool — they want clarity.
4. Sustainability matters
People want to explore nature without harming it.
5. The best products come from lived problems
Dayla exists because I needed it myself.
What’s Next
Dayla is still early, but the foundation is strong. The next steps include:
- community onboarding
- targeted marketing
- more real‑time features
- deeper sustainability tools
- better mobile experience
- collaborative templates
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