I Built a Parking App MVP That Uses Real-Time Data -- Meet LotFinder

Suheyl — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 01:08:35 +0000

Hi DEV community!

After wrestling with the struggle of finding parking one too many times, I decided to do something about it. So I built a simple MVP called LotFinder -- a real-time, community-powered parking app.

What is LotFinder?
LotFinder helps drivers find nearby available parking spots using real data shared by real users. The idea is simple:

You open the app and see a map of parking spots shared by others.
If you leave a spot, you can mark it with one tap to help others.
All data syncs in real-time using Firebase.

No accounts, no clutter -- just quick, lightweight parking help.

Why I Built It
I live in a city where street parking is hit-or-miss, and I found myself circling the block way too often. I wanted something fast and collaborative, like Waze but specifically for parking. LotFinder is my attempt at solving that.

Current Status
This is a Minimum Viable Product, built with:

React Native (Expo) for the front-end
Firebase for real-time database and syncing
Deployed for Android testing and IOS

I'm currently looking for early users, feedback, and ideas for features to prioritize next.

Try It Out

Feedback Is Welcome!
If you have thoughts on:

UI/UX improvements
Scaling with more users
Ideas for community engagement
Or anything else I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for reading -- and happy parking!

DEV Community: Suheyl

I Built a Parking App MVP That Uses Real-Time Data -- Meet LotFinder