I built the ultimate Pokédex and would love you to try it!

#webdev #opensource #devjournal

Four years ago, while playing Pokémon, I realized that I could memorize a lot of stuff like my SSN or my EIN... but not the Pokémon type chart. Every match, I had to pause, open a wiki, search weaknesses, check evolution chains, among all crappy useless information that only made me waste more time scrolling down to the exact info I wanted.

So as a web dev, I decided that I could build my own tools for my personal use, so why not create a web app that solve this issue for me? having this kind of information I cared about in a single place, without wasting too much effort on Googling a Pokémon → Open a wiki link → Scroll up/down many times → Find the info I wanted → Click more links bc I needed more info → Repeat

And that's how Pokémon Stats was born: a small MVP using PokéAPI + Bootstrap, quickly fetching Pokémon's evolution chains, evolution details, a type chart, and a basic search bar to enter the Pokémon name. Nothing fancy if you ask me, and made for casual players (just like me).

So I bought a domain and hosted the site directly with Vercel, because I wanted to feel this like a sophisticated web app, and from that I just've been pushing small updates with stuff that I wanted to improve in the user experience while playing Pokémon games.

Fast-forward to today: I’ve completely redesigned the project from the ground up. Same idea, but cleaner, faster, and built with the stack I actually enjoy using: Next.js, React, Tailwind, shadcn/ui).

What changed?

A redesigned type effectiveness chart (interactive, mobile-friendly).
A search system with suggestions and keyboard navigation.
Improved evolution chains, including special cases (stones, time of day, trades, etc.).
Support for regional forms and variants (Alola, Galar, etc.).
High-quality official artwork with fallback sprites.
A roadmap and contributors page, because now it’s open source!

Why it matters to me

This project isn’t the most complex I’ve ever built, but it’s the one I’ve loved the most. It started as a personal tool, grew through trial and error, and turned into something I still actively use while playing. I’ve put a lot of effort (and coffee) into making it not just functional but actually enjoyable to look at and use.

It’s free, it’s open, and if you’re a Pokémon fan (or just like checking out passion projects), I’d love for you to try it: pokemonstats.com

You can also peek at the source, file an issue, or even contribute: GitHub - juandadev/pokemonstats