Building a Scalable Job Board with Next.js and Supabase

Introduction

Building a scalable job board involves a mix of technical prowess and an understanding of the industry you're serving. As a data engineer and an indie hacker, I've had the opportunity to create PMHNP Hiring, a dedicated job board for psychiatric nurse practitioners. In this article, I'll share how I leveraged Next.js and Supabase to create a seamless job search experience, complete with advanced features like real-time data sync and secure payment processing via Stripe.

Understanding the Requirements

Before diving into the code, it's crucial to outline the core functionalities of the job board. For PMHNP Hiring, we needed:

• A dynamic listing of job opportunities
• A powerful search and filter system
• Employer accounts for job posting
• Secure payment integration for premium listings
• SEO-optimized pages for better visibility

Setting Up with Next.js and Supabase

Next.js provides the perfect framework for building fast and dynamic web applications. With its server-side rendering capabilities, we ensure that users have a smooth experience regardless of their internet speed.

Supabase, an open-source alternative to Firebase, serves as our backend. It offers real-time data updates, authentication, and storage solutions.

Code Snippet: Setting up Supabase

import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = 'https://xyzcompany.supabase.co';
const supabaseAnonKey = 'public-anon-key';

const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseAnonKey);

Implementing Job Search and Filters

One of the biggest challenges was designing a robust search and filter system. Using Supabase's database capabilities, we achieved real-time filtering to display job listings based on user preferences.

Code Snippet: Job Search Query

const { data: jobs, error } = await supabase
  .from('jobs')
  .select('*')
  .ilike('title', `%${searchQuery}%`);

Secure Payments with Stripe

Monetizing the platform was crucial. With Stripe, we integrated a secure payment gateway for premium job postings. This required setting up webhooks to handle events such as successful payments and refunds.

Code Snippet: Stripe Integration

const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc');

const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
  payment_method_types: ['card'],
  line_items: [{
    price_data: {
      currency: 'usd',
      product_data: {
        name: 'Job Posting',
      },
      unit_amount: 2000,
    },
    quantity: 1,
  }],
  mode: 'payment',
  success_url: 'https://yourdomain.com/success',
  cancel_url: 'https://yourdomain.com/cancel',
});

SEO Strategies

Optimizing for search engines was essential for reaching the right audience. Using Next.js, we implemented server-side rendering and meta tags to improve page ranking.

Code Snippet: SEO Optimization

import Head from 'next/head';

export default function JobPage() {
  return (


        Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs


      {/* Job listings go here */}

  );
}

Testing and Deployment

Before the launch, thorough testing across different devices and browsers ensured a bug-free experience. Hosting on Vercel provided the scalability needed to handle thousands of concurrent users.

Key Takeaways

• Leveraging Next.js and Supabase can significantly speed up development.
• Real-time features enhance user engagement and satisfaction.
• SEO and secure payment gateways are crucial for a successful job board.

CTA

Interested in building your own job board? Start exploring the possibilities with Next.js and Supabase. Follow my journey: @sathish_daggula on X.