✨ Spotlight – Real‑Time Social Media App 🚀

Welcome to Spotlight!
In this one‑stop tutorial you’ll build a production‑ready real‑time social network that runs on iOS, Android, and the web—all with React Native + Expo, Convex, and Clerk.

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🎯 What You'll Build

This isn’t a UI demo—Spotlight is a full‑stack, real‑time social platform.

✅ Works on physical devices & simulators (Android / iOS)
✅ Everything updates instantly across users (likes, follows, comments)
✅ No native Swift / Kotlin required—just JavaScript & TypeScript
✅ From ZERO → to HERO in one video

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🧑‍🍳 App Features Overview

• 🔐 Google Auth via Clerk (seamless one‑tap login)
• 🏠 Home Feed with stories + posts, pull‑to‑refresh & logout
• ❤️ Like / Comment with live updates for everyone
• 📑 Bookmarks Screen to save and review posts
• ➕ Create Post — select image, add caption, share instantly
• 🔔 Notifications — like, follow & comment events with deep links
• 👤 Profile — stats, posts, animated edit‑profile modal
• 🔄 Follow / Unfollow other users
• 🗑️ Delete Own Posts with confirmation alert
• 🎨 Custom fonts & splash / app icon included

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🧠 What You’ll Learn

• 🏗️ Structure a cross‑platform app with Expo Router
• ⚡ Wire up a real‑time backend using Convex functions & database
• 🔑 Implement secure auth & session management with Clerk
• 📱 Master core RN components: View, Text, Image, FlatList, ScrollView, Pressable, KeyboardAvoidingView, Modal, icons…
• 🚀 Optimize performance (virtualization, lazy loading, memoization)
• 🖼️ Handle device image selection & uploads
• 🧭 Combine stack & tab navigators safely with SafeAreaView
• 🎁 Ship to the web with Expo’s single‑codebase magic
• 💬 Talk interview‑worthy topics: webhooks, real‑time syncing, optimistic UI

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📁 .env Setup

Create a .env file in the project root:

EXPO_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=<your_publishable_key>
CONVEX_DEPLOYMENT=<your_deployment_name>
EXPO_PUBLIC_CONVEX_URL=<your_convex_url>

📱 Run the App

npm install
npx expo start