BeatBid

Problem

At live events, guests have no structured way to influence what the DJ plays, and DJs lack a direct way to monetize requests without interrupting the flow.

Solution

Built a real-time request queue where guests submit songs and tip to boost priority, while DJs manage requests through a clean interface.

Highlights

• Real-time request queue updates
• Priority ordering based on tipping
• Interactive guest → DJ workflow

Architecture

• React frontend with real-time updates
• Node.js + Express backend API
• MongoDB data persistence
• WebSocket-based live request queue

Key decisions

• Chose MongoDB for flexible request metadata
• Used WebSockets instead of polling to reduce latency
• Implemented server-side ordering to avoid race conditions

What I learned

Designing real-time interactive systems, building a production MERN application, and creating engaging crowd-driven product experiences.