Goal
Help users reflect on small failures and emotional patterns through a lightweight, structured journaling experience focused on constructive reflection rather than tracking or productivity.
Stack
The app is built in Swift using SwiftUI, with Firebase used for authentication, data synchronisation and feature configuration. Supporting services include Firestore, Remote Config and Analytics, with GitHub Actions used for CI/CD and deployment of the accompanying marketing site.
Key Decisions
The project went through multiple iterations over several years, including an early CloudKit-based version and a minimal local-only release. I ultimately moved to a Firebase-backed architecture to simplify synchronisation, enable feature flags and analytics, and reduce complexity around state management and previews during development.
The app was deliberately kept lightweight in scope, prioritising responsiveness, clarity and emotional usability over feature depth.
Outcome
Live on the App Store in its current form, with a supporting marketing page and ongoing maintenance. The project serves as a complete, shipped product and a practical demonstration of integrating Firebase services into a SwiftUI application.
Further Details
Almost? is a reflective iOS journaling app I designed and built end to end, centred around the concept of learning from near-misses rather than tracking success or failure. Users log short reflections, explore patterns over time and interact with a calm, minimal interface designed to reduce friction.
Over the course of development, I rewrote the app several times as architectural priorities shifted. The current version emphasises simplicity, reliability and clean UX, supported by adaptive UI elements such as dark mode, haptics and live filters. In addition to the core app, I designed and deployed a small marketing site and set up CI/CD workflows to support iteration and release.
