Kicking Off My Capstone-Inspired Side Project

 Hi, I’m Jesse Calay, a computer science student based in the Philippines. I’ve been wanting to document more of my work outside of school, especially the projects I start for fun or to sharpen skills I don’t get to explore in class. This is the first entry in what I hope will become a regular habit.

I recently started a new side project that’s loosely inspired by my upcoming capstone. The idea came from everyday problems I’ve seen at home and around the barangay. A lot of local vendors still rely on handwritten ledgers or memory for tracking sales and expenses, and I’ve been wondering how to make something simple enough to help them without needing a lot of tech knowledge.

The project is still in the early stages. Right now, I’m wireframing a basic mobile-first app that can run smoothly even on older devices, since not everyone has access to the latest phones here. I’m trying to use open source tools and keep everything lightweight so it’s easy to deploy and share. Eventually, I want it to support basic expense tracking, inventory logging, and maybe even a simple QR payment feature.

In terms of tech stack, I’m using React for the front end and Firebase for now, though I’m exploring alternatives that could work better in areas with spotty internet. I’m also looking into adding Filipino and Cebuano language toggles in the UI, just to make the app feel more familiar to everyday users.

This week, I’m focused on getting the login system and basic dashboard up. It’s a lot of trial and error, and I’m constantly running into small bugs, but it feels good to build something that could actually be useful.

I’ll keep posting updates here every few weeks. If anyone has tips or wants to collab on localization, I’d love to connect.

Salamat sa pagbabasa.

— Jesse Calay