Reimagining Instagram: A Full-Stack System
A full-stack reimplementation of Instagram, built with a Python backend, relational database, and a modern React frontend, deployed using a Docker-based CI/CD pipeline.
Project Overview
This project involved reimagining Instagram from a system and engineering perspective. The goal was not to replicate features pixel-for-pixel, but to understand and rebuild the core architecture of a large-scale social platform using modern, production-oriented tools.
The application was developed as a full-stack system, with a Python-based backend, a relational database for persistent storage, and a React frontend for the user interface.
Key Challenges
- Designing RESTful APIs to support core social features such as user profiles, posts, and feeds.
- Structuring a relational database schema using PostgreSQL to handle users, content, and relationships efficiently.
- Managing frontend and backend development as separate services.
- Containerizing the application components using Docker.
- Setting up a Jenkins CI/CD pipeline to automate builds and deployments.
Outcome
Successfully built and deployed a working full-stack social media application with a clear separation of concerns between frontend, backend, and database layers. The project provided hands-on experience with FastAPI, React, PostgreSQL, Docker containers, and CI/CD automation using Jenkins, strengthening both full-stack and DevOps fundamentals.