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Builders Events Mobile App - Overview

Purpose​

The Builders Events Mobile App is the primary mobile application for Builders International events, providing attendees with a comprehensive platform to engage with event content, connect with other participants, and access event resources on-the-go. Built with React Native and Expo, the app delivers a native mobile experience on both iOS and Android platforms.

Key Features​

For Event Attendees​

Event Discovery & Management

  • Browse upcoming and past Builders International events
  • View detailed event information including dates, locations, and descriptions
  • Access event-specific content and resources
  • Track event participation history

Schedule Management

  • View personalized event schedules
  • Browse session listings with times and locations
  • Set reminders for important sessions
  • Filter and search schedule items

People Directory

  • Search and browse event attendees
  • View participant profiles with roles and interests
  • Connect with other builders and industry professionals
  • Network with event participants

Messaging System

  • Send and receive messages with other attendees
  • Real-time message notifications
  • Thread-based conversations
  • Message history and search

Shop Integration

  • Browse event merchandise and products
  • View product details with images and descriptions
  • Purchase items with integrated payment processing
  • Order history and tracking

Donation Platform

  • Support Builders International projects
  • Make secure donations through the app
  • View donation history
  • Receive donation receipts

Interactive Maps

  • View event venue maps with Google Maps/Apple Maps
  • Find session locations within venues
  • Get directions to event locations
  • View nearby points of interest

Surveys & Feedback

  • Participate in event surveys
  • Provide session feedback
  • Rate speakers and content
  • Contribute to event improvement

Push Notifications

  • Receive real-time event updates
  • Get notified about schedule changes
  • Receive message notifications
  • Stay informed about important announcements

For Event Organizers​

User Engagement Tracking

  • Monitor app usage and feature adoption
  • Track event participation rates
  • Analyze user engagement patterns

Communication Channel

  • Direct communication with all attendees
  • Targeted notifications for specific groups
  • Emergency announcements and updates

Technology Stack​

Core Framework​

  • Expo SDK 52 - React Native development platform with managed workflow
  • React Native 0.76.9 - Cross-platform mobile framework
  • React 18.3.1 - UI component library
  • TypeScript 5.3 - Type-safe development

Navigation & Routing​

  • Expo Router 4.0 - File-based routing with type safety
  • React Native Screens 4.4 - Native screen optimization
  • React Native Safe Area Context 4.12 - Safe area handling

Authentication & Security​

  • Clerk Expo 2.19 - Modern authentication platform
  • Clerk Expo Passkeys 0.4 - Biometric authentication support
  • Expo Local Authentication 15.0 - Face ID/Touch ID integration
  • Expo Secure Store 14.0 - Encrypted credential storage

Data Management​

  • TanStack React Query 5.17 - Server state management and caching
  • Async Storage Persister - Persistent query cache
  • Axios 1.6 - HTTP client for API communication

Payment Processing​

  • Stripe React Native 0.38 - Integrated payment processing
  • Stripe SDK - Secure payment forms and checkout

Maps & Location​

  • React Native Maps 1.18 - Native map components
  • Expo Location 18.0 - Location services integration
  • Google Maps API (Android) and Apple Maps (iOS)

Notifications​

  • Expo Notifications 0.29 - Push notification handling
  • Expo Device 7.0 - Device information for notification targeting

UI & Animation​

  • React Native Reanimated 3.16 - High-performance animations
  • Expo Blur 14.0 - Native blur effects for Liquid Glass design
  • Expo Vector Icons 14.0 - Icon library (Ionicons, FontAwesome, etc.)

Development & Testing​

  • Jest 29.7 - Unit testing framework
  • ts-jest 29.1 - TypeScript support for Jest
  • Testing Library React 14.0 - React component testing
  • ESLint 8.0 - Code quality and linting
  • TypeScript ESLint 6.0 - TypeScript-specific linting rules

Build & Deployment​

  • EAS Build - Expo Application Services for cloud builds
  • EAS Submit - Automated app store submission
  • pnpm - Fast, disk-efficient package manager

Platform Support​

iOS​

  • Minimum Version: iOS 13.4
  • Target Version: Latest iOS
  • Bundle Identifier: com.buildersinternational.buildersevents
  • Build Number: 6 (as of v1.0.2)
  • App Store: Available for download

iOS-Specific Features:

  • Face ID authentication
  • Apple Maps integration
  • Associated domains for deep linking
  • Push notification support via APNs

Android​

  • Minimum SDK: 24 (Android 7.0)
  • Target SDK: 35 (Android 15)
  • Package Name: com.buildersinternational.buildersevents
  • Version Code: 9 (as of v1.0.2)
  • Google Play: Available for download

Android-Specific Features:

  • Fingerprint authentication
  • Google Maps integration
  • Deep linking with App Links
  • Push notification support via FCM
  • Adaptive icon support

Web (Preview)​

  • Metro bundler support for web preview
  • Limited feature set (no native modules)
  • Development and testing purposes only

Target Users​

Primary Users​

  • Event Attendees - Builders, contractors, and construction industry professionals attending Builders International events
  • Conference Participants - Speakers, vendors, and exhibitors at events
  • Organization Members - Builders International members and volunteers

Secondary Users​

  • Event Staff - Event organizers and coordinators who monitor app usage
  • Support Team - Customer support staff assisting with app-related issues

Current Status​

Version: 1.0.2 Status: Production Release Last Updated: March 2026

Production Status​

  • ✅ Live on Apple App Store
  • ✅ Live on Google Play Store
  • ✅ Full feature parity across iOS and Android
  • ✅ Production API integration
  • ✅ Push notifications configured
  • ✅ Payment processing active
  • ✅ Comprehensive test coverage (29 passing tests)

Recent Updates (v1.0.2)​

  • Added account deletion mechanism in UI
  • Added phone number verification in More tab
  • Implemented forced email update on sign-up
  • Enhanced Clerk field requirement error surfacing
  • Improved error logging and debugging
  • Added optional phone verification after account creation
  • Updated minimum SDK version to 24 (Android)
  • Fixed Metro bundler configuration for browser bundle

Known Issues​

  • Pre-existing TypeScript errors in some app screens (non-critical)
  • Occasional Clerk authentication edge cases being addressed

App Store Information​

iOS App Store​

  • Name: Builders Events
  • Category: Productivity / Events
  • Age Rating: 4+ (suitable for all ages)
  • Size: ~50-60 MB (varies by device)
  • Languages: English

Google Play Store​

  • Name: Builders Events
  • Category: Events
  • Content Rating: Everyone
  • Size: ~40-50 MB (varies by device)
  • Languages: English

Key Integrations​

Backend API​

Authentication Provider​

  • Clerk: clerk.buildersevents.org
  • OAuth-style authentication flow
  • Email/password and passkey support
  • JWT token management
  • Associated domain verification

Payment Processing​

  • Stripe: Integrated payment gateway
  • Secure card processing
  • PCI-compliant
  • Support for donations and shop purchases

Push Notifications​

  • Expo Push Notification Service
  • Project ID: e7e931c3-ce24-4f8a-a6a1-96114f753ab8
  • Owner: builders-international
  • iOS: APNs integration
  • Android: FCM integration

Maps Integration​

  • iOS: Apple Maps SDK
  • Android: Google Maps SDK
  • Google Services configured via google-services.json

Development Approach​

Design Philosophy​

  • Mobile-First: Native mobile experience optimized for touch
  • Liquid Glass Design: Light-first design with frosted glass surfaces and subtle shadows
  • Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance with high contrast and clear typography
  • Performance: 60fps animations, optimistic updates, aggressive caching
  • Offline-First: Query persistence for offline access to cached data

Testing Strategy​

  • Node-Only Unit Tests: Fast, CI/CD-friendly tests without React Native runtime
  • 29 Passing Tests: Comprehensive coverage of API, providers, and queries
  • Mock-Based: Expo and React Native modules mocked for speed
  • Coverage Thresholds: 50% minimum across branches, functions, lines, statements

Deployment Strategy​

  • EAS Build: Cloud-based builds for iOS and Android
  • Automated Versioning: Auto-increment build numbers on production builds
  • Environment-Based: Separate development, preview, and production builds
  • Continuous Deployment: Automated builds on git push

User Experience Highlights​

Onboarding Flow​

  1. Download app from App Store or Google Play
  2. Launch app and view splash screen
  3. Sign up with email and password
  4. Verify email address
  5. Optional: Enable biometric authentication
  6. Optional: Verify phone number
  7. Grant notification permissions
  8. Grant location permissions (for maps)
  9. Explore app features via bottom tab navigation
  • Bottom Tab Navigation: 2 primary tabs (Home, More)
  • Stack Navigation: Deep navigation within each tab
  • Modal Navigation: Full-screen modals for focused tasks
  • Deep Linking: Direct navigation via URLs (builders-events://)

Color Scheme​

Light Theme (Default):

  • Primary: #004d72 (Deep Blue)
  • Primary Light: #5f9baf (Sky Blue)
  • Accent: #e2783e (Warm Orange)
  • Background: #ffffff (White)
  • Secondary Surface: #f4f8fb (Soft Blue-Gray)
  • Text: #0b1d28 (Dark Blue-Black)
  • Success: #2f8f6e (Forest Green)
  • Error: #c44242 (Ruby Red)

Dark Theme (Available):

  • Theme-aware colors adapt for dark mode
  • Automatic switching based on system preferences

Privacy & Security​

Data Protection​

  • All authentication tokens stored in Expo SecureStore (encrypted)
  • No sensitive data stored in plain text
  • HTTPS-only API communication
  • JWT tokens with short expiration times

Permissions​

  • Required: Internet access for API communication
  • Optional: Location (for maps), Camera (for QR codes), Notifications (for updates), Biometric (for quick sign-in)
  • User Control: All permissions can be denied/revoked at any time

Compliance​

  • GDPR: User data deletion support via account settings
  • CCPA: California privacy compliance
  • App Store Guidelines: Full compliance with Apple and Google policies

Support & Resources​

User Support​

Documentation​

  • README.md - General project information
  • SETUP.md - Development setup instructions
  • TESTING.md - Testing infrastructure guide
  • PROJECT_STRUCTURE.md - Detailed architecture overview
  • IMPLEMENTATION_SUMMARY.md - Recent implementation details
  • NEXT_STEPS.md - Planned improvements

Community​

Future Vision​

The Builders Events Mobile App is continuously evolving to better serve the Builders International community. Upcoming features and improvements are tracked in the repository's issue tracker and NEXT_STEPS.md file.

Core Goals:

  1. Enhance attendee engagement and networking capabilities
  2. Provide seamless access to event information and resources
  3. Facilitate meaningful connections within the Builders community
  4. Support event organizers with real-time communication tools
  5. Maintain high performance and reliability standards

Documentation Version: 1.0 Last Updated: March 26, 2026 Maintained By: Builders International Development Team