Hancock

Hancock is an innovative and privacy-first dating platform that redefines how people connect online. Its primary focus is ensuring users feel secure, anonymous, and in control of their interactions, breaking away from the traditional norms of online dating.

Key Features and Workflow Anonymous Profiles Unlike conventional dating apps, Hancock does not reveal user identities immediately. When users sign up, they create a profile that remains anonymous. This profile highlights interests, preferences, and other general attributes, but it does not include identifiable details like names or photos. This anonymity ensures that users are judged based on their personality and interests rather than appearances.

Swiping Mechanism Users browse through profiles and swipe based on the details provided. The swiping interface resembles popular dating apps, offering a sense of familiarity while emphasizing privacy.

Mutual Matches If two users swipe right on each other, they form a match. At this stage, they can begin chatting anonymously within the app. This layer of interaction allows them to build a rapport and understand each other without pressure.

Identity Reveal Here’s where Hancock stands out: identities remain hidden even after a match. Users can continue chatting anonymously for as long as they want. If both parties feel comfortable and mutually agree, they can reveal their real identities. This step ensures that users progress at their own pace, fostering trust and meaningful connections.

Technology Used:

• Blockchain Technology for Blockchain
• React Native for Frontend

Oasis Network The backbone of Hancock's privacy-focused design is the Oasis Network, which specializes in secure, decentralized applications. Initially, we explored using tools like Privy and Dynamic Wallet, but these presented significant challenges. Transitioning fully to the Oasis Network streamlined our development process, as it provided robust privacy-preserving features out of the box. It allowed us to ensure data encryption, secure identity management, and verifiable privacy measures. This decision also enabled faster development cycles while maintaining high standards of security.

Frontend: React Native The app's interface was built using React Native, chosen for its ability to create cross-platform apps efficiently. React Native allowed us to maintain a consistent user experience on both iOS and Android devices, but it wasn’t without its hurdles. Debugging issues that arose “left, right, and center” pushed us to deeply understand React Native’s inner workings, especially when integrating custom components and handling platform-specific quirks.

Custom Functionality with Privy Implementing Privy was one of the most technically challenging and rewarding aspects of the project. To make Privy work seamlessly with our app’s architecture, we had to override existing functions and write custom replacements tailored to our needs. This hacky yet effective approach helped us extend Privy's capabilities, and it became a major learning experience. These customizations ultimately aligned with our goal of ensuring end-to-end privacy for our users.

Challenges and Solutions Dynamic Wallet Integration Initially, integrating Dynamic Wallet posed significant hurdles, especially in aligning its functionality with the app’s privacy requirements. Troubleshooting and debugging consumed substantial time. However, when we shifted focus entirely to the Oasis Network, it proved to be a game-changer. Oasis offered a more cohesive and scalable solution for handling user data securely, significantly simplifying the development process.

React Native Limitations While React Native was instrumental in quickly building a polished and performant app, it wasn’t without its challenges. Issues like inconsistent behavior between platforms and occasional crashes during testing were common. Careful debugging, testing across multiple devices, and leveraging community-driven solutions helped us overcome these obstacles. Despite the headaches, it proved invaluable for its flexibility and rapid development capabilities.

Custom Learning Through Hacks One of the standout "hacks" involved rewriting core functionality to extend existing tools like Privy. This approach wasn’t just a workaround; it became a crucial learning experience, teaching us how to manipulate tools in unconventional ways to achieve our desired results.