SpeakMap is a mobile application designed to help expatriates find local services where Russian is spoken, such as medical, legal, or automotive businesses. The project currently covers Belgrade and Novi Sad, with plans to expand to Thailand and Argentina.
The developer built the application using Kotlin Multiplatform, Jetpack Compose, and MapLibre. The backend utilizes Ktor, PostgreSQL with PostGIS, and PMTiles for map rendering. This stack allows for offline functionality and avoids reliance on Google Maps or proprietary SDKs.
The core value of the product is the reliability of its location markers, which are verified through a community-based trust system. To ensure data accuracy and high conversion rates, the app allows users to vote on language availability without requiring account registration.
The project was developed by a solo engineer over 47 days, following a significant reduction in scope to meet a realistic timeline. The initial plan was estimated to take 2.5 years at 8 hours of work per week, so features like user accounts, photos, and multi-language support were deferred.
The infrastructure is designed for cost-efficiency, operating on a single server. By using open-source tools and avoiding third-party map APIs, the developer keeps operational costs near zero, regardless of the number of active users.
