System Requirements Document (SRD)

Project Name: calm-social

1. Introduction

calm-social is a niche social media platform designed specifically for cat owners in the United States. The platform aims to create a vibrant community where users can share their love for cats through personal profiles and posts. By focusing on simplicity and meaningful connections, calm-social will provide features such as tagging cats in posts, following other users, and sharing media content. This document outlines the system requirements for version 1 of calm-social.

2. System Overview

calm-social is a web and mobile application that allows cat owners to connect, share, and engage with one another. The platform focuses on personal profiles and posts, enabling users to upload media content, tag their cats, and follow other users. The system will prioritize ease of use, scalability, and a visually appealing design to foster a welcoming environment for cat enthusiasts.

Key features include:

• Personal profiles for users.
• Posts with tagging functionality for cats.
• Following other users to build connections.
• Media uploads with specific constraints: exactly 5 images per post and 1 video per upload.

The platform will be developed using modern technologies to ensure a seamless user experience across web and mobile devices.

3. Functional Requirements

User Stories:

• As a User, I should be able to create a personal profile.
• As a User, I should be able to upload posts with exactly 5 images (min 5, max 5).
• As a User, I should be able to upload posts with 1 video per upload.
• As a User, I should be able to tag my cats in posts.
• As a User, I should be able to follow other users.
• As a User, I should be able to view posts from users I follow.

4. User Personas

1. Cat Owner (Primary User):

• Description: Individuals who own cats and are passionate about sharing their experiences.
• Goals: Share photos/videos of their cats, connect with other cat owners, and discover new ideas for cat care.
• Features Needed: Personal profiles, tagging functionality, media uploads, and following other users.

2. Guest User:

• Description: Visitors who have not signed up but want to explore the platform.
• Goals: Browse public posts and profiles to decide whether to join.
• Features Needed: Limited access to posts and profiles.

5. Visuals Colors and Theme

Color Palette:

The theme for calm-social will evoke warmth, playfulness, and a sense of community, inspired by the charm of cats.

• Background: #FDF6E3 (Soft Cream)
• Surface: #FFF1E6 (Warm Peach)
• Text: #4A4A4A (Charcoal Gray)
• Accent: #FFB400 (Golden Yellow)
• Muted Tones: #D8D8D8 (Light Gray)

This palette will create a cozy and inviting atmosphere for users.

6. Signature Design Concept

Interactive Cat Playground Homepage

The homepage will feature an interactive "cat playground" design. Users will be greeted by a dynamic scene of animated cats playing in a whimsical environment. Key elements include:

• Animations: Cats chasing yarn balls, climbing trees, and lounging in cozy spaces.
• Micro-interactions: Hovering over a cat triggers playful animations (e.g., a cat pawing at the screen).
• Navigation: Sections of the homepage (e.g., "Explore Posts," "Create Profile") are represented as clickable objects in the playground (e.g., a yarn ball for posts, a cat bed for profiles).
• Color Shifts: The background subtly changes hues based on the time of day (e.g., warm tones in the morning, cooler tones at night).
• User Engagement: A "Tag Your Cat" feature lets users add their cats to the playground scene, creating a personalized experience.

This bold and memorable design will make calm-social instantly fascinating and encourage users to explore the platform.

7. Non-Functional Requirements

• The system must support up to 10,000 concurrent users.
• Media uploads must be optimized for fast loading and minimal storage usage.
• The platform must comply with US data privacy regulations.
• The application must be responsive and accessible across web and mobile devices.
• Downtime for maintenance must not exceed 2 hours per month.

8. Tech Stack

Frontend:

• React for Web
• React Native for Mobile

Backend:

• Python
• FastAPI

Database:

• MySQL or MariaDB (preferred for relational data)
• Alembic for migrations

AI Models:

• GPT 5.4 for user-friendly responses
• Google Nano Banana for image generation

AI Tools:

• Litellm for LLM Routing
• Langchain

Orchestration:

• Docker for local development
• Kubernetes for server-side orchestration

9. Assumptions and Constraints

Assumptions:

• Users will primarily access the platform from the US.
• The initial user base will consist of cat owners aged 18-45.
• Media uploads will adhere to the specified constraints (exactly 5 images and 1 video per post).

Constraints:

• The platform must operate within the US Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5).
• Budget constraints may limit the use of advanced AI features in the initial release.
• The system must be scalable to accommodate future growth.

10. Glossary

• Tagging: Associating a cat's name or profile with a post.
• Media Uploads: The process of adding images or videos to a post.
• Concurrent Users: The number of users accessing the platform simultaneously.
• Responsive Design: A design approach ensuring the platform works seamlessly across devices of different sizes.
• Orchestration: Managing and automating the deployment of containers and services.