System Requirements Document (SRD)

Project Name: crystal-network

1. Introduction

The crystal-network is an AI-powered professional networking platform tailored specifically for finance professionals. This platform aims to provide a comprehensive and engaging environment for finance professionals to connect, collaborate, and grow their careers. By focusing on the unique needs of the finance industry, crystal-network will foster meaningful connections, facilitate knowledge sharing, and create opportunities for professional growth.

This document outlines the system requirements for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of crystal-network, including functional and non-functional requirements, user personas, and a signature design concept to make the platform stand out.

2. System Overview

The crystal-network platform will serve as a niche professional networking space for finance professionals in India and globally. It will include features such as user management, a dynamic feed and post system, events, location-based networking, and hobby-based matching. The platform will also include robust chat and notification systems, ensuring seamless communication and engagement.

The system will prioritize security, scalability, and user experience, leveraging modern technologies like React, FastAPI, and MySQL. AI-powered features such as feed personalization and content moderation will enhance the platform's usability and relevance.

3. Functional Requirements

• User Management

  • As a User, I should be able to register using email or mobile OTP.
  • As a User, I should be able to log in and log out securely using JWT authentication.
  • As a User, I should be able to create and edit my profile, including details like full name, profile photo, bio, location, expertise tags, professional experiences, and hobbies.
  • As a User, I should be able to follow or unfollow other users.
  • As a User, I should be able to control my privacy settings and deactivate my account.

• Feed & Post System

  • As a User, I should be able to create posts with text, images, or links.
  • As a User, I should be able to edit or delete my own posts.
  • As a User, I should be able to share and bookmark posts.
  • As a User, I should see a feed ranked based on an engagement score formula.

• Comment, Reply & Reaction System

  • As a User, I should be able to comment on posts and events.
  • As a User, I should be able to reply to comments (nested replies, max depth 3).
  • As a User, I should be able to react to posts, comments, and replies with predefined reaction types (LIKE, INSIGHTFUL, SUPPORT, INTERESTED).
  • As a User, I should be able to edit or delete my own comments.
  • As a User, I should be able to report inappropriate content.

• Events Module

  • As a User, I should be able to create events with details like title, description, date, time, location, and banner.
  • As a User, I should be able to RSVP to events (Interested/Going).
  • As a User, I should be able to comment on and share events.
  • As a User, I should receive event reminder notifications.

• Nearby & Location-Based Networking

  • As a User, I should be able to share my location optionally.
  • As a User, I should be able to discover nearby professionals.
  • As a User, I should be able to filter nearby professionals by distance radius.
  • As a User, I should be able to initiate chats from the nearby section.

• Hobby-Based Matching

  • As a User, I should be able to select hobbies during profile setup.
  • As a User, I should receive suggestions for users with similar hobbies.

• Chat System

  • As a User, I should be able to send 1-to-1 messages.
  • As a User, I should see message statuses (Sent/Delivered/Seen).
  • As a User, I should be able to share images in chats.

• Notification System

  • As a User, I should receive notifications for new comments, replies, reactions, event reminders, nearby matches, and new followers.

• Admin Controls
  • As an Admin, I should be able to moderate reported content.
  • As an Admin, I should be able to suspend or ban users.
  • As an Admin, I should be able to delete inappropriate content.
  • As an Admin, I should be able to view an engagement dashboard.

4. User Personas

• Finance Professional (User):
  A working professional in the finance industry looking to network, share knowledge, and discover opportunities.
• Admin:
  A platform moderator responsible for maintaining content quality and user compliance.

5. Visuals Colors and Theme

The crystal-network will adopt a professional and modern color palette to resonate with finance professionals:

• Primary Color: Deep Blue (#003366) – Represents trust and professionalism.
• Secondary Color: Gold (#FFD700) – Symbolizes success and wealth.
• Accent Color: White (#FFFFFF) – Ensures clarity and readability.
• Background: Light Gray (#F5F5F5) – Provides a clean and minimalistic look.

6. Signature Design Concept

Interactive Financial Dashboard Landing Page
The homepage of crystal-network will resemble a sleek, interactive financial dashboard. Upon landing, users will see:

• Dynamic Graphs and Charts: Animated charts showcasing trending topics, popular posts, and active events in the finance sector.
• Interactive Widgets: Hoverable widgets for quick access to features like "Nearby Professionals," "Upcoming Events," and "Top Discussions."
• Scrolling Ticker: A live ticker at the top displaying real-time updates like new posts, events, and trending hashtags.
• Micro-Interactions: Subtle animations, such as buttons lighting up when hovered over and cards flipping to reveal more details.
• Personalized Welcome Message: A greeting that dynamically changes based on the time of day (e.g., "Good Morning, Nirav!").

This design will immediately immerse users in the finance-focused ecosystem, making the platform both visually appealing and highly functional.

7. Non-Functional Requirements

• The system should support at least 10,000 concurrent users.
• The platform should load within 2 seconds for 90% of users.
• All user data must be encrypted in transit and at rest.
• The system should comply with GDPR and Indian data protection laws.

8. Tech Stack

• Frontend: React for Web
• Backend: Python with FastAPI
• Database: MySQL (with Alembic for migrations)
• AI Models: GPT 5.2 for user-friendly responses, Claude 4.5 Opas for coding-related queries
• AI Tools: Langchain, Litellm for LLM Routing
• Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes

9. Assumptions and Constraints

• The platform will initially target finance professionals in India, with plans for global expansion.
• Mobile app development will follow after the web MVP is launched.
• AI-based content moderation will be implemented in future updates.

10. Glossary

• MVP: Minimum Viable Product
• JWT: JSON Web Token
• RSVP: Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (Respond if you please)
• GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation

This document provides a detailed roadmap for the development of crystal-network, ensuring it meets the needs of finance professionals while delivering a unique and engaging user experience.