Building a Simple and Efficient Image Sharing Platform

I've been working on an image-sharing project that focuses on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability. I wanted a straightforward system where I could upload and share images with minimal friction, and simultaneously, get some experience working with REST APIs, Relational Databases, and Full Stack SSR Frameworks.

Tech Stack and Architecture

• Next.js: Handles frontend and server-side logic.
• Cloudflare R2: Stores images with presigned URLs for efficient access.
• Cloudflare Workers: Serverless function on a chron timer to delete expired photos.
• Neon Database: Manages metadata like filenames and user details.

How It Works

1. Users create a set, and are assigned a randomly generated set name.
2. An route handler at the POST /api/images/upload-urls route returns presigned PUT urls.
3. The upload happens entirely client-side, communicating directly with Cloudflare.
4. Users can preview their images, and share access with a tokenized URL or preauthenticated QR Code.