AskAny - Anonymous Q&A Platform

Create instant Q&A sessions with privacy in mind

Live Demo · Features · Getting Started · Deployment

About The Project

AskAny is an open-source, privacy-focused Q&A platform that allows you to create instant anonymous question-answer sessions. Perfect for events, meetings, webinars, and classrooms where participants might hesitate to ask questions publicly.

Key Features

• 🚀 Instant Setup: Create a session with one click, no registration required
• 🔒 Privacy First: Anonymous questions, no personal data stored
• ⚡ Real-time Updates: Questions appear instantly for all participants
• 👆 Upvoting System: Most relevant questions rise to the top
• 🗑️ Auto-cleanup: Data automatically deleted after 7 days
• 🎯 Session Management: Mark questions as answered, manage the flow
• 📱 Responsive Design: Works seamlessly on all devices

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 16+ and npm
• Redis 6+

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/htuzel/askany.git
   cd askany

2. Install dependencies for both frontend and backend

   # Install backend dependencies
   cd backend
   npm install
   
   # Install frontend dependencies
   cd ../frontend
   npm install

3. Set up environment variables

   # Backend (.env)
   REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379
   PORT=3001
   CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:3000
   
   # Frontend (.env.local)
   NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:3001

4. Start the development servers

   # Start backend (from backend directory)
   npm run dev
   
   # Start frontend (from frontend directory)
   npm run dev

Architecture

• Frontend: Next.js, TailwindCSS, Axios
• Backend: Express.js
• Database: Redis
• Real-time: Polling (5s intervals)

Deployment

Frontend (Next.js)

Deploy to Vercel:

vercel

Backend (Express)

Deploy to any Node.js hosting:

• Heroku
• DigitalOcean
• AWS
• Railway

Database (Redis)

Recommended hosting options:

• Redis Cloud
• Upstash
• Self-hosted Redis

Contributing

1. Fork the Project
2. Create your Feature Branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your Changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the Branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.

Contact

Hayreddin Tüzel - @htuzel

Project Link: https://github.com/htuzel/askany

Support

If you find this project helpful, consider:

• Giving it a GitHub star ⭐
• Buying me a coffee ☕

Acknowledgments

• Next.js
• TailwindCSS
• Express
• Redis