Show HN: Codala, a social network built on scanning barcodes | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Codala, a social network built on scanning barcodes

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62 pointshsynkrkye49 comments

Hi HN. I poured months into making a mobile app called Codala, but sadly, it's getting practically zero downloads. I have no marketing budget at all.

I'm starting to question if the app is just bad, but the core idea feels solid to me: you scan any QR code or barcode, and it opens up a space to chat, leave reviews, and discuss that specific product or place.

I know the app needs users leaving comments to feel alive, but it's been 3 weeks and things are dead quiet. If you want to take a look, I’m totally open to any feedback or honesty.

It's only available on Google Play for now

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I think the idea is awesome and has potential. The name could be catchier though. Personally, I would also prefer a web app.

It's tough to get a social network or community off the ground without any existing base. Facebook took off because they digitalized existing social networks. Reddit was seeded with content posted by its creators using multiple accounts.

Maybe you could figure out a way to make it valuable as a single-player tool first, and when you have enough single-players, the multiplayer network comes alive.

I haven't tried your app, because I avoid anything Android or iOS, but to me the idea sounds like something worth pursuing.

I'm now considering the website section thanks to your comments. Thank you.

Slashdot/Reddit/Facebook etc all build communities, when they get too large they splinter until they become increasingly specific. You've done the opposite. I think you are going to need to group common products, then gradually break it out. ie, food -> deserts -> cakes -> chocolate cake -> chocolate cake from <shop> etc

That's how I pictured it, users scan all the bar codes they have access to and it builds similarity profiles.

I pictured scanning all my CS books for example, and I'd probably end up in a group with everyone from my class at school who did the same, for example.

As you said, I tried to keep the room name general so it wouldn't be too scattered when the barcode is scanned. So, if someone scanned for a cake, it currently deletes the chocolate cake and brings up that cake brand, but later, users will be able to create a room for chocolate cake with the same barcode if they wish.

Most of the time, aren't barcodes on the wrapper or box? That's a problem. How can people find the barcode for things that are old?

I could see this site working for shoes. I'd say many people have shoes that would be worth a lot to collectors, but aren't able to easily connect with people who want them.

Also, any way to make it web-accessible?

Another idea I had was to start discussion up around the act of "tinkering." That can be about building discussions around "builds" and the many devices that go into one. Or product repurposing. Not sure if this is of interest to you - is it? Imagine you had the barcode for say one item, but it comes up in "builds" that consist of many items. This would be useful for people who want ideas about what to do with something they own.. okay I've got one product - what are other people combining it with or utilizing it for?

That would work for food ingredients, strangely enough, and could result in a recipe site with the overall end goal of having manufacturers/suppliers participate and claiming their products on-site.

In a recent comment (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47472138) I've also mentioned the need to build a database of products in the real-world for recycling purposes. Who owns what, and where? Useful for electronics that aren't yet easily recyclable but may be in the future. It could even work for exotic plants and medicinal herbs - people want them fresh, alive and nearby.

Still a better social network than Moltbook.

More serious comment: would be so much better if I could check it out without having to download an app on my phone

Once, or even if it gets some adoption, it will be filled in with ai-generated crap or abused in other ways directly via api.

That's for later, now you need to answer who is your audience is and why the target audience has to adopt this app.

My target audience is everyone, but not for daily use. Just like Wikipedia isn't a site you visit every day, but you go there when you need specific information. In the same way, this can be the go-to place for information about products, places, or anything with a barcode or QR code. People can just check it when they are curious about an item right in front of them.

Reminds me of those Skannerz toys from when I was a kid! It was a device you could scan any barcode with and you would get some monster from it and could collect and battle with them. Kind of like Pokemon with barcodes.

I've never heard of

I personally think this is awesome and a charmingly weird way to convene people. I launched my long-germinating app, which is strangely parallel to yours in big ways (peeps.biz), a couple of weeks ago. I think especially with vibecoding, getting recognized/paid attention to is damn near impossible. I think consistency in marketing has to be there as does going out IRL to promote the site. (I’m not doing either het, but I still think it’s true.)

Anyhow, congrats on the app and keep pushing. I think it’s unique.

Thank you, I hope we both achieve something. By the way, I visited your website.

A popular way of gaining some traction in the SaaS world is to own a high intent keyword and then spreading from there. Social Networks must work similarly with owning one specific audience. Think super niche, like a kitchen appliance review community or something like that. If you can own a community you can own another. Marketing is basically like shouting into the void because new users will feel compelled by existing users but if there are none, the value prop of the app is weaker.

This, but I'd go even further. Wny not test run it by developing a hyper-local market first? You could make QR codes for neighborhoods and paste them up on telephone poles. Have a photo element to encourage people to post pictures of themselves there, or something they're seeing. Encourage people to make their own QR codes as well. Userland QR codes for local bands and pubs, etc. Not just products. Once the ball gets rolling in one town, who knows?

Actually, I live in a small town, I could try this.

Installed the app!

I find the idea interesting. But I'd do a more organised search (by category, country, language). Maybe a general directory with a list of more commented products.

As you can only comment products you scan, and you are likely to be the first one, to make it entertaining you should at least be able to nose around other people's comments easily.

One way to make it feel alive is to do what Reddit did: Flintstoning your way through Cold Start.

Get a script that creates various posts on a variety of products and have the board to let people see there's content to discover.

On another note... How can I comment on a place? How does a place have a unique barcode? Maybe you should also make geo-location a base for a chat and not only barcodes?

Actually, there used to be popular rooms, but I removed them because I didn't want people to use it as a passing fad and the app to be taken over by popular culture, and I thought downloads would decrease after a few popular topics were discussed. Instead, as you said, I could design a higher-quality room search engine, and the GPS idea is definitely great. The app doesn't currently have access to location information, but I could change that and ask, "You are currently at this location, would you like to join this room?" or people might want to join for some reason, but I think it will be a little difficult to add that because I haven't even been able to add commenting with audio and video yet, which I want to add to the app.

Ah yes, I get that feeling...

To be afraid the app would be too popular in a way you didn't like.

My 2 cents: let people in and have fun the way they want. Once you get critical mass, you think about steering it your way...

Audio and videos would be cool!

I think some small adjustments could reduce friction to new users. Let people scan and read comments anonymously, group similar product discussions together until volume increases, and look up UPCs instead of asking people to enter what they just scanned.

I'll be candid: reeks of a gimmick. I think people will see it as such.

thank you for your honest opinion

Really cool idea, however as a product developer myself, I know how hard it is to hit the ground running especially for a product that requires an already existing audience to function. I tend to lose myself in the coding and design part, while not realizing that the 90% of the real deal is actually marketing. You have to delve much more into ways to market the idea, rather than develop it.

You're right, I don't know anything about marketing either.

It's only been 10 days. What marketing activities have you undertaken so far?

You can't just publish an app and expect users. Those days are long over.

It’s amazing to think that was ever a thing. I remember actively scanning the App Store for things to add to my phone. How times have changed.

Those days never existed.

Honestly, nothing. I don't have a budget for marketing, so I'm thinking of opening social media accounts and making videos that will reflect the idea of a viral app

It’s a fun idea. I was thinking much like others that you need a web app - but then presumably you’re having to intercept the “real” url on qr codes, right? I mean - if I scan a qr just using my phone camera, there’s a reasonable chance I’ll end up at a url - whereas you’re intercepting that flow?

Hello, I suggest on having it available via the web version in the future as well and if you are open to it, then open sourcing it as well.

This can do some wonders for a review app.

Books also have bar-code so it can also work as something like scan the book's barcode and then review the book or find community which talks about the book (I am imagining then an discord/telegram/whatsapp like interface where people can chat too)

So we scan bar code of a book, then we can join a channel where people can just talk live and make connections from the book.

This will definitely have people who are fed up of social media as-is and want something more niche but unique/authentic so its kind of good on that ground!

A bit tangential but actually I have a domain which I bought called k4qr.com, you mention that qr codes also work, so perhaps you can rename the app as Kodala (with a K) and I am happy donating my domain to you as well for your project, let me know! (funny story but I was actually wondering myself when I had bought that domain if I should do something qr related with that :-] )

Actually another thing but also allow text as input too for web related things for example. I am imagining what I might want to use your product for example.

So I go to your website and just write something say game of thrones and it can show some books or tv show qr code which anybody has scanned and I can click on any of that too and then I can land in their social media and talk about game of thrones

Now you can also do it for something niche with qr codes, perhaps have an optional field, tags etc. that people can enter into qr codes when they first scan it so that people can search them

Just a few suggestions that I have, hope any of them might help you in a meaningful way.

Have a nice day.

Not a bad idea, seems like data that would be be easy to monetize if it took off.

hopefully

This is destined to either not be popular or be swarming with bots and stalkers. How you fight bots, abuse and all other problems of public posting and DMs? and how you make money for it?

Email verification is in place to prevent the creation of bot accounts, and if a bot account is created, it can't do anything inside. No one can create more than one new room per day, and following is prohibited to prevent malicious use. You can't even search for individuals in the app's search bar; you can only search for previously created rooms, and there are other restrictions as well. The goal is for only real people to use real code. Regarding monetization, there are only occasional ads between posts; I haven't considered any other methods.

by spam I mean spammers will squat on codes for popular products and spam the comments with related product they're promoting. And It's very easy to scale and automate

by stalking I mean you show screenshot where you can dm people. so if your child snaps a toy with this app and then get some man DMs because he is monitoring a bunch of those codes. same with women and other vulnerable situations. how will you fight that

do you think the money you make will be enough to maintain staff to deal with tons of flagged dms and posts with potential criminal situations and lawsuits)

> The goal is for only real people to use real code

yeah and preferably non criminals;) we live in real world that's why I am saying your app will be swarming with bots and stalkers if it gets popular

What's the value over an script that creates and/or finds subreddit based on a CID. If your app became popular then Reddit would just steal the idea.

I don't think Reddit will steal it because stealing it would mean losing the core function of their own app. The purpose of this app is to allow users to comment on and get information about anything in the real world that has a barcode or QR code, or even to have instant chat during a live stream if it has a QR code. So it can be used for more than just commenting on a topic, discussion, or event. But the important thing is the number of users, of course.

I'd be more interested in commenting on UPCs.

Especially for chocolates

I like the idea, how can I interact with the chats without scanning something or installing the app?

You can't access it without downloading the app, but once you download it, you don't have to scan it; you can read the reviews.

Build it and they won't know it exists until you tell them!

You are right

Why did you build this app?

That's really cool

thank you

Love this idea!

I know you're trying to be supportive, but did you actually download the app and try it?

Why do you love this idea? How would *you* use this app and what type of barcodes and QR codes would you imagine scanning?

While I might come off as a little incredulous, I'm trying to be open-minded because maybe you're seeing something that I'm not seeing.

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