Technology Stack
This project is built using modern web technologies optimized for real-time responsiveness, scalability, and developer productivity. The stack was selected to support low-latency updates, serverless architecture, and rapid development.
Frontend
Section titled “Frontend”| Technology | Rationale |
|---|---|
| React | Enables a component-based architecture for building dynamic, interactive user interfaces such as scoreboards and live updates. |
| Create React App | Provides a fast development server, optimized build pipeline, and zero-configuration setup for rapid development. |
| JavaScript (ES6+) | Offers broad browser compatibility and native support for asynchronous operations, which are essential for real-time data handling. |
| Clerk | Modern authentication platform with React integration for secure user management and sessions. |
Backend
Section titled “Backend”| Technology | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Vercel Serverless Functions | Auto-scaling serverless platform that handles traffic spikes automatically, perfect for processing live sports data and API requests. |
| Node.js Runtime | JavaScript runtime supporting non-blocking, asynchronous operations essential for real-time data handling and API integrations. |
| Football-Data.org API | Professional sports data provider delivering live match data, scores, and statistics with reliable real-time updates. |
Hosting & Deployment
Section titled “Hosting & Deployment”| Platform | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Vercel (Main App) | Serverless hosting with global CDN, automatic scaling, and excellent developer experience. Perfect for React apps with API functions. |
| Netlify (Documentation) | Simple deployment for the Astro documentation site with automatic builds from Git. |
Documentation Tooling
Section titled “Documentation Tooling”| Tool | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Astro.js | A performant static site generator that enables efficient delivery of documentation written in Markdown, with clean routing and fast builds. |
| Starlight Theme | Provides structured navigation, a clean user interface, and responsive design. Recommended by tutors and well-supported by the Astro ecosystem. |
Why This Stack
Section titled “Why This Stack”The technology stack was chosen to meet the following core project requirements:
- Real-time Performance: Vercel’s edge network and serverless functions provide fast, global response times
- Automatic Scaling: Serverless architecture scales instantly with traffic spikes during major sports events
- Developer Experience: Modern tooling with hot reloading, easy deployment, and excellent debugging
- Cost Effectiveness: Pay-per-use serverless model keeps costs low while maintaining high performance
- Reliability: Vercel’s infrastructure provides 99.99% uptime with automatic failover
Vercel serverless functions provide excellent real-time capabilities through efficient polling and webhook support. React ensures high-performance rendering for live score updates. Astro and Starlight enable maintainable, fast documentation, while Git-based workflows and agile practices ensure efficient team collaboration.
This stack delivers both technical performance and developer productivity for sports data applications.