What makes us stand apart as a dependable IT and software service provider?

By simply combining experienced teams, well-structured processes, and clear communication, to consistently deliver across projects.

What types of engagement or hiring models do we have for clients?

A client can choose from a fixed-cost project, a dedicated development team, or a flexible time-based engagement model.

How quickly can the team initiate the project after discussions?

Almost all projects begin as quickly as possible in the minimum possible business days once the scope, timelines, and terms are finalized.

What is the process of onboarding a dedicated developer team?

Based on requirements, relevant team selection takes place followed by a structured kickoff process aligning the best available resources.

Does ongoing maintenance and post-launch support come with it?

Yes, ongoing support, maintenance, optimization, monitoring, and post-launch services are included.

How is client data security ensured?

By following strict access control protocols, securing infrastructure with systematic processes, and confidentiality agreements.

What is your approach to project management and delivery?

We use agile methodologies with defined milestones, regular updates, and continuous quality checks.

A Professional Networking & Services Marketplace Platform

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A Professional Networking & Services Marketplace Platform

Client Overview

Edward wanted to build a social networking platform that goes beyond casual connections one where everyday users and verified professionals (doctors, lawyers, consultants, and other service providers) coexist on the same platform. Professionals can list and promote their services directly on their profile, users can discover and connect with them, and the community can engage through posts and open discussions, with VIP and General membership tiers layered on top for monetization.

Start Your Project

Our Approach

Discovery & UX Design

Mapped separate user journeys for General members, Professionals (service providers), and VIP members before design work began.

Core Platform Build (Laravel + React)

Authentication, user & professional profiles, connect/follow system, and the main content feed.

Professional Service Listings

A dedicated profile format for professionals to add services, credentials, and categories, with search/filter-based discovery for other users.

Live Chat Integration (Node.js)

A standalone Node.js + Socket.io service for real-time one-to-one and group messaging, bridged to Laravel via Redis pub/sub and shared JWT authentication.

Subscription & Monetization Layer

VIP vs. General tiers controlling profile visibility, service listing limits, and feed reach, with billing integration.

Content & Community Tools

Post creation, threaded discussions, likes/comments, and moderation tools.

QA, Security & Launch

Load testing the chat service under concurrent connections, access-control checks, and phased rollout.

The Challenge

Web Nautical was brought in to turn this into a working product, with a few key hurdles along the way:

✓

wo very different user types on one platform - general members looking to connect and browse content, and professionals doctors, lawyers, consultants, etc. who needed their own profile format to list services and credentials, effectively acting as an in-platform promotional page

✓

Service discovery - making professional listings searchable by category and service type, so the promotion side of a profile is actually discoverable

✓

A tiered subscription model - (VIP vs. General) gating premium content, visibility, and feed reach

✓

A mixed tech stack - Laravel (PHP) on the backend, React on the frontend, and Node.js for live chat, all needing to work together as one product

Integrating Node.js with Laravel/PHP for live chat

Laravel’s request-response cycle isn’t built for the persistent, low-latency connections real-time chat needs, so we ran Node.js as a separate messaging microservice alongside the main Laravel app. Chat sessions used shared JWT authentication so they trusted the same login as the core app. This kept Laravel as the single source of truth for users and content, while Node handled sockets and message delivery independently giving the client real-time chat without re-architecting the core application

Our Development Process

A structured approach to design, development, testing, and seamless delivery.

EXPLORE
Planning
Market study
User needs
Tech scope
Design
Wireframes
UI/UX flow
Branding
IMPLEMENT
Development
Backend setup
Custom feature
Mobile build
Testing
Bug fixes
Performance check
Security test
EXECUTE
Launch
Website Live
Marketing push
User onboarding
Maintenance
Regular updates
Feature upgrades
User support

Key Features Delivered

A visual language crafted to reflect the brand’s identity and personality.

News Feed

A central, scrollable feed where users post updates, images, and videos, and browse content from their network.

Stories

Short-lived visual updates users can post alongside regular feed content.

Friends List & Connections

Users can build a network by connecting with other members and professionals on the platform.

Live Chat & Messaging

Real-time one-to-one messaging built on Node.js/Socket.io, integrated with the Laravel backend, accessible from a dedicated chat panel.

Discussions

An open discussion board separate from the main feed, where users start and reply to threaded topics.

Professional Discussions / Professional Help

A dedicated space where verified professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and consultants field questions and share expertise.

My Discussions / My Professional Discussions

Personal dashboards where users and professionals track discussions they’ve started or contributed to.

Notifications & Liked Posts

Real-time alerts for activity plus a saved view of posts a user has liked.

Subscription Plans (VIP / General)

VIP members get premium content and enhanced visibility, while General members get core features with limits.

Admin Controls

Backend management of users, professional verification, subscription plans, and content moderation.

Technology Stack

The Nike MFS PlayKit was built on a carefully selected tech stack, designed to handle large-scale data, deliver fast visualizations, and provide a smooth, reliable experience for users.

Authentication: JWT-based, shared across Laravel and Node services

Hosting: Bluehost shared hosting and VPS

Backend / Core App: Laravel (PHP)

Frontend: React.js

Real-time Layer: Node.js + Socket.io (live chat microservice)

Database: MySQL, MongoDB (Live chat)

Conclusion

The Domain To Be Social project shows how Web Nautical handles multi-runtime, multi-user-type platforms — bringing together Laravel, React, and Node.js into one cohesive product where general users, professionals, and premium subscribers all get a tailored experience.

If you're looking to build a networking, marketplace, or community platform with real-time features and monetization built in, our team can help you go from concept to launch.

Start your project sales@webnautical.com

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Let's Build Your AI Solutions

A Professional Networking & Services Marketplace Platform

Team size

About client

Timeline

Client Overview

Our Approach

Discovery & UX Design

Core Platform Build (Laravel + React)

Professional Service Listings

Live Chat Integration (Node.js)

Subscription & Monetization Layer

Content & Community Tools

QA, Security & Launch

The Challenge

Integrating Node.js with Laravel/PHP for live chat

Our Development Process

EXPLORE

Planning

Design

IMPLEMENT

Development

Testing

EXECUTE

Launch

Maintenance