Platform Update: Social Network Architecture, Achievement Engine, and What's Next

01Social Network Backend: Designing the Data Model

The social network service got a complete backend redesign this month. We consolidated what would have been seven DynamoDB tables down to two using single-table design with a PK/SK key pattern. This dramatically simplifies access patterns and reduces operational overhead when the service goes live.

For graph queries — connections, network traversal, friend-of-friend lookups — we are integrating Amazon Neptune. Social graphs are inherently relational, and a graph database handles multi-hop traversals that would be expensive and complex in DynamoDB.

Full-text search across profiles and posts will be powered by Amazon OpenSearch, with autocomplete support for instant search-as-you-type results. The combination of DynamoDB for primary storage, Neptune for graph queries, and OpenSearch for search gives us the right tool for each access pattern.

The social network backend (cdk-social-network) is targeted for production deployment in July, alongside the activity service.

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This month was about architecture, not deployment. The social network backend deploys to production in July — but the data model and service boundaries are locked in now.

02Achievement Engine: Architecture and Design

The achievement engine is being built with a tier-based progression system. Users will advance through five tiers based on platform activity — contributions, engagement, and collaboration.

The system includes user ratings and category scoring, so achievements are contextual rather than one-size-fits-all. Leaderboards will be available both globally and within each tier, giving newer members visibility alongside experienced contributors.

Achievement definitions, progress tracking, and claiming are all handled through a dedicated service (cdk-achievement-engine). The engine will also power personalized recommendations — suggesting next steps based on a user's current tier and activity patterns.

The achievement engine is self-contained with no authentication dependency, which is why it is one of the first services scheduled for production deployment in May.

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The achievement engine deploys to production in May — one of the first backend services after the April messaging launch.

03Activity Service: Notification Architecture

The activity notification system is being designed with comprehensive coverage across six phases: post engagement (likes, shares, bookmarks), comment engagement (replies, mentions), project postings (new projects, proposal updates), connection events (follow, connect, accept), achievement milestones (tier promotions, badges earned), and email integration (digest summaries, critical alerts).

The system uses SNS-based event publishing so any service can emit activity events without coupling to the notification logic. The activity service subscribes to relevant topics and handles routing, deduplication, and delivery. With support for over 30 activity types planned, the notification system will cover the full range of platform interactions.

The activity service (cdk-activity-service) deploys to production in July alongside the social network backend.

04Forum Post API: The Foundation

Discussion forums are being built with a dedicated API for creating, reading, and managing forum posts. Forums are organized around project collaboration — each project will have its own discussion space for team communication, Q&A, and decision tracking.

This is the foundation for the collaboration features coming later in the year. The API supports threading, reactions, and mentions, with moderation tools built in from the start.

The forum API shares the same backend as the social network — both are part of cdk-social-network. This shared-codebase approach means the forum at cometbid.org and Cometbid Social at cometbid.com benefit from the same infrastructure investments.

05What's Coming in March and April

March is all about the messaging platform. We are building multi-channel delivery supporting Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Push notifications. A campaign management system will handle scheduled sends, audience segmentation, and delivery tracking. Holiday greeting campaigns will be the first real-world test of the campaign engine.

April is the target for v1.0.0 — the first production release. This will be the messaging and campaign infrastructure only. The social network, achievement engine, and activity service follow in May through July as part of the road to the October public launch.

The deployment schedule: achievement engine in May, authentication and user management in June, social network and activity service in July. More details in the Q2 roadmap newsletter.

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v1.0.0 targets April with messaging and campaigns. The social backbone deploys May through July. Public launch: October 2026.