Problem
Chess lessons in schools needed one place for lessons, puzzles and live games, in several languages, and it had to meet Ministry of Education requirements.
What I did
- Designed a modular frontend on React 19 and Vite with a WebSocket layer for real-time multiplayer games and Stockfish-powered game analysis.
- Introduced a spec-driven development workflow with AI tools (Cursor, Kiro): more than 90% of the code is AI-generated, under strict architectural control and with 80% test coverage (Vitest).
- Migrated the build from Create React App to Vite: builds take 1 to 2 seconds and the entry bundle is about 75 KB gzipped.
- Led a volunteer team of teachers and a grandmaster who build lessons and puzzles.
Result
Used by 20+ schools and 13+ professional chess instructors, available in 5 languages. It is an installable PWA, now in testing as a native Google Play app.
Decisions
- Compliance first: Ministry of Education requirements, SOC security audits passed, WCAG accessibility for inclusive learning.
- AI writes most of the code, but the architecture, the specs and the tests stay under human control.
- A lean entry bundle, because many students use school devices and slow networks.