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Show HN: Trailward – Learn anything in 90-second micro-sessions

trailward.ai

1 points by stephanschulz 18 days ago · 5 comments

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jamescampbell 18 days ago

This kind of reminds me of 6 minute abs vs. 7. Can't you make them 60 seconds vs. 90? lol. In all seriousness, it is in the category of Readwise for me where I do use it daily for quotes and tidbits of text that I want to remember and retain. Looks great.

  • stephanschulzOP 18 days ago

    :) I had to pick a number and 90 seconds just felt about right. Time varies of course per Bite. Each Bite includes a moment for reflection that stretches the time, otherwise it would be faster. The comparison to Readwise is a huge compliment. Honestly, if I can reach that level of daily utility and retention, I'll be more than happy.

stephanschulzOP 18 days ago

I've been building software for over 20 years, mostly for clients. Trailward started as a tool to manage my own habit of "constant learning," but it evolved into something I wanted to ship.

The Problem:

I wanted to solve two things:

1. Sustained Exploration: How to learn effectively over a long timeframe, avoiding the "one-night research binge" that fades away.

2. Discovery: How to find meaningful learning goals when creativity is limited. Users often struggle to see beyond their immediate bubble.

The Approach:

1. Meaningful Goals (Ikigai): Ambitious transformations (like career shifts) require huge commitment. I use an LLM to help users connect their passions to "World Needs" and "Monetization"-mapping personal interests to viable career paths.

2. Two Learning Modes:

- Topics: For quick exploration based on personalized interest suggestions.

- Plans: Comprehensive, multi-month curriculums with interactive tasks, detailed explanations, and practical examples. The goal is to provide a structured, approachable path to real mastery, including certificate proposals to prepare for professional transitions.

3. Daily Habit (Bites): To make execution possible, I built "Bites" 90-second sessions designed to lower the barrier to entry so much that 'starting' becomes the path of least resistance.

Technical Stack: React Native (Expo), Next.js, FastAPI, PostgreSQL. Retention is handled by a modified SM-2 spaced repetition algorithm.

It’s a solo project. I'd love to hear feedback.

angeltech2026 18 days ago

i think is really nice one

  • stephanschulzOP 18 days ago

    Thanks! I've put a lot of thought and passion into this. If you give it a try, let me know how you like the Bites. Works best on mobile.

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