IsMyStarterDead

Overview

IsMyStarterDead answers a question every sourdough baker has panicked about at least once: is my starter actually dead, or just being dramatic?

The site offers two paths to an answer — a guided quiz that walks you through a series of questions about your starter's behavior, and an AI photo analysis flow where you upload a picture and get a verdict.

My role

I designed and built the entire project myself — product, frontend, backend, and AI integration.

What I built

• Starter health quiz — a step-by-step questionnaire that maps answers to a clear result at the end
• AI photo diagnosis — users upload a photo of their starter and embedded AI determines whether it looks alive, dormant, or beyond saving
• Public gallery — submissions (photo + result) feed into a shared gallery, turning individual panic checks into user-generated content the community can browse

The stack is Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Sanity CMS, and Firebase.

What I learned

This was a fun side project where I got hands-on experience embedding AI tools in a customer-facing website that solves a real-world problem — even if that problem is niche and slightly absurd. The gallery layer was a nice bonus: it turned a utility into something social.

Outcome

A live, playful tool that bakers can actually use — and a solid reference for how I approach lightweight AI features without over-engineering the UX.

Screenshot

Photo placeholder: Add an IsMyStarterDead quiz or gallery screenshot below.