IncLink - Professional Network for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

IncLink is a LinkedIn-esque platform designed to connect formerly incarcerated individuals with meaningful employment opportunities and build supportive professional networks for successful reentry.

Features

1. User Authentication & Profile Management

• Simple signup with email, name, location, and skills
• Profile includes former facility information and years incarcerated (optional)
• Editable profile with job skills and personal information

2. Job Listing Board

• Curated job listings from "second chance" employers
• All jobs are flagged as "open to formerly incarcerated"
• One-click application process
• Job details include company, location, and description

3. 1-Click Job Applications

• No resume uploads required
• Applications are sent to console/fake inbox for demo
• Track application status (pending, reviewed, accepted, rejected)
• View application history on profile page

4. Prison-Based Referral Network

• Connect with others from the same former facility
• View connections and network size
• Simple "Connect" button to build professional relationships
• Referral capabilities between connections

5. Clean, Professional UI

• Built with shadcn/ui components for modern design
• Responsive layout works on desktop and mobile
• Three main pages: Home, Dashboard, and Profile

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• npm or yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <your-repo-url>
cd inclink

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Start the development server:

npm run dev

4. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser

Usage

For New Users:

1. Visit the home page
2. Fill out the "Get Started" form with your information
3. Submit to create your account and be redirected to the dashboard

For Existing Users:

1. Use the "Sign In" form with your email
2. Access the dashboard to browse jobs and connections

Demo Credentials:

You can sign in with any of these emails to test existing user functionality:

• marcus.johnson@email.com
• sarah.williams@email.com
• david.rodriguez@email.com
• jennifer.davis@email.com

Application Architecture

Server-Side Architecture

• Next.js 15 with App Router
• Server Actions for all data operations (no client-side fetching)
• TypeScript for type safety
• Tailwind CSS with shadcn/ui components

Data Management

• In-memory storage for demo purposes (simulates database)
• Mock data includes users, jobs, applications, and connections
• Server actions handle all CRUD operations

Pages Structure

app/
├── page.tsx           # Home page with login/signup
├── dashboard/
│   └── page.tsx       # Job listings and connections
├── profile/
│   └── page.tsx       # Profile editing and applications
└── layout.tsx         # Root layout

Key Components

• Server Actions (lib/actions.ts) - Handle all backend operations
• Mock Data (lib/mock-data.ts) - Simulate database records
• Types (types/index.ts) - TypeScript interfaces
• UI Components (components/ui/) - shadcn/ui components

Features in Detail

Dashboard

• Job Listings: Browse second chance employer opportunities
• User Profile Summary: Quick view of skills and facility
• Network Section: View current connections
• Facility Connections: Find others from the same former facility
• One-click Apply: Apply to jobs without complex forms

Profile Page

• Edit Profile: Update personal information and skills
• Application Tracking: View all job applications and their status
• Network Stats: See connection count and application count
• Quick Actions: Easy navigation to browse jobs and find connections

Authentication Flow

• Sign Up: Create new account with profile information
• Sign In: Simple email-based login
• Server-side redirects: Proper navigation after auth actions

Technical Features

Server-Side Rendering

• All pages are server-rendered for better performance
• Server Actions eliminate the need for API endpoints
• Proper data fetching without client-side loading states

Responsive Design

• Mobile-first approach with Tailwind CSS
• Clean, professional design suitable for job seekers
• Accessible UI components from shadcn/ui

Type Safety

• Full TypeScript implementation
• Defined interfaces for all data structures
• Type-safe server actions and form handling

Demo Data

The application comes pre-loaded with:

• 4 sample users from different facilities
• 5 job postings from second chance employers
• Sample applications and connections
• Realistic data for testing all features

Development

Adding New Features

1. Define types in types/index.ts
2. Create server actions in lib/actions.ts
3. Build UI components using shadcn/ui
4. Follow server-side rendering patterns

Mock Data Management

• Update lib/mock-data.ts to add more sample data
• Server actions modify the in-memory arrays
• Console logging shows all user interactions

Production Considerations

For a production version, you would need to:

1. Replace in-memory storage with a real database (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.)
2. Implement proper user authentication and sessions
3. Add email notifications for applications
4. Implement file uploads for resumes/documents
5. Add job search and filtering capabilities
6. Implement real-time messaging between connections
7. Add employer dashboard for posting jobs and reviewing applications

License

This project is created as an MVP demonstration for connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with employment opportunities and professional networks.