Chorely is a community-based app that connects residents who need chores done with youths looking for odd jobs.
A new iPhone app built by Gunn High School senior Anand Chandra banks on teens who want to do chores.
Chorely, which Chandra describes as a “community-based chore app, ” connects residents who need chores done with youths looking for odd jobs.
After working on Chorely all summer, Chandra launched the free app on Aug. 16, just in time for the new school year.
“It’s harder during the school year for people to commit to a part-time or full-time job, so if people want money they need to be more resourceful and Chorely can really help with that, ” Chandra said.
Chandra, 17, said users should think of the app as Nextdoor meets Airbnb.
Residents can post tasks they need help with such as washing a car or mowing a lawn.
Youths looking for such gigs can then see chores within 10 miles of their location. The payment amount and the rough location of the chore also will be posted.
Chandra had users’ safety in mind when he built in a system for users to post bios and ratings.
The idea came to Chandra earlier this year when a family friend suggested teens get together in groups to market themselves for chores.
When looking for work as a teen, word-of-mouth can only get someone so far, Chandra said, adding that the app helps those who need work but don’ t have a professional network.
Chandra thought to model Chorely after an existing app, Fiverr, an online marketplace of sorts for freelance services.
Before Chandra could build the app, he had to learn Swift, which is Apple’s programming language for iOS apps.
“Even though the app may look like a relatively simple app, the process to get there was anything but linear, ” Chandra said.
Chandra learned most of what he needed to know through free computer science lectures that Stanford University posted online — specifically, the CS193P iPhone Application Development course.
“I watched all of the lectures, did all the reading and did all the homework as if I was taking the class, ” Chandra said. “Afterward I just followed what the professor said.”
The process was challenging and took longer than Chandra expected. He thought he would build the app by mid-July and then aimed for Aug. 1, ramping up to get things done by the end of summer break.
The project occupied his waking hours. He asked friends and relatives for feedback.
Chandra knew he needed the app to also look good and have a good feel. He paid Jeffrey Yaw, also a senior at Gunn, to design the logo and more.
“I just committed to myself: I would finish this class and build an app, so I did, ” Chandra said.
Chandra’s advice to other teens?
“Just go for it and know that even if it might not turn out the way you want it to, that might not be a bad thing. Embrace the learning opportunity and embrace that it could go in any direction. Don’ t give up even when it seems hard to finish.”
