How do I build a "Like" system?

Hey there, Tadabase users! Welcome to another episode of Build It with Tim. In today's video, we're going to focus on building a like system using Tadabase. Our goal is to create an application called "database" where users can vote on their favorite cats. We'll explore three different methods, starting from the simplest and gradually increasing in complexity.

To achieve this, we'll make use of various features within Tadabase. Let's dive right into the instructions!

In the most basic approach, we'll start by adding a number field called "likes" to a single table named "cats." This will allow users to like or dislike cat pictures. We'll use the list component to display the pictures, using the attachments field as the cover image for an aesthetically pleasing layout. To control the upvotes and downvotes, we'll incorporate action links.

Within the list component, we'll add two action links, one for liking and one for disliking a cat picture. The likes and dislikes will be tracked and displayed through a number field. Clicking the like button will increment the likes by one, while clicking the dislike button will subtract one.

Moving on to a more advanced approach, we'll introduce user association with actions. To achieve this, we'll create a separate table called "user actions" with two connection fields: one for the user and another for the cat. Additionally, we'll add a field called "like action type" to distinguish between likes and dislikes.

The user actions table allows us to keep track of each user's interactions with the cat pictures. By inserting connected records, we associate the logged-in user with their like or dislike action. The likes and dislikes will be counted using rollup fields based on the action type in the user actions table.

To implement these changes, we'll modify the list component to display the likes and dislikes counts. We'll also update the action rules to include the action type and associate it with the user.

With these enhancements, users will be able to log in, like or dislike cat pictures, and their actions will be recorded and counted accurately.

That's it for today's tutorial on building a like system using Tadabase. We've explored both a simple and a more advanced approach to cater to different requirements. Whether you're building a public-facing voting system or one with user association, Tadabase provides the necessary features to create a robust and customizable application.

Stay tuned for more exciting tutorials on Tadabase. Happy building!

Features Discussed:

1. Action Link (Time: 3:35)
   Learn how to create action links that trigger specific events or navigation.
2. Action Rule (Time: 4:15)
   Learn how to set up rules that define actions when an action link is clicked.
3. Rollup (Time: 12:10)
   Learn how to aggregate data across records using the rollup feature.
4. Record Rules (Time: 20:34)
   Learn how to automate actions based on specific conditions using record rules.
5. Validation Rule (Time: 21:00)
   Learn how to implement validation rules to ensure data accuracy before form submission.

 

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Transcript Summary

Introduction

Welcome back to Build It with Tim, everybody. This week's episode is about building a "Like" system. Imagine we want to build an application called Catabase, where users can vote on who their favorite cat is. I'm going to show you three different ways to do this, ranging from the most simplistic to the more complex.

Overview

The app will allow users to:

• Like or dislike cats
• Track likes and dislikes
• Associate likes with specific users

Method 1: Simplistic Like System

Setup

• Data Table: We have a table called "cats" where we store pictures using the attachments field.
• Likes Field: We add a number field called "likes" to keep track of the number of likes.

Page Builder

• List Component: Displays pictures using the attachments field.
• Action Links: Two action links are added—one for liking and one for disliking.
• Like Button: Adds 1 to the "likes" field.
• Dislike Button: Subtracts 1 from the "likes" field.

Result

Users can click "like" or "dislike" to adjust the count, with the simplest implementation possible.

Method 2: Tracking User Actions

Setup

• New Table: Create a "user actions" table with connections to the "user" and "cat" tables, and a field for "action type" (like or dislike).
• Roll-up Field: Use a roll-up field in the "cats" table to count the number of likes or dislikes from the "user actions" table.

Page Builder

• Action Links: Now insert connected records into the "user actions" table instead of updating the "likes" directly.
• Like Button: Records the action as a "like."
• Dislike Button: Records the action as a "dislike."

Result

This method tracks which users liked or disliked each cat, allowing for more detailed analytics and preventing the overwriting of previous actions.

Method 3: Validated Voting System

Setup

• Form Component: Use a detail page with a form component to capture votes.
• Validation: Ensure each user can only vote once by adding a validation rule to check for uniqueness in the "user actions" table.

Page Builder

• Detail Page: Users can see a form asking if they like a cat or not. The system records their vote and validates that they can't vote twice.

Result

This method prevents users from spamming the like/dislike buttons by allowing only one vote per user per cat.

Summary

Method 1: The simplest way—just a number field and action links.

Method 2: Tracks which users liked or disliked each cat with more complexity.

Method 3: A validated voting system that limits users to one vote per cat.