DevRecall

EducationIntermediateFeb 14, 2026

DevRecall

Spaced repetition for developers' code and concepts. Learn once, retain forever.

The Problem

Solo developers and indie hackers constantly learn new APIs, frameworks, and syntax. Their learning process often involves bookmarking, saving Gists, or using generic note-taking apps like Notion. However, these methods are passive and lack a structured system for active recall and knowledge retention. This leads to information overload, knowledge decay, and significant time wasted revisiting documentation or re-solving problems they've encountered before. When faced with a similar challenge weeks later, developers often forget key details, wasting hours searching for the right snippet or syntax. This inefficiency slows down development cycles, frustrates the learning process, and directly impacts the speed at which small teams can ship new features or products, costing them valuable development time and potential revenue.

The Solution

DevRecall is an intelligent micro-SaaS designed to combat knowledge decay for developers. It allows users to effortlessly capture code snippets, commands, and technical concepts directly from their browser (via an extension) or web app. The core innovation is its built-in, adaptive spaced repetition algorithm (based on the SM-2 algorithm) that schedules optimal review times for each saved item. Users receive daily 'flashcards' of their saved knowledge, prompting active recall. If they struggle with a concept, they mark it, and the system adjusts its review frequency. DevRecall goes beyond simple snippet management by offering AI-powered summarization, intelligent tag suggestions for captured content, and the ability to generate specific recall questions for code blocks. This proactive approach ensures developers actively retain information, significantly reducing re-learning time and boosting their overall productivity and confidence.

Tech Stack

Frontend

Next.js 14ReactTailwind CSSShadcn/UI

Backend

Next.js API RoutestRPCVercel Edge Functions

Database

PostgreSQL (Supabase)

APIs

StripeResendOpenAI APIChrome Extension API

System Architecture

┌─────────────────┐                                  ┌───────────────────┐
│     Client      │                                  │      External AI      │
│ (Web App / Ext) │─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ▶ (OpenAI / Anthropic) │
└─────────────────┘                                  └───────────────────┘
         │                                                   ▲
         │ HTTP/RPC                                          │
         ▼                                                   │ AI Requests
┌─────────────────┐       HTTP/RPC                     ┌──────────────┐
│ Next.js API (V) │─────── ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ▶ │   Resend     │
│ (Edge/Serverless)│                                   └──────────────┘
└─────────────────┘                                          ▲
         │                                                   │ Email Notifications
         │ DB Calls                                          │
         ▼                                             ┌──────────────┐
┌─────────────────┐                                    │    Stripe    │
│  Supabase DB    │◀ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ │ (Webhooks)   │
│  (PostgreSQL)   │                                     └──────────────┘
└─────────────────┘

Database Schema

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
    id uuid PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    email text UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    created_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now(),
    updated_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now(),
    stripe_customer_id text
);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS snippets (
    id uuid PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    user_id uuid REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    title text NOT NULL,
    content text NOT NULL, -- The code snippet or concept text
    language text, -- e.g., 'javascript', 'python', 'markdown'
    description text, -- Optional explanation or context
    source_url text, -- Original URL where snippet was found
    created_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now(),
    updated_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now()
);

CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS snippets_user_id_idx ON snippets(user_id);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tags (
    id uuid PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    name text UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    created_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now()
);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS snippet_tags (
    snippet_id uuid REFERENCES snippets(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    tag_id uuid REFERENCES tags(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    PRIMARY KEY (snippet_id, tag_id)
);

CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS snippet_tags_snippet_id_idx ON snippet_tags(snippet_id);
CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS snippet_tags_tag_id_idx ON snippet_tags(tag_id);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS recall_items (
    id uuid PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    user_id uuid REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
    snippet_id uuid REFERENCES snippets(id) ON DELETE CASCADE UNIQUE, -- One recall item per snippet
    last_reviewed_at timestamp with time zone,
    next_review_at timestamp with time zone NOT NULL DEFAULT now(),
    ease_factor numeric(4,2) DEFAULT 2.5, -- SM-2 algorithm ease factor
    repetitions integer DEFAULT 0, -- Number of times successfully recalled
    interval integer DEFAULT 0, -- Days until next review
    created_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now(),
    updated_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now()
);

CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS recall_items_user_id_next_review_at_idx ON recall_items(user_id, next_review_at);
CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS recall_items_snippet_id_idx ON recall_items(snippet_id);