An AI-powered collaborative classroom platform where students get instant doubt resolution, teachers manage virtual classrooms, and analytics drive better learning outcomes.
- DoubtDesk
Students in colleges and universities face a recurring set of challenges that existing tools fail to address:
- Doubts go unanswered. Asking questions in large lectures is intimidating, and instructors are not available around the clock.
- No structured Q&A channel. WhatsApp and Telegram groups are chaotic — doubts get buried, and solutions are never archived or searchable.
- Teachers lack visibility. Instructors have no data on which topics students struggle with until exam results arrive, which is too late to intervene.
- Existing platforms miss the mark. Stack Overflow targets professional developers, not structured academics. ChatGPT lacks classroom context, anonymity, and teacher oversight.
DoubtDesk bridges this gap by combining AI-powered instant solving with real classroom structure, giving students answers in seconds and teachers insights in real time.
DoubtDesk provides a virtual classroom environment where:
- Students ask doubts via text or image (photo of a handwritten problem).
- AI instantly solves the doubt with step-by-step, simplified, and exam-ready explanations.
- Community and teachers can also answer, creating a layered support system.
- Analytics dashboard surfaces weak topics, peak doubt hours, and resolution rates so teachers can act proactively.
- Moderation engine keeps the platform academic and safe using AI content filtering with an escalating strike system.
- Type a question or upload a photo — AI solves it instantly using Groq-accelerated LLMs.
- Structured output: Step-by-step breakdown, simplified explanation, and final answer.
- Interactive follow-ups: click any step to ask for further clarification.
- Full LaTeX rendering for math and science equations via KaTeX.
- Persistent chat history for continuing previous AI sessions.
- Teachers create classrooms with unique invite codes.
- Students join using invite codes; recommended classrooms auto-surface by university and year.
- Three doubt channels per class: AI Solve, Community Board, Teacher Lane.
- Role-based views (Student vs Teacher) with distinct capabilities.
- Anonymous posting — students are assigned randomized identifiers (e.g.,
Student_A7X) to encourage participation without fear.
- Topic Difficulty Heatmap — highlights which subjects have the most doubts.
- Resolution Pulse — solved vs. pending ratio with circular progress visualization.
- Peak Activity Timeline — 24-hour bar chart showing when students are most active.
- Personal AI Mentor — per-student weak-topic detection after sufficient engagement.
- AI-powered content moderation flags abusive, off-topic, or spam content before it is posted.
- 3-strike system with escalating temporary account blocks (3 days for first block, increasing for subsequent violations).
- Full audit trail via moderation logs table for admin review.
- Open community board (no classroom required) with subject filters.
- Like, reply, and mark doubts as solved.
- Accessible to all authenticated users.
- Personal dashboard showing doubts asked, replies given, and classrooms joined.
- Activity statistics including helpful votes received.
Student signs up --> Onboarding (university, year, role)
|
v
Joins/Creates a Classroom (via invite code)
|
v
+----------------------------------------------+
| Ask a Doubt (Text or Image Upload) |
| | |
| +----------+--------------+---------------+ |
| | AI Tab | Community Tab| Teacher Tab | |
| | (Groq) | (Peer Reply) | (Direct Ask) | |
| +----------+--------------+---------------+ |
| | |
| Resolution + Follow-up Chat |
| | |
| Analytics Dashboard (Insights for all) |
+----------------------------------------------+
| Layer | Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Framework | Next.js 14 (App Router) | Full-stack React framework with server-side rendering |
| Language | TypeScript | Static type safety across the codebase |
| Authentication | Clerk | User management, session handling, role-based access |
| AI Engine | Groq API (Llama 3.3 / 4) | Ultra-fast LLM inference for doubt solving and moderation |
| Database | Neon PostgreSQL | Serverless Postgres with branching and autoscaling |
| ORM | Drizzle ORM | Type-safe, SQL-like query builder |
| Background Jobs | Inngest | Reliable async workflows and event-driven processing |
| UI Components | Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui | Utility-first styling with accessible component primitives |
| Math Rendering | KaTeX | Client-side LaTeX equation rendering |
| OCR / Vision | Tesseract.js + Vision LLMs | Image-based doubt input and handwriting recognition |
| Notifications | Sonner | Lightweight toast notification system |
| Deployment | Vercel | Edge-optimized hosting with CI/CD |
Screenshots are located in the
screenshots/directory and will be updated as the UI evolves.
A live instance of DoubtDesk is deployed at doubt-desk-seven.vercel.app.
To explore the full classroom experience without setting up your own environment, use the sample classroom below after signing in:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Classroom Invite Code | DNOIRL |
Steps to access:
- Visit the live demo.
- Sign up or sign in using Clerk authentication.
- Complete the onboarding flow (select your university, year, and role).
- Navigate to Classrooms and click Join Classroom.
- Enter the invite code
DNOIRLto join the sample classroom. - Explore all features: post a doubt, use the AI solver, view the community board, and check analytics.
Note for contributors: Using the demo classroom is strongly recommended before working on any issue. It provides context for how the platform works end-to-end.
- Node.js 18 or higher
- npm (bundled with Node.js)
- Git
- API keys for the following services:
# 1. Fork the repository (click Fork on GitHub)
# 2. Clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/DoubtDesk.git
cd DoubtDesk
# 3. Install dependencies
npm install
# 4. Set up environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Fill in your API keys (see Environment Variables below)
# 5. Start the development server
npm run dev
# Open http://localhost:3000Run DoubtDesk in a container using Docker and Docker Compose v2. External services (Neon, Clerk, Groq) are not containerized — configure them in .env as usual.
Prerequisites: Docker Desktop or Docker Engine with Compose v2.
# 1. Configure environment (required before first run)
cp .env.example .env
# Fill in Neon, Clerk, Groq, and other required keys
# 2. Apply database migrations against your Neon instance (one-time / as needed)
npx drizzle-kit migrate
# 3. Build and run the production image
docker compose build
docker compose up
# Open http://localhost:3000
# Stop containers
docker compose downDevelopment with hot reload:
docker compose --profile dev up app-dev| Topic | Notes |
|---|---|
| Required env vars | Same as .env.example and docs/SETUP.md |
| Not containerized | Neon PostgreSQL, Clerk, Groq, Inngest, Upstash, Resend |
| Clerk redirects | Use http://localhost:3000 in Clerk dashboard and NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL |
| Build-time vars | NEXT_PUBLIC_* values are baked at image build; rebuild after changing them |
| Migrations | Run npx drizzle-kit migrate locally before first Docker run |
| Inngest webhooks | /api/inngest needs a public tunnel (e.g. ngrok) to test background jobs locally |
| Video generation | Remotion/ffmpeg may need extra system libraries; test natively if Docker video fails |
DoubtDesk relies on several external services (Clerk, Neon, Groq, Inngest, etc.).
For a complete breakdown of which services are strictly required versus optional, along with a setup verification checklist, please read the Local Environment Setup Guide.
Security: Never commit your
.envfile. It is already included in.gitignore.
DoubtDesk/
├── app/
│ ├── (auth)/ # Clerk authentication pages (sign-in, sign-up)
│ ├── api/ # API routes
│ │ ├── doubts/ # Doubt CRUD and like endpoints
│ │ ├── rooms/ # Classroom creation, joining, management
│ │ ├── analytics/ # Teacher analytics data endpoints
│ │ ├── ask-ai/ # AI solver inference endpoint
│ │ ├── profile/ # User profile data aggregation
│ │ └── inngest/ # Background job webhook handler
│ ├── ask-ai/ # Standalone AI solver page
│ ├── dashboard/ # Analytics dashboard (teacher + student views)
│ ├── onboarding/ # First-time user onboarding flow
│ ├── profile/ # User profile page
│ ├── public-rooms/ # Public doubt board (no classroom required)
│ ├── rooms/ # Classroom list and individual classroom view
│ ├── layout.tsx # Root layout (Clerk provider, global styles)
│ └── page.tsx # Landing page
├── components/ # Reusable UI components
│ ├── ui/ # shadcn/ui primitives (Button, Card, Dialog, etc.)
│ ├── AskAIView.tsx # AI solver conversation component
│ ├── AskDoubt.tsx # Doubt submission modal
│ ├── DashboardLayout.tsx # Authenticated layout wrapper
│ ├── DoubtCard.tsx # Doubt display card with actions
│ └── Sidebar.tsx # Navigation sidebar
├── configs/
│ ├── db.tsx # Neon database connection setup
│ └── schema.ts # Drizzle ORM schema (all tables)
├── lib/
│ ├── moderation.ts # AI content moderation and strike enforcement
│ ├── email.ts # Warning and block notification email helpers
│ └── auth-utils.ts # Authentication utility functions
├── inngest/ # Background job definitions (Inngest functions)
├── scripts/ # Developer utility and database migration scripts
├── screenshots/ # Application screenshots for documentation
└── middleware.tsx # Clerk authentication and route protection middleware
Contributions are welcome from developers of all experience levels. Whether you are fixing a typo, improving the UI, or building a new feature, your work is valued.
Before submitting a pull request, please read the full Contributing Guide.
- Browse open issues on the Issues tab. Filter by
good-first-issueorbeginner-friendlylabels. - Comment on the issue to indicate you are working on it.
- Fork and clone the repository.
- Join the demo classroom using invite code
DNOIRLto understand the product before writing code. - Create a branch following the naming convention:
feature/add-dark-mode-togglefix/classroom-invite-validationdocs/update-readme-screenshots
- Make focused changes with clear, conventional commit messages.
- Test locally using
npm run dev. - Submit a PR against the
mainbranch.
Follow the Conventional Commits standard:
feat: add loading skeleton to AI solver
fix: handle empty classroom state gracefully
docs: add screenshots to README
style: improve mobile responsiveness of classroom cards
refactor: extract doubt card into reusable component
- Use TypeScript with proper interfaces — avoid
anytypes. - Follow the existing component structure in
/componentsand/app. - Use Tailwind CSS for styling, matching the existing dark theme (slate-950 backgrounds, blue-500/600 accents, glassmorphism patterns).
- Keep components focused: one file, one responsibility.
| Label | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
level 1 |
Low | Beginner-friendly tasks: documentation, small UI fixes, adding aria-labels |
level 2 |
Medium | Intermediate tasks: new API routes, component refactors, feature additions |
level 3 |
High | Advanced tasks: real-time systems, authentication flows, architectural changes |
| Label | Description |
|---|---|
good-first-issue |
Small, well-scoped tasks ideal for first-time contributors |
beginner-friendly |
Slightly more involved but still approachable with guidance |
bug |
Something is broken and needs fixing |
enhancement |
New feature or improvement to existing functionality |
documentation |
Improvements to README, guides, or inline code comments |
frontend |
Changes to UI components, pages, or styling |
backend |
Changes to API routes, database queries, or server logic |
ai |
Changes to AI prompts, model handling, or content moderation |
security |
Security-related fixes or hardening |
ui/ux |
User interface and experience improvements |
gssoc |
Part of the GirlScript Summer of Code program |
priority: high |
Must be resolved urgently |
priority: medium |
Should be addressed in the current cycle |
priority: low |
Nice to have, no immediate deadline |
The following is a prioritized list of planned enhancements. Contributions toward any of these are welcome.
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Testing framework | Set up Jest and React Testing Library for unit and integration tests | Planned |
| 404 page | Custom not-found page matching the application design system | Open issue |
| Footer component | Consistent footer across all pages with navigation links | Open issue |
| README screenshots | Render inline screenshots with proper markdown image syntax | Open issue |
| Profile page fixes | TypeScript interfaces, stable user lookup, mobile nav, error states | Open issue |
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time notifications | WebSocket or SSE-based alerts for new doubts, replies, and mentions | Open issue |
| Dark mode toggle | System-aware and manual dark/light mode switching | Open issue |
| Global search | Full-text search across doubts with subject and topic filters | Open issue |
| Helpful upvotes | Allow students to upvote community replies as "helpful" | Open issue |
| Rate limiting | API-level rate limiting to prevent abuse and ensure fair usage | Open issue |
| Separate login flows | Distinct authentication paths for students and teachers | Open issue |
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-language support | Internationalization (i18n) for Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and other regional languages | Planned |
| Mobile application | React Native or PWA for native mobile experience | Planned |
| Gamification | Points, badges, and leaderboards to reward active participants | Planned |
| Export and reports | Teachers can export classroom analytics as PDF/CSV reports | Planned |
| Admin dashboard | Platform-wide moderation panel for project administrators | Planned |
| AI tutor memory | Persistent context across AI sessions for personalized tutoring | Planned |
| Doubt de-duplication | AI-powered detection of duplicate or similar doubts with auto-linking | Planned |
| Video/voice doubts | Support for audio and short video doubt submissions | Planned |
| Classroom announcements | Teachers can broadcast announcements to all classroom members | Planned |
| Integration with LMS | Connect with Google Classroom, Moodle, or Canvas for roster sync | Planned |
We are committed to providing a welcoming and harassment-free experience for everyone. Please read our Code of Conduct before participating.
In short: Be respectful, be constructive, be kind.
If you discover a security vulnerability, please follow the responsible disclosure process described in SECURITY.md.
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.
We appreciate all contributors who helped improve this project ❤️
- Groq for ultra-fast AI inference
- Clerk for seamless authentication
- Neon for serverless PostgreSQL
- shadcn/ui for accessible UI components
- GirlScript Summer of Code for fostering open-source contributions
Built for students and teachers everywhere.