eStudent AI - Hybrid Phone App

Overview

The eStudent mobile application was brought to life by Enlivy to transform how students learn and stay organized. The app now features an intuitive design, seamless cross-platform functionality, and powerful AI-driven tools like smart chat, note-taking, and a job board. Enlivy achieved this by leveraging Flutter for development, integrating Firebase and OpenAI, and ensuring a responsive, user-focused experience across all devices.

The objective

Enlivy’s primary goal for the eStudent project was to create a mobile application that leverages AI to enhance students’ learning experiences. The app integrates an intelligent AI-powered chat to provide real-time assistance and personalized support. Our team focused on delivering a seamless cross-platform solution, ensuring that features like smart note-taking and job board integration complemented the AI-driven capabilities.

We worked closely with the client to ensure the app met all functional needs while providing an intuitive, user-friendly experience.

Context and Challenge

8bytes, a forward-thinking technology company, aimed to revolutionize the student learning experience with an AI-powered mobile application. The goal was to create a tool that would not only assist students with learning but also provide personalized support, streamline study management, and connect them with career opportunities. With the increasing reliance on mobile devices and the demand for smarter, more efficient learning solutions, 8bytes wanted to develop an app that could quickly adapt to students’ needs and help them thrive academically.

The challenge was to integrate AI technology seamlessly into a user-friendly mobile application, enabling students to efficiently track their progress, take notes, and access career resources in a single platform. The app had to be intuitive, cross-platform, and offer real-time support through intelligent chat features, all while being scalable to handle varying student needs. The solution had to meet the client’s vision of creating a comprehensive, fast, and interactive learning environment for students at all levels.

The goal was to create a mobile application that would serve as a valuable tool for students, helping them to improve their learning outcomes and career prospects. The application needed to be fully responsive, ensuring optimal functionality across various mobile devices, including phones and tablets.

Our top priorities for the project:

AI Integration

Incorporating AI-powered features such as intelligent chat and note summarization to assist students in their learning process.
Modular Architecture

Building a scalable and maintainable codebase that allows for future updates and enhancements with minimal complexity.
User Experience (UX) Design

Designing an intuitive, user-friendly interface that provides easy navigation and a consistent experience across devices.
Cross-Platform Development

Ensuring the app functions seamlessly on both iOS and Android platforms using Flutter for efficient development.
iNotes Development

Creating a robust note-taking system that integrates AI features for better organization, summarization, and content management.
Job Board Integration

Offering students access to career opportunities through a job board with user-specific access restrictions based on subscription levels.
User Authentication and Security

Implementing secure authentication and profile management to ensure privacy and data protection.
Payment Integration

Managing user subscriptions and premium features with secure and reliable payment processing through Stripe.
Performance Optimization

Ensuring fast, responsive performance across varying device capabilities and screen sizes.

Key Focus Areas and Technical Challenges

With the increasing demand for mobile-first platforms, eStudent aimed to empower students through a mobile app that was not only functional but enhanced with AI-powered tools. Here’s a breakdown of the core features we developed and the challenges we tackled:

1

Compatibility Issues

Ensuring compatibility with new iOS versions (e.g., iOS 18) and updates to the Flutter framework. This required the team to stay up-to-date with the latest changes in the mobile development ecosystem and adapt the application accordingly.
2

Code Maintenance

Managing the growing size of code files, which became increasingly complex and difficult to maintain. This could lead to increased development time, a higher risk of errors, and difficulty in adding new features.
3

AI Chat Optimization

Optimizing the AI chat for speed and responsiveness while managing OpenAI API costs, balancing the need for high-quality assistance with controlling expenses to ensure a smooth user experience without unnecessary overhead.
4

Bug Fixing

Identifying and fixing various bugs and issues that arose during development, including problems with file uploads, display issues, and device-specific bugs. These bugs could affect the application’s functionality, performance, and user experience.
5

Technical & Infrastructure

We managed file uploads, cloud storage integration, and various file types, ensured secure user authentication, and maintained efficient app state and data flow to deliver a stable, reliable, and user-friendly application experience.

The Solution

How We Brought It All Together

The development of the eStudent.ro mobile application required a unified approach, combining cross-platform development, cloud infrastructure, AI services, secure payment processing, and modular architecture. We used Flutter, Firebase, and OpenAI technologies to build a solution tailored to modern student needs.

Throughout the project, we focused on delivering a smooth and consistent user experience across iOS and Android. Every feature, from AI chat to smart note-taking and job discovery, was carefully designed, tested, and optimized to ensure speed, security, and accessibility.

Below is an overview of how the core components were implemented:

Cross-Platform Development with Flutter

Flutter was selected for its ability to deliver a consistent UI/UX across both iOS and Android from a single codebase.

Enabled rapid iteration cycles using Flutter’s hot reload during development.

Leveraged Flutter’s custom widget system to build a modular and scalable interface.
Backend Architecture with Firebase

Firestore served as the real-time NoSQL database, handling structured data such as user profiles, notes, uploaded files, and job listings.

Firebase Cloud Functions handled server-side logic, including processing AI requests, managing Stripe webhooks, and data sanitization.

Firebase Cloud Storage was used for handling file uploads (PDF, DOCX, XLSX), with automatic content-type detection and metadata storage.
AI-Powered Features via OpenAI API

Integrated the OpenAI GPT model to power both the AI Chat and iNotes modules.

Implemented prompt optimization logic to ensure relevant, structured responses depending on user context (e.g., question-answering, summarization).

AI chat supports both free-form queries and context-based assistance (e.g., referencing uploaded files).

Included fallback mechanisms and content moderation to handle edge cases or inappropriate prompts.
iNotes AI-Augmented Note System

Designed a WYSIWYG-style editor supporting rich text formatting, image embedding, and markdown support.

Enabled AI-assisted features: summarization, auto-highlighting, and content expansion based on selected text blocks.

Synchronized notes across devices via Firestore listeners and offline persistence.
Payment System via Stripe

Integrated Stripe Checkout for subscription handling, with support for recurring payments and plan upgrades.

Implemented webhook listeners for managing lifecycle events (subscription created, renewed, canceled).
Job Board Integration and Access Control

Built a dynamic job board with filtering and tagging capabilities, integrated with external APIs and partner job feeds.

Developed role- and plan-based access control using Firestore rules and Firebase Functions to restrict premium content.

Enabled saving, bookmarking, and tracking of user interactions with job listings.

Main Features

The eStudent.ro mobile application was built to provide a powerful, AI-driven platform that helps students manage their studies, career preparation, and daily academic workflows. To achieve this, we implemented several core modules, each designed to address specific needs through intelligent design and robust technology.

Each of the following features was developed with careful attention to technical performance, usability, and scalability.

Key implemented elements and features include:

AI Chat (AI-Powered Student Assistant)

A conversational AI tool that helps students by answering questions, explaining concepts, and reviewing uploaded documents using OpenAI’s API, optimized for mobile with real-time response streaming.
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iNotes

An AI-enhanced note-taking system allowing students to format, organize, and sync notes. Includes summarization and content expansion using AI for smarter studying and better information retention.
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Job Board

A curated job and internship board that pulls listings from external APIs. Features search, filters, save options, and access control based on the user’s subscription level.
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User Authentication

Secure login and account management using Firebase Authentication. Supports email and social login, with secure handling of user data and seamless access across devices.
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Subscription Management

Stripe-powered system for handling premium subscriptions, payments, and feature access. Users can manage billing, upgrade plans, and access exclusive content securely.
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File Upload & AI Parsing

Students can upload PDFs, Word, or Excel files which are parsed and interpreted by AI to answer questions, summarize content, or assist with studying directly in the chat.
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Rich Text Editor

Integrated Quill editor allows users to take well-formatted, structured notes. Includes support for headings, lists, and other styling features needed for academic writing.
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Real-Time Sync

All notes, preferences, and user data are synced across devices in real time via Firebase Firestore, ensuring seamless access whether switching between phone or tablet.
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AI Chat

The AI Chat Assistant is the core feature of the eStudent.ro mobile application, designed to empower students with instant, intelligent academic support. Built using Flutter, the chat interface offers a clean, mobile-optimized user experience, ensuring usability across a wide range of devices and screen sizes.

At its core, the assistant integrates the OpenAI API to enable natural language interactions. Students can ask complex questions, seek explanations, or request learning resources, and the AI responds with accurate, context-aware answers. To enhance functionality, the team implemented streamed responses, allowing users to see answers as they are generated, creating a faster and more dynamic interaction flow.

A standout feature of the chat is its ability to handle multi-format inputs. Students can upload documents: such as PDFs, Word files, or spreadsheets, which are automatically parsed and converted into clean text. This content is then used as contextual input for the AI, allowing it to summarize documents, answer file-specific questions, or extract key insights directly from the uploaded material.

From a backend perspective, the team developed a robust mechanism for query preprocessing and prompt engineering, ensuring that student input, whether typed or extracted from files is converted into optimized queries for the OpenAI model. This careful orchestration results in highly relevant, educationally focused responses that are both timely and reliable.

With efficient data handling and seamless integration of advanced AI technologies, the AI Chat Assistant transforms the way students engage with information: delivering clarity, speed, and personalized learning at their fingertips.

iNotes

iNotes is a powerful and AI-enhanced note-taking module designed to help students capture, organize, and expand their study material efficiently. The integration of advanced AI capabilities provides students with dynamic tools that enhance their learning experience. Below is a detailed breakdown of the technical approach and features integrated into iNotes:

Rich Text Editing

Integrated using the Quill Editor for Flutter, allowing students to format their notes with headings, bold/italic styles, bullet points, and more.
AI Summarization & Expansion

Students can highlight sections of their notes and use built-in OpenAI tools to generate summaries or expand on concepts, helping to improve comprehension and retention.
Cloud Sync

All notes are stored in Firebase Firestore, enabling real-time synchronization across devices and offline editing capabilities.
File Attachments

Users can upload PDFs, Word files, and images, stored securely in Firebase Storage and linked to specific notes.

Job Board

The Job Board (Careers in app) was developed to connect students with curated job and internship opportunities, tailored to their academic and career interests. Built with usability and scalability in mind, it offers a seamless experience for students to discover, filter, and save relevant listings.

Key Implementation Details

Third-Party API Integration

The platform aggregates job listings from external sources and presents them in a structured, user-friendly interface. This feature ensures that students have access to fresh, relevant opportunities without the need for manual data entry or maintenance.
Subscription-Based Access Control

Access to specific listings is determined by each user’s subscription level. The application checks the subscription status using Firebase Authentication and Stripe, ensuring that only eligible users can view premium content.
Search, Filter & Save Functionality

Students can search by title, company, or keywords, and apply filters such as category or location. The queries run against the Firestore database, providing fast and dynamic results. Users can also bookmark job listings for later viewing, with saved data synced across devices.

User Authentication

The eStudent app supports multiple sign-in options to make the onboarding process as smooth and accessible as possible. Users can log in using their Apple ID, Google account, phone number, or email and password, whichever works best for them.

Authentication is handled securely through Firebase, ensuring user data is protected. Once signed in, users gain access to features based on their account type and subscription level.

Subscription Management

The eStudent app includes a built-in subscription system that allows users to upgrade, downgrade, or cancel their plans directly from the app. Payments and billing are handled through Stripe, ensuring secure and reliable transactions.

Subscription status is synced in real time with the app, unlocking premium features such as AI-powered tools, enhanced job listings, and advanced note-taking capabilities for subscribed users. The integration also supports automatic access control, so users only see the features available to their current plan.

iOS (App Store Subscriptions)

On iOS, users manage their subscriptions directly through the App Store. This native integration ensures a familiar and secure experience for Apple users, handling payments, renewals, and cancellations seamlessly within their Apple ID account.
Android (Stripe Payment Sheet)

For Android users, the app integrates Stripe’s Payment Sheet, offering a secure and smooth in-app payment flow. Users can subscribe, upgrade, or cancel plans without leaving the app, with real-time updates to their subscription status.
Web (Stripe Checkout Session)

On the web platform, eStudent uses Stripe Checkout Sessions to handle all billing and subscription actions. This ensures a secure and responsive experience, giving users access to premium features instantly after completing payment.

Stripe Payment Sheet (Android) and Stripe Checkout Session (Web)

File Upload & AI Parsing

The eStudent app allows users to upload various types of files, including PDFs, Word documents, and Excel sheets, directly into the application. Once a file is uploaded, the app utilizes AI-driven parsing to extract and process the content. This functionality enhances the user experience by enabling text-based queries within the app that include data from these uploaded files.

The AI parsing feature works by leveraging the OpenAI API to analyze the content of the uploaded files. The extracted information is then used to answer user queries, summarize documents, or provide additional insights, making it easier for students to interact with their academic resources without needing to manually transcribe or process the data.

Rich Text Editor

The iNotes feature is powered by a robust rich text editor designed to help students take clear, structured, and customizable notes. Built using Quill for Flutter, the editor delivers a seamless writing experience across both iOS and Android platforms, with smooth formatting tools and a responsive interface.

Students can easily format their notes to suit different learning styles, thanks to a range of built-in tools:

Headings and subheadings for structured outlines
Bold, italic, and underline for emphasis
Bullet points and numbered lists for organization
Links and inline code blocks for reference
Real-time syncing through Firestore for cross-device access

Real Time Sync

Real-time sync means that any changes made by the user in the app, such as writing, editing, or formatting a note – are instantly saved and updated across all devices connected to the same account, without needing to manually press a “Save” button.

In the case of iNotes, this is made possible through Firebase Firestore, which listens for changes in the database and reflects them immediately in the user interface. So, if a student adds a sentence to a note on their phone, that same sentence appears right away on their tablet or another device where they’re logged in.

The Results

The eStudent mobile app has become a powerful tool for students, combining AI, usability, and performance across both iOS and Android. The AI chat feature provides real-time support, answering questions instantly, while iNotes enhances note-taking with AI-assisted summarization and expansion, improving retention.

The app also includes a personalized job board, with access based on subscription levels, and ensures real-time synchronization for seamless content access across devices. Secure authentication options like Apple, Google, and phone logins provide flexibility and safety. With easy subscription management and payment via Stripe, eStudent offers an all-in-one platform to support students’ learning and career growth.

The app also includes a personalized job board, with access based on subscription levels, and ensures real-time synchronization for seamless content access across devices. Secure authentication options like Apple, Google, and phone logins provide flexibility and safety. With easy subscription management and payment via Stripe, eStudent offers an all-in-one platform to support students’ learning and career growth.

We truly enjoyed working on the eStudent project and are proud of the results achieved. It was a rewarding challenge that combined technology, education, and real-world impact.

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eStudent AI – Hybrid Phone App Mobile Application

Technology

Mobile App Dev & AI Consulting for IT Services Company