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ParkEase: Offline-First Parking System for Lahore

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A team of AI students from Lahore is building ParkEase, an offline-first parking system to tackle urban congestion. The core challenge is handling data in basements with zero cellular signal. Their proposed architecture includes a float-based wallet for pre-loaded payments and a unique hourly block billing algorithm to maximize revenue.

The system relies on guard-operated QR scans for entry and exit, with transactions syncing to Firebase once devices reconnect. The team is using Flutter for the frontend and Node.js for the backend. They're now seeking feedback on security risks for the offline wallet and whether Firebase is cost-effective versus PostgreSQL with WebSockets.

This project highlights the practical need for robust offline solutions in emerging markets. As connectivity remains inconsistent, such architecture choices are critical for real-world deployment. The team's public development from Lahore offers a valuable case study for engineers tackling similar infrastructure constraints.