An alternative dating platform built on authenticity, long-form profiles, and human connection.

Live Site: https://date.val.run

The Date Me Directory is a refreshingly different approach to online dating. Instead of swiping through photos and one-line bios, Date Me hosts a curated collection of Date Me Docs—long-form, earnest dating profiles where people can genuinely express who they are and what they're looking for in a romantic partner.

Think of it as a return to authentic self-expression in the dating world. No algorithms, no endless swiping, just real people sharing their stories.

Learn more about the philosophy →

• Browse Profiles: Explore authentic dating profiles from real people
• Create Your Profile: Submit your own Date Me Doc through a simple form
• RSS Feed: Subscribe to new profiles at /rss.xml
• Location-Based: Find people in your area
• Open & Transparent: Built on Val Town, fully inspectable code

This project is built on Val Town, a serverless TypeScript platform. It uses:

• Hono: Lightweight web framework for routing
• SQLite: Database for storing profiles (via Val Town's std/sqlite)
• Server-Side Rendering: Simple HTML generation, no heavy frontend framework
• RSS: Standard XML feed for profile updates

dateme/
├── index                  # Main app entry point (Hono routes)
├── pages/
│   ├── home              # Landing page
│   ├── browse            # Profile browsing/search
│   ├── join              # Profile submission form
│   ├── faq               # About & philosophy
│   └── layout            # Shared HTML layout
├── rss                   # RSS feed generator
├── locations.json        # Location data
└── MIGRATE.ts            # Database migrations

Since this is a Val Town project, you can:

1. Fork the val on Val Town
2. Edit directly in the Val Town editor
3. View live changes instantly at your val's endpoint

The project uses SQLite with the following main table:

CREATE TABLE profiles (
  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
  name TEXT NOT NULL,
  doc_url TEXT NOT NULL,
  location TEXT,
  created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
  -- ... additional fields
);

See MIGRATE.ts for the full schema and migrations.

• GET / - Home page
• GET /browse - Browse all profiles
• GET /browse?location=... - Filter by location
• GET /join - Display submission form
• POST /join - Submit new profile
• GET /faq - FAQ and philosophy
• GET /rss.xml - RSS feed

• Email verification for new profiles
• Allow users to edit their existing profiles
• Geocoding for better location handling
  • Convert locations to lat/lon coordinates
  • Map-based location input
  • Support for multiple locations per profile
• Make the database forkable (shareable template)

• Performance optimization & caching
• Featured profiles section
• Better search and filtering
• Profile moderation tools
• Email notifications for new matches

This is an open-source project! Here's how you can contribute:

1. Fork the val on Val Town
2. Make your changes in your fork
3. Test thoroughly using your val's endpoint
4. Share your improvements by creating a discussion or reaching out

• Keep the spirit of authenticity and simplicity
• Maintain server-side rendering (no heavy JS frameworks)
• Write clear, documented code
• Test changes with real data

The Date Me Directory is built on the belief that modern dating apps have lost something important: genuine human connection through authentic self-expression. This project aims to bring that back.

Built with ❤️ on Val Town by @stevekrouse

Questions? Check the FAQ or explore the code—it's all open!