The idea
Efrei brings together thousands of students, alumni and staff — but there was no shared space to build connections, get organised, or simply know what's happening around campus.
Expr'Efrei, now renamed Nest by Efrei, was born from that observation. An internal social network, exclusively reserved for the Efrei community, designed to become the place where campus life actually happens.
What we built
Posts — Twitter-style
A news feed, short posts, real-time reactivity. Students can share information, opportunities, opinions or discoveries — in an identified, moderated space.
Channels — Discord-style
Themed channels organised by topic, year group, or association. Everyone can join the channels they care about and mute the rest. A way to structure communication without overwhelming everyone.
Polls — targeted per student
Associations, administration, and faculty can create targeted polls: by year, by programme, by status. No more Google Forms dropped in a WhatsApp group. Results flow directly back into the platform.
Association spotlights
Associations get a dedicated space to present themselves, promote their events, and recruit members. A showcase for the entire student society life, accessible to all students from their feed.
The technical stack
Mobile app — Expo (React Native)
The main application is mobile-first. Built with Expo, it runs on iOS and Android from a single codebase. Push notifications, navigation, animations — all designed for a smooth native experience.
API — AdonisJS
The backend is built with AdonisJS, the same framework as this website. A structured REST API with role management, secure authentication, and clean business logic. PostgreSQL for the database.
Web front — React
Alongside the mobile app, a React web interface gives access to the platform from a browser — particularly useful for administration and desktop use cases.
Cloudflare Tunnel
The infrastructure runs through a Cloudflare Tunnel to expose services securely without directly exposing server ports. No direct IP, DDoS protection included, certificates managed automatically.
Security: two pentests
The platform underwent two pentests conducted by independent security profiles. The goal: ensure student data is properly protected before any wider deployment.
The results led to several targeted fixes — authentication, input validation, permission management. The platform is now considered secure.
This isn't a luxury for a student social network — it's a requirement.
Where the project stands
Nest by Efrei is in active development. The goal is an official school-wide deployment, with association onboarding, administrative tool integration, and gradual student adoption.
It's the most ambitious project I've led — in terms of the audience it targets, the technical complexity involved, and the responsibilities that come with it.