Building a VWO-inspired experimentation platform

Over the past few days, I’ve been working on something exciting—a platform that allows teams to run A/B tests, split URL experiments, and eventually multivariate tests, heatmaps, and session recordings. Inspired by tools like VWO and Optimizely, this is my take on building a leaner, dev-friendly alternative—starting with Supabase as the backend and React for the frontend.

The vision is to give marketers, product teams, and designers the power to test ideas, personalize experiences, and measure performance—without the bloat or cost of enterprise-level platforms.

Let me give you a peek into what I’m building.

Phase One: A/B and Split URL Testing

The first release will include two core features:

✅ A/B Testing

Teams will be able to:

• Create A/B tests with multiple variants
• Define goals (clicks, time on page, form submissions)
• View real-time results and statistical significance
• Run visual vs. code-based experiments (dev mode)

✅ Split URL Testing

Sometimes you need to test two entirely different page layouts or flows. Split URL testing will:

• Serve different URLs to different audience segments
• Support traffic weighting
• Allow quick linking between staging and live environments

All tests will be logged, versioned, and analyzable via an integrated dashboard.

AI Tools Used in the Build Process

I leveraged AI to streamline planning and execution throughout this project:

• Initial brainstorming with ChatGPT – Crafting the foundational project prompt.
• Claude AI – Generating a comprehensive development prompt covering features and architecture.
• Lovable – Producing the first draft of development code snippets.
• Claude Code API – Working directly within Terminal, with full access to the codebase for iterative coding and refinement.

These tools accelerated my progress, but the true value came from iterative refinement and domain knowledge.

Tech Stack: Built for Speed and Scalability

Here’s the stack I’m working with:

• Frontend: React + Tailwind, built with component reusability and speed in mind
• Backend: Supabase (PostgreSQL, Auth, Realtime, Edge Functions)
• Editor/Dev Tools: Visual Studio Code + GitHub integration
• Build and deploy: Vercel
• Feature Management (Planned): Flag-based control and remote config for phased rollouts
• Analytics Layer (Coming Soon): Custom event tracking, conversion tagging, and behavior insights

Why Supabase? It’s fast, scalable, and offers exactly what I need for a data-heavy product without the overhead of Firebase or a custom backend.

The Bigger Vision: A Complete Experimentation Suite

Eventually, this will evolve into a modular experimentation platform with:

• Multivariate Testing: Test multiple variables and combinations to optimize complex flows
• Heatmaps & Scroll Maps: Visualize user engagement on a per-element level
• Session Recordings: Watch how real users interact with your site
• Personalization: Serve tailored content or layouts based on user segments
• Surveys & Feedback Loops: Capture qualitative input during and after tests
• Feature Flags: Gradually roll out new features to specific user segments

Think of it as a lean, customizable VWO or Optimizely alternative—built for modern teams, solo founders, and agencies who want power without the price tag.

Who This Is For

I’m building this for:

• Marketers who want to test headlines or offers without relying on devs
• Designers who want to validate UI changes with real users
• Product teams who need rapid experimentation to drive KPIs
• Startups and agencies who want testing tools without the enterprise bloat

Why I'm Building It Myself

As a product designer with dev experience, I constantly hear from clients who:

• Want to test changes but lack the tools
• Rely too heavily on assumptions, not data
• Spend too much on platforms they barely use

This platform is my response: a lean, test-first toolkit for teams that want clarity, not complexity.

Want Early Access or Collaboration?

This project is still in progress—but I’m already running internal demos. If you:

• Want to test your site or app with early access
• Are a developer interested in contributing
• Are an agency that wants to use this for clients

Final Thoughts

Building a platform like this from the ground up is no small task—but it’s one that combines everything I love: UX design, product thinking, and functional development. The goal is simple: make it easy to test, measure, and improve anything you build—without guesswork.

Stay tuned. Phase one is coming soon.

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