Building Feedify: A Modern RSS Reader with Go, React, and PostgreSQL

Nikolaj Jensen • Mar 18, 2025
4 min

Building Feedify: A Modern RSS Reader with Go, React, and PostgreSQL

When I set out to build Feedify, my goal was to create a fast, efficient, and privacy-focused RSS reader that could handle large amounts of content seamlessly. To achieve this, I chose a modern and scalable tech stack that balances performance, maintainability, and developer experience.

Here’s a deep dive into how Feedify is built under the hood.

🚀 Backend: Go + Chi + PostgreSQL + SQLC

Go as the API Backbone

Feedify’s backend is powered by Go, known for its performance, concurrency model, and simplicity. Go’s lightweight nature ensures that API requests are handled efficiently, even under high load.

Routing with Chi

For routing, I use Chi, a lightweight and composable router that makes it easy to define routes while maintaining flexibility. Chi allows for middlewares, grouping, and fine-grained control over HTTP handlers without unnecessary complexity.

Example of a simple API route in Feedify:

r := chi.NewRouter()
r.Get("/feeds", GetFeedsHandler)
r.Post("/feeds", CreateFeedHandler)
r.Get("/feeds/{id}", GetFeedHandler)

PostgreSQL for Data Storage

All user data, including subscriptions, articles, and settings, are stored in PostgreSQL. Postgres is a powerful, battle-tested relational database that scales well and supports JSONB fields when needed.

SQLC for Schema Management

I use SQLC to generate Go code from SQL queries, ensuring type safety and eliminating the need for an ORM. This provides the benefits of raw SQL performance while maintaining maintainable Go code.

Example SQLC query for fetching feeds:

-- name: GetUserFeeds :many
SELECT * FROM feeds WHERE user_id = $1 ORDER BY created_at DESC;

Then, in Go, I can call:

feeds, err := queries.GetUserFeeds(ctx, userID)

This approach ensures that my database interactions remain efficient and type-safe.

⚡ Frontend: Vite + React + TypeScript

React for the UI

The frontend is built using React, providing a reactive, component-based architecture that ensures a smooth user experience. The app is optimized for speed and usability, with an intuitive three-column layout for navigation.

Vite for Fast Builds

Instead of using Webpack, I chose Vite for an incredibly fast development experience. Vite’s hot module replacement (HMR) and instant server startup make frontend development significantly smoother.

TanStack Query for Data Fetching

To handle API calls and caching efficiently, I use TanStack Query (formerly React Query). It simplifies data fetching, caching, and synchronization with the server.

Example usage:

const { data: feeds, isLoading } = useQuery(["feeds"], fetchFeeds);

This eliminates the need for unnecessary state management and ensures efficient updates.

💳 Stripe for Payments

Feedify offers both monthly and yearly subscription plans, managed via Stripe. I use Stripe’s Checkout API to handle secure payments with minimal integration overhead.

Example Stripe implementation:

params := &stripe.CheckoutSessionParams{
    PaymentMethodTypes: stripe.StringSlice([]string{"card"}),
    Mode:              stripe.String("subscription"),
    SuccessURL:        stripe.String(successURL),
    CancelURL:         stripe.String(cancelURL),
}
session, err := session.New(params)

This ensures seamless and secure transactions while keeping the implementation straightforward.

🔥 Key Takeaways

  • Go + Chi provide a robust backend with high performance and maintainability.
  • PostgreSQL + SQLC allow type-safe, efficient database interactions.
  • React + Vite ensure a fast, modern frontend experience.
  • TanStack Query simplifies API calls and caching.
  • Stripe handles payments securely and efficiently.

Feedify is built to be fast, reliable, and enjoyable for both end-users and developers. If you’re interested, check it out at feedify.app and let me know what you think!

Would love to hear from fellow developers—what’s your go-to stack for building modern web apps?

~nikolajjsj