A map app that finds where both partners can live within their commute limits
A developer built a personal tool to find neighborhoods where both they and their partner could reach their separate workplaces within a set commute time — using real travel time, not straight-line distance. It was made to solve a real relocation decision and shared as a side project.
When two people work in different places and need to find a home together, picking the geographic midpoint often doesn't work well. A spot that looks central on a map might have poor transit connections, making both commutes long. Meanwhile, a location slightly closer to one job might actually work better for both people.
This tool lets users enter two work addresses and a maximum commute time, then highlights on a map every area where both people can reach their offices within that limit — using real public transit or driving times. The creator built it to settle a personal debate with their partner about where to move, then published it publicly. It resonated because many couples face exactly the same problem, making it a strong example of building a niche tool around a very concrete personal need.
Key points
- Enter two work addresses and a time limit — the map shows every neighborhood both people can reach in time
- Uses real transit/driving times, not straight-line distance, so results reflect reality
- Built to solve the creator's own relocation problem, then released publicly
- Classic solo-builder move: your specific problem is often someone else's problem too
- Niche tools that solve one concrete life decision tend to attract strong word-of-mouth
Quick term guide
- persona
- A specific personality or role that an AI agent is set to play.
- share
- A server folder made available to apps or other devices.
- side project
- A small project someone builds outside their main job or main business.
- diff
- A view that shows exactly what changed in the code.
- TRON
- A compact data format made to describe tool use with fewer words for AI systems.
- build
- A chosen set of in-game abilities or items a player equips for their character.
- niche
- A very specific, narrow segment of a market or customer group.
- spec
- A written document describing exactly what a piece of software should do before you build it.