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Next.jsAI SDKSQLitePDF

NextStage

Mar 2026 - Apr 2026

A local-first job application workspace for managing resumes, drafting cover letters, tracking applications, and getting writing assistance.

NextStage hiring pipeline dashboard

Why It Was Made

NextStage was made to bring the repetitive parts of job applications into one focused workspace. The product keeps resumes, job descriptions, cover letter drafts, application state, saved question answers, and PDF exports together instead of spreading that work across notes, folders, chat windows, and spreadsheets.

The important product decision was to keep the user in control. Assistance is available for drafting, revision, question answers, tone adjustments, and role-fit edits, but the workspace is built around an editable draft and review loop. The goal is not to have AI apply for jobs or replace judgment; it is to help with specific writing and organization tasks while the candidate decides what to keep, change, submit, or discard.

Features

  • Resume library for uploading text-based PDF resumes, extracting text on the server, and marking a default version.
  • Application creation flow from a job posting URL or pasted job description, company notes, tone, length, and selected resume.
  • Editable cover letter workspace with autosave, word count, generation controls, and plain-text revision.
  • Writing assistance for targeted revisions such as shorter, warmer, more direct, or stronger role fit.
  • Humanizer pass that uses local prompt/rule assets to make drafts sound less generic and more natural.
  • Pipeline views for tracking applications by stage, including list and board layouts, archive/restore flows, and saved stage dates.
  • Saved question-answer workspace for collecting application questions and getting assistance on selected answers.
  • Professional PDF export from the current reviewed draft.

Tech Stack

  • Next.js 16 App Router with Server Components for page data loading and Route Handlers for uploads, generation, revision, and PDF downloads.
  • React 19, Tailwind CSS v4, and shadcn/ui for a restrained internal workspace UI.
  • Vercel AI Gateway through the AI SDK for draft and revision assistance.
  • SQLite with Drizzle ORM for local-first persistence.
  • pdf-parse for resume text extraction and @react-pdf/renderer for PDF output.
  • Vitest and Playwright coverage for prompt helpers, PDF rendering, workspace behavior, and smoke flows.