Overview
The Research Platform is a content-first application for publishing long-form research with interactive data components embedded inline.
Think of it as the intersection of a journal, a notebook, and a dashboard.
Motivation
Research consumed on the web is either:
- Dense PDFs that ignore the medium
- Blog posts that strip all the rigour
There is a gap for structured research that is readable and interactive — where the data is not a screenshot but a live component the reader can explore.
Architecture
- Content layer: MDX files with named React component exports
- Charts: Recharts for all data visualisations
- Reading experience: Custom typography, table of contents, reading time, and progress indicator
- Search: Client-side fuzzy search over frontmatter metadata
Design decisions
MDX for content
MDX allows authors to embed interactive React components directly in prose. A chart, a calculator, a table — all live in the same file as the text.
This keeps the content and its interactive elements tightly coupled, reducing drift.
Editorial reading experience
Optimal line length (65–75 characters), generous leading, clear heading hierarchy, and sidenote annotations.
Research should be a pleasure to read, not a chore.
Status
Core reading experience complete. Interactive component system in progress. Expected to ship Q2 2026.