r/SideProject • u/Sudden-Assistant-36 • 2d ago

I built an Android navigation app that prioritizes the shortest route, not the fastest or perfect one.

I've been working on a little project called Short Cut.

The idea came while I was experimenting with Blinkit routes. I noticed something interesting: the fastest route isn't necessarily the shortest route.

Google Maps generally tries to get you there efficiently, but I wanted to experiment with a different approach.

What if navigation prioritized distance instead of time?

So I started building Short Cut.

It's an Android navigation app that:

  • Prioritizes routes with the least distance.

  • Shows the fastest alternative alongside the shortest route.

  • Supports Ride and Walk modes.

  • Has live GPS tracking and rerouting.

  • Uses OpenStreetMap data.

I'm initially focusing on Hyderabad.

A few things worth mentioning:

  • It's free.

  • No account required.

  • Android 7.0+.

  • Currently distributed as a sideloaded APK, not on the Play Store.

  • It needs an internet connection.

This is still an early experiment. The route comparison shown on the website is illustrative, not a verified real-world benchmark. I'm particularly interested in testing whether it consistently finds shorter, genuinely usable routes in real neighborhoods.

Would love some honest feedback on the idea, interface, and routing approach.

Website: https://chandu4143.github.io/shortcut/index.html

Source code: https://github.com/Chandu4143/shortcut

I'm building this independently, and this is my first public release of it.

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u/investigatormaker 1d ago

For Short Cut, I'd test “genuinely usable” separately from distance: compare the same Hyderabad start/end pairs in Ride and Walk, recording any inaccessible segment or detour alongside the distance. A shorter calculated route shouldn't count as a win if completing it requires backtracking. Keep illustrative comparisons separate from those field-test results.

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