Phase 4: Comparison view for overlapping resource clusters

Start with PRD §8.9 and the existing route map, then inspect the resource fields used by the planned /compare/[set] route. Create the three hand-picked comparison sets, the dynamic page, and the comparison table in the named files, then add navigation from relevant category pages or resource cards. Done means all three sets render the specified columns responsively with links, badges, a highlighted Free cost type, and a sticky header.

Description

Implement comparison view as specified in PRD §8.9. This is a P1 requirement for Phase 4.

Acceptance Criteria (from PRD §8.9)

• For pre-defined overlapping clusters (cloud credits, AI coding assistants, design tools) show a side-by-side table
• v1 ships with 3 hand-picked comparison sets; more added as content, not as a user-facing "build your own comparison" tool

Current State

• Route map shows /compare/[set] as planned route
• No comparison page or data exists yet
• Resources have categories and tags that can define comparison sets

Implementation Plan

1. Define comparison sets (hand-picked, 3 initial):
   • Cloud Credits: AWS, Azure, GCP, DigitalOcean, Vercel, etc.
   • AI Coding Assistants: GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Codeium, Tabnine, etc.
   • Design Tools: Figma, Canva, Framer, etc.
2. Create comparison data structure:
   • Could be a JSON file or database table
   • Each set: slug, name, description, resource slugs[]
3. Build /compare/[set] page:
   • Dynamic route: src/app/compare/[set]/page.tsx
   • Fetch resources for the set
   • Render side-by-side comparison table
4. Comparison table columns:
   • Name / Tagline
   • Cost Type (Free/Discount/Credits)
   • Verification Required
   • Credit Card Required
   • Duration
   • Platform tags
   • Claim Link
5. Navigation: Add links from relevant category pages or resource cards

Files to Create

• src/lib/comparisons.ts - comparison set definitions
• src/app/compare/[set]/page.tsx (new) - comparison page
• src/components/comparison/comparison-table.tsx (new) - table component

Comparison Set Definition Example

export const COMPARISON_SETS = {
  'cloud-credits': {
    slug: 'cloud-credits',
    name: 'Cloud Credits Comparison',
    description: 'Compare free cloud credits for student developers',
    resourceSlugs: ['aws-free-tier', 'azure-student', 'gcp-free-tier', 'digitalocean', 'vercel-pro'],
  },
  'ai-coding-assistants': {
    slug: 'ai-coding-assistants',
    name: 'AI Coding Assistants',
    description: 'AI-powered code completion and generation tools',
    resourceSlugs: ['github-copilot', 'cursor', 'codeium', 'tabnine'],
  },
  'design-tools': {
    slug: 'design-tools',
    name: 'Design Tools for Students',
    description: 'Professional design tools with student plans',
    resourceSlugs: ['figma', 'canva-education', 'framer'],
  },
};

UX Notes

• Table should be responsive (horizontal scroll on mobile)
• Highlight "Free" cost type
• Show verification badges
• Sticky header for scroll
• Link to individual resource or claim URL