A practical guide to plan, design, and ship a web app that helps event organizers manage registrations, ticket sales, attendees, emails, and check-in.

Before choosing features or a tech stack, get painfully clear on who you’re building for and what “success” looks like. This prevents a ticketing platform from turning into a collection of half-finished tools.
Start by naming your primary customer, because each type optimizes for different outcomes:
Write the core job in one sentence, for example: “Help organizers sell tickets and get attendees checked in with minimal effort and errors.”
List the “must work” paths that define the product:
Create event → set ticket types/pricing → publish → attendee registers → payment → ticket issued → check-in via QR → exports/reporting.
If any step is missing or fragile, the app feels incomplete even if it has lots of extra features.
Choose a few measurable outcomes tied to the workflows:
MVP should be “useful on day one”: event creation, ticket sales, confirmations, basic check-in, and simple exports. Save nicer-to-have items (discount rules, seating maps, complex tax logic) for v1 once you’ve validated demand.
Be explicit about budget, timeline, and team skills—they determine whether you build custom everything or lean on existing services. Also note compliance needs (tax invoices, GDPR/CCPA expectations, payment rules) so you don’t redesign later under pressure.
Before picking screens or databases, define what the app must let people do—and who “people” are. A good event management web app usually has a few distinct roles, each with different permissions and expectations.
Keep it simple at first, then expand:
A practical rule: if someone can change money-related fields or event visibility, that should be a separate permission.
Draft the core navigation early so features don’t become random endpoints:
Write short stories that you can verify in one sitting:
Plan these early to avoid messy patches later: sold out, duplicate orders, partial refunds, chargebacks, canceled/rescheduled events, failed email delivery, offline check-in, and transfers/reassigning tickets.
At minimum: event status and capacity, ticket type rules (limits, windows), order/payment status, attendee identity fields, QR code/token, and an append-only check-in log (who checked in whom, when, and on which device). This “paper trail” becomes essential when disputes happen.
A clear data model is the difference between a ticketing platform that’s easy to evolve and an event registration system that constantly needs workarounds. Start by defining the “things” you’ll store (events, ticket types, orders, attendees) and the relationships between them.
An Event should cover scheduling, limits, and publishing:
This structure supports common attendee management needs like hiding draft events, closing sales when capacity is reached, and showing correct local times.
A TicketType defines the offer:
Split commerce into two layers:
Refunds work best as separate records (Refund table) so you can do partial refunds and keep a clear audit trail. Store receipt/invoice fields (billing_name, billing_address, vat_id) on the Order.
An Attendee (or TicketInstance) should include:
Plan for CSV exports early: keep consistent field names (order_number, ticket_type, attendee_name, checked_in_at) and include badge-printing fields.
If you expect integrations later, add lightweight “webhook events” or an outbox table so your admin panel for events can safely trigger exports or API hooks without missing updates.
The best “stack” is the one your team can build, ship, and support without drama. For an event management web app, speed of iteration matters more than theoretical perfection—especially before you know your real traffic patterns.
A single codebase (monolith) is usually the right starting point. It keeps deployment, debugging, and data access straightforward—important when you’re still validating features like ticket types, promo codes, and organizer workflows.
Split into separate services only when you have a clear reason: one part needs independent scaling, teams are tripping over each other, or deployments are becoming risky. Even then, you can often “modularize” within the monolith (separate folders/packages) long before creating microservices.
A common, proven combo looks like this:
Avoid choosing tools just because they’re trendy. The “boring” option often wins when you’re on-call.
If your priority is shipping an MVP fast (event setup, checkout, ticket issuance, QR check-in, and exports), a vibe-coding platform like Koder.ai can help you get from spec to a working app through a chat-driven build process.
Koder.ai is particularly aligned with this kind of product because its default stack maps cleanly to typical ticketing needs—React on the frontend, Go + PostgreSQL on the backend—and you can use features like Planning Mode, snapshots/rollback, and source code export to iterate safely while keeping full ownership of the codebase.
Plan where you’ll store assets like event images, generated invoices, and PDF tickets:
For email confirmations and reminders, use a dedicated provider (SendGrid, Postmark, SES). It improves deliverability and gives you logs when attendees say “I didn’t get my ticket.”
Set up local, staging, and production early, each with separate:
This prevents accidental charges and keeps testing realistic.
Agree on a few basics: formatting (Prettier/Black), linting, commit conventions, and a simple release flow (feature branches + code review + CI checks). Small discipline here reduces bugs in checkout and ticket delivery—where mistakes are most expensive.
Good UX for an event management web app is mostly about reducing uncertainty: attendees want to know what they’re buying, organizers want confidence that sales and check-ins are under control.
Design a simple, repeatable path: event page → ticket selection → checkout → confirmation. Each step should answer one question:
On ticket selection, make availability and rules obvious. Show remaining tickets, sale start/end times (with clear time zones), and what happens when tickets sell out (waitlist, no more sales, or contact organizer).
If you support promo codes, don’t hide the field, but don’t give it equal visual weight as the main actions.
Checkout friction is where registration drops. Keep the initial form minimal (name, email, payment) and use progressive disclosure for optional attendee questions.
Examples that work well:
If you sell multiple tickets in one order, clearly separate buyer info (receipt, payment) from attendee info (names, check-in).
After payment, confirmation should include: event details, ticket summary, QR code access (or “tickets attached”), and a clear next step (“Add to calendar”, “Manage my order”). Add a link to a lightweight order management page like /orders/lookup.
Organizers typically open the dashboard to check three numbers: tickets sold, revenue, and check-ins. Put these at the top, then add fast filters (date, ticket type, status, refunded).
For check-in staff, mobile-first is non-negotiable: big tap targets, high contrast, and a prominent “Scan” / “Search attendee” switch. A slow, cramped interface at the door creates lines fast.
A ticketing app quickly becomes a shared workspace: organizers create events, finance teams handle refunds, and door staff just need to scan tickets. Clear accounts and permissions keep the experience smooth—and reduce costly mistakes.
Support organizer and staff logins with email + password, plus optional MFA if your audience expects it.
For password resets, avoid sending passwords by email. Use one-time, time-limited reset links (for example, 15–60 minutes), store only hashed passwords, and invalidate reset tokens after use. Add rate limits and “same response” messaging so attackers can’t guess whether an email exists.
Define roles, then apply them at the event level. Many teams run multiple events, and someone might be “finance” for one event but “viewer” for another.
Common permission buckets:
Keep permissions explicit (e.g., order.refund, attendee.update) rather than relying on vague “admin” logic.
Create a dedicated Check-in role that can:
But cannot view revenue, issue refunds, or edit ticket prices. This makes it safe to hand a phone to temporary staff.
Record who did what and when for actions like refunds, comping tickets, changing attendee details, or exporting attendee lists. Include the event ID, actor account, timestamp, and before/after values. Audit logs protect your team during disputes and make support far easier later.
Payments are where your app becomes “real”: money moves, expectations rise, and mistakes get expensive. Treat checkout and ticket issuance as one tightly controlled workflow with clear states and audit trails.
Use a provider that supports webhooks and refunds (e.g., Stripe, Adyen, PayPal). Your database should never store raw card numbers or CVV. Instead, store only provider-generated references such as:
payment_intent_id / charge_idcustomer_id (optional)receipt_url (optional)This keeps your system simpler and reduces compliance exposure.
Define order/payment states up front so support, reporting, and emails stay consistent. Common states include:
Use provider webhooks as the source for transitions into “paid” and “refunded,” and keep an immutable event log (even a simple order_events table) for traceability.
Only generate tickets when an order becomes paid (or when an organizer explicitly issues comp tickets). Create a unique ticket code tied to a specific ticket/attendee record, then encode that identifier in a QR code.
Practical rule: the QR payload should be meaningless by itself (e.g., a random token or signed string), and your server validates it before admitting entry.
Implement discount codes with explicit rules: validity window, usage limits, eligible ticket types, and whether they stack. Free tickets and comps should still create an order record (total = 0) so reporting and attendee history remain accurate.
Send receipts and confirmation emails based on the order record, not on UI “success” screens. After payment confirmation, your system should generate tickets, persist them, then send email with links to view tickets (e.g., /orders/{id}) and any QR codes.
Email is the backbone of your event registration system: it reassures buyers, delivers tickets, and reduces support requests. Treat it as a product feature, not an afterthought.
Start with a small set of transactional templates:
Keep subject lines specific (“Your tickets for {EventName}”) and avoid heavy marketing language that can hurt deliverability.
Let organizers add logo, accent color, and a short footer while you keep a consistent HTML structure. Use a fixed layout with “brand slots” rather than fully custom HTML. This prevents broken rendering and reduces spam signals.
From a deliverability standpoint, send from a stable address like [email protected] and use “Reply-To” for the organizer (or a verified sender identity). This gives recipients a familiar sender while still enabling conversation.
At minimum, store email status per message: queued, sent, delivered (if your provider reports it), bounced, complaint. This powers an organizer-facing timeline and helps your team diagnose issues quickly.
Add two critical self-serve actions in the organizer dashboard:
Only add SMS if there’s a clear need (e.g., last-minute venue changes). Make it opt-in, collect consent per attendee, and keep messages strictly informational with a simple opt-out instruction.
The on-site check-in flow is where your app is judged in seconds. Staff need a screen that loads instantly, works in crowded venues, and answers one question: “Is this person allowed in?”
Design a dedicated “Check-In” view (separate from the organizer dashboard). Prioritize speed and big touch targets.
Include two input modes:
For offline-friendly operation, cache the attendee list for a specific event (and only what’s needed for entry) on the device. If connectivity drops, the app can still validate tickets locally and queue sync updates to send later.
Every ticket should have a clear state: Not checked in → Checked in. Scanning a ticket that’s already used should show a strong warning with timestamp and staff member (if available).
Allow overrides only for users with explicit permission (e.g., “Check-in manager”). Overrides should require a reason note so staff can resolve disputes later.
For orders with multiple tickets, support checking in one ticket at a time. Your UI should show remaining tickets and ticket types (e.g., “2 of 4 General Admission left”). This avoids forcing all-or-nothing entry when groups arrive separately.
At the moment of scan/search, display:
Record a check-in event log (scan/search, device/user, time, outcome, override reason). These logs power post-event reporting and give you an audit trail when issues come up.
Good reporting turns your app from “a place to sell tickets” into a tool organizers rely on during planning, the event day, and post-event wrap‑up.
Start with a small set of high-confidence reports that answer common questions:
Keep the numbers consistent with what the organizer sees on order receipts and payout summaries to avoid support tickets.
Reports become far more valuable with a few standard filters:
Offer exports in CSV (and optionally XLSX). Be explicit about what’s in each export: order ID, buyer info, attendee info, ticket type, price, taxes/fees, discount codes, and check-in timestamps.
Also clarify whether exports include PII (email/phone) and provide a “minimal” export option for sharing with partners.
Track a simple funnel per event: event page views → checkout started → payment completed. Even basic counts help organizers spot problems (e.g., lots of checkout starts but few paid orders) and validate promotion performance.
Your internal admin panel should prioritize speed:
Document how long you retain orders, attendee records, and logs, and what happens after retention expires. Make it visible in your help docs (e.g., /help/data-retention) and inside export dialogs so organizers know what they’re downloading and storing.
Security and reliability aren’t “later” tasks for a ticketing app. You’ll store names, emails, and often payment-related metadata—so a few foundational choices early will save painful rewrites.
Start with least-privilege access: organizers should only see events they own, staff should only see what they need for check-in, and admins should be tightly limited. Use role-based permissions in the backend (not just hidden UI).
Encrypt data in transit with HTTPS everywhere, including webhooks and internal services. Store secrets (API keys, webhook signing secrets, database creds) in a managed secrets store or your cloud provider’s secret manager—never in the repo or frontend.
Treat every field as untrusted: event descriptions, attendee names, custom questions, and coupon codes.
Collect only what you need (e.g., name and email for a ticket) and label optional fields clearly. Separate “transactional” emails (receipt, ticket, schedule changes) from marketing emails.
If you allow marketing opt-in, store explicit consent and provide easy unsubscribe links.
Backups are only real if restores work. Automate database backups, keep multiple retention windows, and schedule restore tests to a staging environment.
Write down a simple recovery checklist: who restores, where to restore, and how to verify ticket scanning still works.
Add error tracking for backend and frontend, uptime checks for key endpoints (checkout, webhook handler, check-in API), and alerts for slow queries. A small set of actionable alerts beats noisy dashboards.
Testing and launch are where ticketing apps earn trust. A small bug in checkout or QR validation doesn’t just annoy users—it can block entry at the door. Treat this phase as part of the product, not a final hurdle.
Focus on flows that directly affect money and access. Keep tests high-value and repeatable:
Add a few “contract tests” around your payment provider webhooks so payload changes don’t silently break your order state.
Run a pilot with a small event (even an internal meetup). Give organizers and door staff the staging app for a real rehearsal: create event, sell a few tickets, scan people in, issue a refund, resend tickets.
Collect feedback in a simple form and record where staff hesitates—those are UI fixes worth prioritizing.
Before going live, confirm:
Prepare canned responses and internal steps for disputes, refunds, and ticket resend requests.
After launch, iterate in small batches—waitlists, seating, integrations (CRM/email), and multi-event accounts—guided by real support tickets and organizer feedback.