I Rebuilt Workmode From Scratch: What's New

Workmode started with a latte and a slow connection.

I was working my way around Southeast Asia. Every day went the same. Find a nice café. Order a latte. Open my laptop. Run a speed test. 80 Kbps. Again.

So I built a site where people could test the wifi at places they work from, and share it. Simple.

That site did its job for years. But it got old. Every time I wanted to add something, I first had to fight the old code. So I stopped fighting it and started over.

The new Workmode is live now, same address. Here's what changed.

Why I started over

A lot of the old site was held together with tape.

Numbers like a place's rating were updated by jobs that ran in the background. Over time they drifted, and some just ended up wrong. Profile pictures from Facebook broke when Facebook changed its links. And the speed test? It believed whatever number your browser sent. Not great for a site that's all about wifi speed you can trust.

I could've kept patching it. But I wanted to be proud of Workmode again. So new foundations it was.

Nothing got lost

This was the scary part. And the part I cared about most. Everything made it over:

• Places. Over 3,000 cafés, coworking spaces, libraries and hotel lobbies, in more than 400 cities.
• Check-ins. Almost a thousand speed tests, some from years ago.
• Accounts. Had an account before? Sign in the same way you always did. If you used a password, it still works.
• Links. Pages people shared or found on Google still open.

A speed test you can actually trust

The speed test is the heart of Workmode. So it got the most love.

Now your browser sends data back and forth with Workmode's own server, and the server times it. Your browser doesn't get to report its own score anymore. It also stops as soon as the number settles, so most tests take just a few seconds.

When you check in, Workmode uses your location once to see that you're really there. Within 500 metres of the place? Then your check-in is verified.

A place's speed is the middle value of its verified check-ins. So one person on their phone's hotspot can't make a slow café look fast.

Want the nerdy details? They're on the How it works page.

More than a number

Fast wifi is nice. But it won't tell you if a place is loud, or if you'll find a plug.

So after the speed test, you now answer a few quick questions: is it quiet, is the coffee good, are there plugs? You can add photos and write a review too.

Those answers turn into lists for every city. Like the quiet places in Bangkok. There are lists for fast wifi, plugs, good coffee and places open late as well.

Sitting somewhere that isn't on Workmode yet? Add it right from the check-in. Know a great spot but you're not there? Suggest it.

Where can I work right now?

Most days I don't need the best café in town. I need a good one close by that's open. That's what Work now does. It shows places near you that are open right now, with their wifi and scores.

Say hi to the people behind it

Every speed test on Workmode comes from someone who sat down and ran it. Now you can actually see them.

You get a profile with your check-ins, reviews and the cities you've worked from. Your rank goes up with every check-in and review, all the way from Newcomer to Legend. There are badges too, like working from three countries or finding wifi faster than 100 Mbps.

The leaderboard shows who's adding the most, who's been to the most cities, and who found the fastest wifi. The community feed shows what everyone's checking in, reviewing and posting. And every city has a page showing who's working there right now.

Why you now need an account to check in

On the old site you could check in without signing up. Most people did. Those check-ins are staying, and they still count.

New check-ins need an account though. I know, one more step. But a check-in is more than a number now. It has photos, answers and maybe a review. I want that to come from a real person you can click on. And if you put in the work, you should get the credit on your profile and the leaderboard.

Signing up takes a few seconds. Promise.

Still just me

Workmode isn't a company. No team, no office. Just me. I built it, I run it, and I fix it when it breaks.

So if something looks off, a place has closed, or you've got an idea, tell me! I'm @frizurd on X and Telegram. Or use the contact page.

Want to help? Next time you open your laptop somewhere, check in. Your speed test answers the next person's "is the wifi any good here?"

See you out there,

Frizky

Photo by Jantine Doornbos on Unsplash.