Social Media App Architecture Design

I’m mapping out a new social platform that will debut on both iOS and Android. Core features include user profiles and timelines, real-time messaging and chat, rich media sharing for photos and videos, in-app games, plus peer-to-peer sharing. To launch smoothly and scale fast I need a seasoned software architect who can translate these requirements into a complete, future-proof technical blueprint.

Scope
You will own the high-level and low-level architecture: selecting the most suitable tech stack, defining backend services, data stores, and crafting a secure, resilient server and network topology. I already have a shortlist of preferred languages and frameworks and will share them once we connect, but I’m open to your rationale on each layer—from mobile client frameworks through API design (REST or GraphQL) to infrastructure choices such as AWS, GCP, or hybrid setups.

Key deliverables
• Architecture document covering component diagrams, data flow, and integration points
• Scalable database schema and storage strategy (SQL and/or NoSQL)
• Network and server topology with security zones, load balancing, and CDN recommendations
• Deployment and CI/CD pipeline outline (Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform or equivalents)
• Cost-aware scaling plan with capacity estimates and monitoring hooks
• Risk list and mitigation strategies, especially around media storage, chat latency, and P2P traffic

Acceptance criteria
The documentation should be detailed enough for a development team to begin implementation without re-architecting. Diagrams must be clear, all assumptions stated, and every technology choice justified against performance, cost, and maintainability.

If you have a track record architecting social or high-traffic mobile products and can back it up with portfolio examples or whitepapers, I’d love to review them and get started.