To recreate Reddit, only the backend is needed since there are several apps that function as the front end. All the backend problems for a site like Reddit are

To recreate Reddit, only the backend is needed since there are several apps that function as the front end. All the backend problems for a site like Reddit are known and have been solved. Today, it is a nothing burger to create a backend API for Reddit Blue and other third party apps. Imagine creating a backend for Reddit Blue and then asking all its users to switch backends. It is possible to have a toggle button in the settings to switch between the two.