We all have to agree that Twitter is one of the most amazing social media platforms there is right now. It's on fire, and everyone is dancing in its flames. It's gone from a site that hosts weird opinions and fights, to one that can be leveled for networking and making strong connections.
Enough about the real Twitter. What if I told you, that I was making my own Twitter. A purple one at that.
Hear me out.
A few months ago, I was reached out to by a friend who wanted to help me level up my JavaScript skills. I was so excited because the opportunity itself was going to help me polish my skills by working with someone far ahead of me. And that's when he suggested that we build a Twitter clone using vanilla Javascript. In case you're wondering, said he is Sergii Kirianov. Shout out to you, buddy!
How far have I gone?
Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I am currently undertaking the project on my own. I am slowly building the front end with Tailwind CSS, and I hope to start adding some interactivity with JavaScript when I'm done with the layouts.
Here are a few images :)
At the time of writing this article, the above page was still under construction.
I wasn't going for an exact copy of Twitter, so I left certain features out and included some of mine as I coded. And in my little parallel Twitter universe, I somehow have 10 million followers.
Why did I keep going?
Simple. Because the project means much to me, even if the idea wasn't initially mine. Before starting this, I couldn't use Tailwind CSS without an open tab of the docs and a lineup of articles, checking each utility class before I implemented it.
I'm not saying I'm an expert now, but I've gotten fairly better since I started. Google is still my best friend because who isn't it friends with, and I am learning new stuff every day.
What could go wrong?
A lot. I'm known for stashing unfinished projects under my bed. But this one though? I think I'll stick around to finish it. Mostly because I'm learning a lot as I build.
I don't have a lot of skills. Yet.
It can be demotivating. I'll have to stop and take a break at some point because I'm not versed with a lot of technologies, and I'll need to catch a few ropes before I continue. But like I said, this might be the side project that I actually finish! Even if it takes me forever.
Will I finish it alone?
If I ever become smart enough, I might.
Truth is, for now, I'm still taking baby steps with front-end development. I do hope my partner can be in a position that allows us to work together again in the future because I will definitely be needing lots and lots of help as I go. Whatever the case may be, I will certainly be finishing this project one day, and then I can have my own social media platform to myself.
The Aim of this Series
As I build and go forward, I want to share my experiences with the community. I'm slowly becoming a die-hard fan of Tailwind, so a few articles in this series will be based on a few features I build with it.
I hope you can stick around to watch me build up this project from the ground, and feel free to share your thoughts and any feedback you might have. I also update my progress regularly on my (real) twitter in case you'd be interested in something like that.
And if you already see my updates on Twitter, thank you for the massive support and feedback I get. A girl can only be so happy.