Overview
TibetTube is a web application I created to unite the global Tibetan community by simplifying access to content from Tibetan YouTubers. Unlike a YouTube clone, it’s a discovery tool that enhances YouTube’s ecosystem with a tailored interface and community focus. Inspired by older Tibetans struggling to navigate YouTube and the surge of Tibetan creators post-COVID, I built this free, non-profit platform to spotlight their work for a global audience.
Technical Details
- Programming Language: JavaScript (ES6+)
- Frontend: React.js, Tailwind CSS, Lucide React (icons)
- Backend/Data: Supabase (PostgreSQL) for video storage, YouTube Data API v3 for channel and video data
- Deployment: Vite, Vercel for hosting and CI/CD
- Libraries: react-modal for video embedding, react-router-dom for navigation
Key Features
- Dynamic video sections (e.g., "Music," "Random," "Explore Channels") with filtering, sorting, and search
- Responsive modal embedding of YouTube videos (16:9 aspect ratio)
- Real-time data sync with Supabase, falling back to YouTube API when needed
- Dark and Light mode
Challenges Overcome
- Managed YouTube API quota (~10,000 units/day) by caching data in Supabase, designed to scale with more channels
- Ensured responsive design for mobile, adapting fixed-size embeds with CSS aspect ratios
- Built a unique curation layer with YouTube’s API, avoiding a mere UI replication
My Role
I designed and developed TibetTube from the ground up. I integrated APIs and Supabase for efficient data handling, crafted a user-friendly UI with accessibility features (e.g., modal bindings for screen readers), and deployed it on Vercel. I iterated based on real-world testing, refining mobile responsiveness and performance.
What I Learned
- Advanced React skills: state management, hooks, and component composition
- Responsive design with Tailwind CSS and CSS aspect ratios
- API integration, quota management, and database optimization with Supabase
- Adapting an existing platform (YouTube) into a tailored, original solution
Demo
Try TibetTube
Experience it live! Watch videos in-app or jump to YouTube for comments and likes:
Visit TibetTube