DevTunes FM initially started as a pet project for my own coding sessions. It gradually turned into something that would be useful for other developers too, so I made it public and I still can't believe how far it has come!
I am so grateful to announce that we recently hit a major milestone of 700K+ listens. I want to thank you all for being so supportive and this means the world to me!
To celebrate this I decided to write an article where I could take you behind the scenes and share some of the most valuable lessons I've learned.
Also, I created some visuals to illustrate the core ideas better and gave practical examples for each point. I hope you will enjoy this article!
1. Clear vision is key
When it comes to the vision, having a clear goal is essential. It's the foundation of your project so the more concise it will be the easier it will be to build upon.
Before I started to build anything, I knew my focus would be on simplicity, usability, and the design of the app. I based all my further decisions on that.
2. Planning rewards itself
As A. Lincoln once said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe". The same could be applied to development.
I spent quite a lot of time planning all the features. But it made the design and coding part way easier since I knew what functionality I was going for.
3. UI is thinking made visual
Once you have planned everything, coming up with the UI is like displaying your thought logic so that users can interact with it.
For example, I used Figma to create all of the UI components for the app. The UI is your presentation, so it should be easy to use and straightforward.
4. UX is all about the details
The UX should not be underestimated, since all the little things combined leave an impression on users and affect whether or not they will come back.
I spent time improving UX such as the loading screen, transitions between the background changes, implementing keyboard shortcuts, and more.
5. Passion projects boost motivation
I am a strong believer that passion fuels success, therefore I feel that it is important to work on something that genuinely interests and attracts you.
I've been listening to various genres of electronic subgenres for a couple of decades now and it was a dream of mine to compile them all on this app.
6. Don't settle for less
"Build it and they will come" is a myth! Spread the word about your work wherever you can! Listen to your users and improve your project accordingly.
I launched the project on Product Hunt, wrote about it on DEV, Hashnode, and Medium, and now I'm actively using Twitter and LinkedIn to announce updates.
7. Responsive design = priority
With so many devices out there, your app should be adapted for various screen sizes. Use analytics like Umami to get to know your audience better.
For example, I like to listen to DevTunes FM via the web version while I am coding and I am also listening when I am running or biking via the mobile version.
8. Persistence pays off
Keep learning new stuff, consume quality content, and work on new ideas. No problem is hard enough if you put enough thought into it.
I've been working on DevTunes FM for about two years and learned a lot along the way. I still keep setting new goals and celebrating exciting milestones!
Try it out yourself: radio.madza.dev
Writing has always been my passion and it gives me pleasure to help and inspire people. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
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