Build a Hulu Clone with React, Tailwind CSS, and TypeScript in 2024

Want to learn how to build a modern web application using the latest technologies? This article walks you through creating a Hulu clone using React, Tailwind CSS, and TypeScript. We’ll cover everything from setting up your development environment to deploying your finished application. An accompanying video walks through the full process.

This project demonstrates how to build a Hulu clone using React, Tailwind CSS, and TypeScript. You’ll learn to create a responsive user interface with a dynamic movie list, complete with hover effects and a functional slider. We’ll also explore how to fetch data from a TMDB API and deploy your application using Vercel. The result is a fully functional, visually appealing web application that mimics the core features of Hulu.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

First, you’ll need to set up your development environment. This involves installing Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager). Once you have those installed, you can create a new React project using Vite.

Open your terminal and navigate to the directory where you want to create your project. Then, run the following command:

npm create vite@latest

The command prompt will ask you for the project name. Enter hulu-clone. Then, choose React as your framework and TypeScript as your variant.

Next, navigate into your project directory:

cd hulu-clone

Finally, install the dependencies:

npm install

Integrating Tailwind CSS

Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that allows you to rapidly style your application. To integrate Tailwind CSS into your project, follow these steps.

First, install Tailwind CSS and its peer dependencies:

npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer

Next, generate your tailwind.config.js and postcss.config.js files:

npx tailwindcss init -p

This command creates two files: tailwind.config.js and postcss.config.js. Open tailwind.config.js and configure the template paths. This step ensures that Tailwind CSS can scan your files for the CSS classes you’ll be using. Add the following lines to the content array in tailwind.config.js:

"./index.html", "./src/*/.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",

Open src/index.css and add the following Tailwind directives:

@tailwind base; @tailwind components; @tailwind utilities;

Folder Structure and Core Components

Organizing your project with a clear folder structure is essential for maintainability. A good approach is to create separate folders for components, assets, and utilities. For the Hulu clone, start with a components folder to house the individual UI elements.

Inside the components folder, create the following files:

• Header.tsx: For the main navigation bar
• MovieList.tsx: To display a list of movies
• MovieCard.tsx: To render individual movie cards

These components will form the basic structure of your application’s user interface.

Fetching Data from the TMDB API

To populate your Hulu clone with movie data, you’ll need to fetch data from an API. The TMDB (The Movie Database) API is a great option for this purpose.

First, sign up for a TMDB API key. Once you have your API key, you can use it to make requests to the TMDB API.

Create a new file called api.ts to handle API requests. In this file, define a function to fetch a list of movies. Here’s an example:

const API_KEY = "YOUR_TMDB_API_KEY";

export const getMovies = async () => { const response = await fetch( https://api.themoviedb.org/3/trending/movie/week?api_key=${API_KEY} ); const data = await response.json(); return data.results; };

Replace "YOUR_TMDB_API_KEY" with your actual TMDB API key. This function fetches trending movies from the TMDB API.

Building the User Interface with React and Tailwind CSS

Now, let’s build the user interface using React and Tailwind CSS. Start by creating the Header component. This component will contain the Hulu logo, navigation links, and a search bar.

In Header.tsx, add the following code:

import React from "react";

const Header = () => { return (

Hulu 2.0

); };

export default Header;

This code creates a simple header with a title and navigation links, styled with Tailwind CSS classes.

Next, create the MovieList component to display a list of movies. This component will fetch data from the TMDB API and render a list of MovieCard components.

In MovieList.tsx, add the following code:

import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react"; import { getMovies } from "../api"; import MovieCard from "./MovieCard";

const MovieList = () => { const [movies, setMovies] = useState([]);

useEffect(() => { const fetchMovies = async () => { const data = await getMovies(); setMovies(data); }; fetchMovies(); }, []);

return (

Trending Movies

{movies.map((movie) => ( ))}

); };

export default MovieList;

This code fetches the movie data using the getMovies function and renders a list of MovieCard components.

Finally, create the MovieCard component to display individual movie cards. This component will display the movie poster, title, and other information.

In MovieCard.tsx, add the following code:

import React from "react";

interface Movie { id: number; title: string; poster_path: string; }

interface Props { movie: Movie; }

const MovieCard = ({ movie }: Props) => { const imageUrl = https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/${movie.poster_path};

return (

{movie.title}

); };

export default MovieCard;

This code displays the movie poster and title, styled with Tailwind CSS classes.

Making Your Application Responsive

Responsiveness is crucial for ensuring your application looks good on all devices. Tailwind CSS makes it easy to create responsive designs using its responsive modifiers.

For example, to change the layout of the MovieList component on smaller screens, you can use the sm:, md:, lg:, and xl: prefixes.

Modify the MovieList component to make it responsive:

Trending Movies

{movies.map((movie) => ( ))}

This code changes the layout of the MovieList component to a grid layout on small, medium, and large screens.

By using Tailwind CSS’s responsive modifiers, you can easily adapt your application’s layout to different screen sizes, providing a better user experience on all devices.

You can further enhance the user experience by adding interactive elements, such as hover effects on movie cards. For instance, you can change the border or shadow of a movie card when the user hovers over it.

Modify the MovieCard component to add a hover effect:

{movie.title}

This code adds a subtle shadow effect when the user hovers over a movie card, providing visual feedback and enhancing the user’s interaction with the application.

Key Takeaways

• **React:** A powerful JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
• **Tailwind CSS:** A utility-first CSS framework for rapid UI development.
• **TypeScript:** A superset of JavaScript that adds static typing.
• **TMDB API:** A database for fetching movie and TV show data.
• **Vercel:** A platform for deploying web applications with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need prior experience with React to follow this tutorial?

A: While prior experience with React is helpful, this guide aims to be beginner-friendly. We’ll cover the basics as we go.

Q: Is Tailwind CSS difficult to learn?

A: Tailwind CSS has a learning curve, but its utility-first approach can be very efficient once you understand the core concepts.

Q: Can I use a different API instead of TMDB?

A: Yes, you can use any API that provides movie data. You’ll just need to adapt the code to match the API’s data structure.

Q: Is Vercel the only option for deployment?

A: No, you can use other platforms like Netlify, AWS, or Firebase. Vercel is highlighted for its simplicity and ease of use.

Conclusion

Building a Hulu clone is a great way to learn modern web development technologies. By using React, Tailwind CSS, and TypeScript, you can create a visually appealing and responsive web application. Fetching data from the TMDB API allows you to populate your application with real movie data, and deploying with Vercel makes it easy to share your creation with the world. This project provides a solid foundation for further exploration and customization, allowing you to add more features and refine your skills.

Credit: Creator

Credit: Writer

Credit: Reviewer