Flixster

Background

Flixster was a way for me to learn how to build Android applications. I wanted to create something that could pull live data from a movie database and show it in a simple, easy to use list. I focused on learning how to talk to a remote API and how to navigate between different screens in a mobile app.

Solution

The app gets a list of movies and shows them with their posters, titles, and descriptions. I set it up so that you can tap on any movie to see more details about it. I also included a way to watch movie trailers directly in the app. It uses background requests to get the movie data so the app stays responsive while it is loading information.

Process

I started by setting up the project and adding the tools I needed for network requests and image loading. I created a data model for the movies and wrote logic to parse the information coming from the API. I spent time building a list that can handle many items efficiently and then added a second screen for the movie details. I tested the app to make sure it handled errors correctly if the movie data could not be reached.

Final Product

Reflection

Building this gave me my first look at how to handle data in a mobile app. I learned how to structure my code to handle information from an external source and how to build a list that scrolls smoothly. If I were to work on this again, I would add a way to save favorite movies so I could find them later even without an internet connection.