The latest articles on DEV Community by Yoav Vainunska (@yoav_vainunska_487b910d7c). https://dev.to/yoav_vainunska_487b910d7c https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3412704%2F024e941a-47d4-4607-8db2-e502c79462c8.jpeg https://dev.to/yoav_vainunska_487b910d7c en Yoav Vainunska Mon, 04 Aug 2025 18:20:32 +0000 https://dev.to/yoav_vainunska_487b910d7c/side-project-bellino-a-free-music-discovery-tool-built-with-react-2mpk https://dev.to/yoav_vainunska_487b910d7c/side-project-bellino-a-free-music-discovery-tool-built-with-react-2mpk <p>Hey DEV 👋</p> <p>I’ve been building a music-focused side project for quite a while now, and I’d love to share it with you all.</p> <p>🎵 It’s called <strong>Bellino</strong> — a free music discovery site I built with:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>React + TypeScript</strong> on the frontend</li> <li> <strong>PHP + MySQL</strong> on the backend</li> <li>A custom REST API for serving dynamic data</li> <li>YouTube IFrame API for embedded playback</li> </ul> <h3> 🔍 What it does </h3> <p>Bellino lets users:</p> <ul> <li>Explore <strong>trending tracks and artists</strong> </li> <li>Browse curated playlists by <strong>mood, genre, or decade</strong> </li> <li>Discover albums that were <strong>released on this day in music history</strong> </li> <li>Listen instantly, with <strong>no login required</strong> (though creating an account lets you save playlists and favorites)</li> </ul> <p>🌐 Try it here → <a href="https://www.belllino.com/home" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.belllino.com/home</a></p> <h3> 💡 Why I built it </h3> <p>I've been collecting and organizing music data since 2014 because I genuinely love finding great music — both old and new.</p> <p>Most platforms today are heavily focused on current hits or algorithmic recommendations. I wanted something more personal and playful — a place where you could:</p> <ul> <li>Discover random playlists and live charts</li> <li>Explore music by vibe, decade, or release date</li> <li>See what albums dropped on your birthday</li> <li>Dive into other users’ playlists and tastes</li> </ul> <p>So I built <strong>Bellino</strong> to scratch my own itch — and maybe yours too.</p> <h3> ⚙️ Tech Stack </h3> <ul> <li> <strong>React (TypeScript)</strong> – SPA using basic routing and custom hooks</li> <li> <strong>PHP backend</strong> – lightweight API with fast JSON responses</li> <li> <strong>MySQL</strong> – for managing users, charts, playlists, track data</li> <li> <strong>CSS Modules</strong> – no UI libraries, just styled components</li> <li> <strong>YouTube IFrame API</strong> – for free and simple embedded playback</li> </ul> <h3> 🙏 I'd love your feedback </h3> <p>I’m not monetizing this — it’s just a long-running passion project.<br><br> Would really appreciate your thoughts:</p> <ul> <li>What works well? </li> <li>What doesn’t or feels confusing? </li> <li>What would you want to see added?</li> </ul> <p>Thanks so much for reading! Happy to answer questions about the tech, the data, or the design.</p>