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Akash Singh
Akash Singh

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Day 12 Progress Journal: Fetching and Displaying Posts (MERN Stack Instagram Clone)

Today’s achievement focused on developing the ability to fetch and showcase posts on the homepage of our Instagram clone. This step bridges the backend API with the frontend, allowing users to view posts that are dynamically pulled from the server.

I kicked things off by setting up the fetch functionality on the frontend. Utilizing axios, I created a function to send a GET request to the backend endpoint, which retrieves all the posts. To enhance performance, I incorporated error handling for situations such as server outages or unexpected responses. Additionally, I implemented loading indicators to enrich the user experience while the posts are being loaded.

On the backend side, I fine-tuned the API endpoint for fetching posts to include pagination features. This ensures that only a specific number of posts are fetched at a time, making the process more efficient and scalable for future needs. I rigorously tested the endpoint using tools like Postman to ensure it returned accurate and well-structured data.

For the frontend display, I designed a FeedCard component to showcase posts in an attractive way. The posts are arranged in a grid format, complete with user avatars, captions, and media. I paid special attention to making the design responsive, ensuring a seamless user experience across various devices.

I adopted a test-driven development (TDD) approach, crafting test cases to verify that the fetching logic and UI updates functioned smoothly. Addressing edge cases, such as when no posts are available or dealing with slow network responses, helped to refine the implementation.

This milestone was a rewarding advancement, as it animated the homepage with dynamic content. Looking ahead, I aim to enhance the post display by adding features like user interactions (likes, comments) to boost engagement and functionality.

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