Build a Netflix-Style Movie App with Vanilla JavaScript

Building a movie search engine is a milestone project for any frontend developer. In this project, we move beyond basic lists and create a Netflix-inspired UI.

The application allows users to search the OMDB Database in real-time. The standout feature is the 3D Card Flip effect: when a user clicks "Show Details," the movie poster flips to reveal deep-dive information like the Plot, Director, and Cast.

Key Technical Features

• Vanilla JS & Fetch API: No frameworks. Just pure JavaScript to handle asynchronous API calls.

• 3D CSS Animations: Professional-grade UI using transform-style: preserve-3d and backface-visibility.

• Dynamic Metadata: The app fetches basic data for the search list and only hits the API for "Full Details" when the user interacts, optimizing performance.

• Responsive Layout: A CSS Grid system that adapts from mobile to widescreen.

Project Preview

How to Build This

I have prepared two ways for you to get this project running:

1. Watch the Step-by-Step Tutorial

If you want to understand the logic behind the Fetch API and how to code the 3D animations from scratch, I have a full video walkthrough on YouTube.

2. Get the Source Code

The complete code (HTML, CSS, and JS) is available on my GitHub. You can fork the repository, add your own OMDB API key, and have it running in seconds.

• Download Code from GitHub

Conclusion

This project is a perfect addition to your portfolio because it demonstrates both technical logic (API handling) and UI/UX design (CSS 3D effects).