How a JavaScript Playlist Led Me to Build My Own Youtube Playlist Length

The Accidental Project: How a JavaScript Playlist Led Me to Build My Own Tool

Let me tell you a little story about how a simple plan to learn something new spiraled into an unexpected passion project. By profession, I'm a software engineer, and for the most part, my world revolves around Python. It's my comfort zone, my bread and butter. I can happily spend my days crafting backend APIs, writing intricate scripts, and architecting databases, mostly with my trusted companion, Django.

As many in the field know, Django is more than just a backend framework; it's a beast. It's a full-stack solution that allows you to build an entire website from the ground up. The server handles all the logic, renders the pages, and serves them piping hot to the browser. I could build a website with heavy, complex backend logic in my sleep. But when it came to the frontend—the part that users actually see and interact with—that's where my confidence would falter.

I could get by. I could cobble together a basic user interface with a library like Bootstrap, making things look decent enough. But JavaScript? To be perfectly honest, the mere thought of it made me nervous. It felt like a wild, untamed land compared to the structured, orderly world of Python I was so used to.

A Sunday Morning and a New Beginning

So, I decided it was time to face my fears. I was going to learn JavaScript, and I was going to learn it end-to-end. I started asking around and browsing online forums, and one name kept popping up: Akshay Saini and his "Namaste Javascript" playlist on YouTube. People raved about his teaching style, and the reviews were glowing. I thought, "Alright, let's give this a try."

One fine Sunday morning, with a fresh cup of chai in hand, I settled into my chair, went to YouTube, and typed in the magic words. There it was: Namaste Javascript, Season 1. I clicked on the first video, and then the second. I was completely captivated.

To be honest, I had never encountered a teacher like him before. He wasn't just listing concepts; he was telling a story. He broke down the most complex topics into simple, digestible pieces, and for the first time, the chaotic world of JavaScript started to make sense. The feeling was electric. I was so engrossed that I felt an almost uncontrollable urge to binge-watch the entire playlist in one sitting. I was on a roll, ready to conquer this new skill.

The Small Hiccup That Changed Everything

Fueled by this newfound enthusiasm, a practical thought crossed my mind: "I wonder how long the entire playlist is?" I wanted to plan my day, to know exactly how much time this epic learning session would take. I scanned the YouTube page, expecting to find a total duration listed somewhere. But there was nothing. A bit strange, I thought, but not a deal-breaker.

My curiosity piqued, I turned to my trusty friend, Google. I typed in "YouTube Playlist length," and a handful of websites appeared, all promising to solve my problem. I clicked on the first one, pasted the playlist URL, and it did, in fact, give me a total duration. It also helpfully calculated how long it would take to watch at 1.5x or 2x speed.

But as I looked at the simple output, I realized something. This wasn't actually what I needed. Knowing the total length is useful at the start, sure. But what about tomorrow, after I've watched ten more videos? How would I calculate the length of the remaining playlist then? I would have to manually subtract the videos I'd watched, which seemed tedious. Furthermore, none of the tools offered any way to sort the playlist. What if I wanted to watch the shortest videos first for a quick win, or tackle the longest, most-viewed ones when I had more time? There was no way to do that.

When the Developer's Itch Takes Over

It was at that moment that something inside me shifted. The student who was eager to learn JavaScript was suddenly pushed aside by the developer who saw a problem to be solved. The urge to continue watching the playlist vanished, replaced by an overwhelming itch to build something better.

The developer in me simply refused to let it go. I grabbed a notebook and a pen, and the ideas started flowing. What features would I want if I were a user of such a tool? I began to sketch out a dream version of a playlist analyzer.

I wrote down everything that came to mind:

Total Playlist Length: The basic, essential feature.
Playback Speed Calculations: Show how long it would take at 1.25x, 1.5x, and 2x speeds.
Remaining Playlist Duration: The ability to select videos you've already watched and see the duration of what's left.
Advanced Sorting: This was the big one. I wanted to sort the playlist by different criteria—Longest, Shortest, Most Liked, Most Viewed, Oldest, and Newest. This would give learners the power to tailor their study sessions.
Video Stats at a Glance: A clean table showing details for each video.
Direct Links: The ability to open any video directly from the website without having to go back to YouTube.

Once the list was on paper, there was no turning back. The blueprint was there, and the excitement was palpable. The "Namaste Javascript" playlist was put on hold. My Sunday had a new mission.

I fired up my code editor and turned to my old friend, Django. It was the natural choice. I was comfortable with it, and I knew I could build the backend logic quickly and efficiently. The project consumed me. What started as a tiny annoyance had blossomed into a full-fledged creative endeavor.

And so, my journey to learn JavaScript took an unexpected detour. I spent my time building this YouTube playlist analysis tool, pouring all my energy into making it as useful as I had imagined.

Don't worry, the story has a happy ending. After completing the website and making it live, I did return to my original goal. With my new tool by my side, I went back to Akshay Saini's playlist and finally finished it, a little wiser in both JavaScript and in the unpredictable, wonderful ways that inspiration can strike.