As an open-source enthusiast and indie developer, I’m always looking for ways to blend social media with real-world applications. Today, I’m excited to share a project that does just that: a DIY Twitter feed wall that’s perfect for events, conferences, and any scenario where you want to display live social media content on a big screen.

The Inspiration and Purpose

Inspired by the sleek design of Twistori, I set out to create a more flexible tool that would allow anyone to set up a simple, auto-refreshing wall where people can post content in real-time. This project was born out of a specific need for Proto.in, but I quickly realized its potential for wider applications.

Technical Details

The wall is built using:

  • jQuery for smooth DOM manipulation
  • A custom JavaScript queuing library for managing the feed updates

As a self-proclaimed JavaScript novice, I kept the design simple, focusing on functionality. However, I’m throwing down the gauntlet to any JavaScript wizards out there: feel free to add some transition magic to make it even more visually appealing!

How It Works

  1. The tool fetches tweets in real-time based on specified criteria (hashtags, usernames, etc.)
  2. New tweets are added to a queue
  3. The display updates at regular intervals, showing the latest content
  4. The wall auto-refreshes, ensuring the content stays current

Why This Matters

In an age where social media engagement is crucial for events, having a live Twitter wall can:

  • Increase audience participation
  • Provide real-time feedback
  • Create a sense of community among attendees
  • Offer sponsors additional visibility

Get Involved

I’ve made the complete source code available for anyone to use, modify, and improve. While I haven’t had time to write extensive documentation (my apologies!), I believe the code is straightforward enough for developers to understand and build upon.

Check out the demo and source code here (Link to be added)

Call to Action

Are you planning an event or working on a project that could benefit from a real-time social media display? Give this tool a try and let me know how it works for you. I’m always open to collaboration and would love to see how others adapt and improve this project.

Remember, the beauty of open source is in its community. So, whether you’re using it, improving it, or just have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s build something amazing together!