The latest articles on Forem by Akshit (@siakshit). https://forem.com/siakshit https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F1848505%2F7af630fe-4b84-4c30-b77c-6f8b84db2676.jpg https://forem.com/siakshit en Akshit Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:23:03 +0000 https://forem.com/siakshit/-1cih https://forem.com/siakshit/-1cih <div class="ltag__link--embedded"> <div class="crayons-story "> <a href="https://dev.to/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k" class="crayons-story__hidden-navigation-link">Adtube: I Made YouTube 10x Better (You’re Welcome)</a> <div class="crayons-story__body crayons-story__body-full_post"> <a href="https://dev.to/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k" class="crayons-article__context-note crayons-article__context-note__feed"><p>April Fools Challenge Submission ☕️🤡</p> </a> <div class="crayons-story__top"> <div class="crayons-story__meta"> <div class="crayons-story__author-pic"> <a href="/siakshit" class="crayons-avatar crayons-avatar--l "> <img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F1848505%2F7af630fe-4b84-4c30-b77c-6f8b84db2676.jpg" alt="siakshit profile" class="crayons-avatar__image" width="96" height="96"> </a> </div> <div> <div> <a href="/siakshit" class="crayons-story__secondary fw-medium m:hidden"> Akshit </a> <div class="profile-preview-card relative mb-4 s:mb-0 fw-medium hidden m:inline-block"> Akshit <div id="story-author-preview-content-3454219" class="profile-preview-card__content crayons-dropdown branded-7 p-4 pt-0"> <div class="gap-4 grid"> <div class="-mt-4"> <a href="/siakshit" class="flex"> <span class="crayons-avatar crayons-avatar--xl mr-2 shrink-0"> <img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F1848505%2F7af630fe-4b84-4c30-b77c-6f8b84db2676.jpg" class="crayons-avatar__image" alt="" width="96" height="96"> </span> <span class="crayons-link crayons-subtitle-2 mt-5">Akshit</span> </a> </div> <div class="print-hidden"> Follow </div> <div class="author-preview-metadata-container"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <a href="https://dev.to/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k" class="crayons-story__tertiary fs-xs"><time>Apr 4</time><span class="time-ago-indicator-initial-placeholder"></span></a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="crayons-story__indention"> <h2 class="crayons-story__title crayons-story__title-full_post"> <a href="https://dev.to/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k" id="article-link-3454219"> Adtube: I Made YouTube 10x Better (You’re Welcome) </a> </h2> <div class="crayons-story__tags"> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--filled " href="/t/showdev"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>showdev</a> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--monochrome " href="/t/devchallenge"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>devchallenge</a> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--monochrome " href="/t/418challenge"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>418challenge</a> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--monochrome " href="/t/webdev"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>webdev</a> </div> <div class="crayons-story__bottom"> <div class="crayons-story__details"> <a href="https://dev.to/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k" class="crayons-btn crayons-btn--s crayons-btn--ghost crayons-btn--icon-left"> <div class="multiple_reactions_aggregate"> <span class="multiple_reactions_icons_container"> <span class="crayons_icon_container"> <img src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/exploding-head-daceb38d627e6ae9b730f36a1e390fca556a4289d5a41abb2c35068ad3e2c4b5.svg" width="24" height="24"> </span> <span class="crayons_icon_container"> <img src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/raised-hands-74b2099fd66a39f2d7eed9305ee0f4553df0eb7b4f11b01b6b1b499973048fe5.svg" width="24" height="24"> </span> <span class="crayons_icon_container"> <img src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/sparkle-heart-5f9bee3767e18deb1bb725290cb151c25234768a0e9a2bd39370c382d02920cf.svg" width="24" height="24"> </span> </span> <span class="aggregate_reactions_counter">11<span class="hidden s:inline"> reactions</span></span> </div> </a> <a href="https://dev.to/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k#comments" class="crayons-btn crayons-btn--s crayons-btn--ghost crayons-btn--icon-left flex items-center"> Comments 1<span class="hidden s:inline"> comment</span> </a> </div> <div class="crayons-story__save"> <small class="crayons-story__tertiary fs-xs mr-2"> 2 min read </small> <span class="bm-initial"> </span> <span class="bm-success"> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Akshit Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:36:09 +0000 https://forem.com/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k https://forem.com/siakshit/adtube-i-made-youtube-10x-better-youre-welcome-4g5k <p><em>This is a submission for the <a href="https://dev.to/challenges/aprilfools-2026">DEV April Fools Challenge</a></em></p> <h2> What I Built </h2> <p>I built <strong>AdTube (Faketube)</strong>: a fully functional YouTube-like web app designed to make your experience as frustrating as possible.</p> <p>It looks clean. It feels familiar. It works.</p> <p>But every interaction is engineered to betray you.</p> <ul> <li>Clicking a video triggers unskippable ads</li> <li>Premium doesn’t remove ads</li> <li>The more you interact, the worse it gets</li> </ul> <p>This project intentionally solves zero real-world problems.</p> <p>Instead, it explores how far we can push dark patterns, user frustration, and anti-value design… while still keeping the system technically robust and believable.</p> <h2> Demo </h2> <p><a href="https://adtube.si4k.online" rel="noopener noreferrer">Live Demo</a>: <a href="https://adtube.si4k.online" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://adtube.si4k.online</a></p> <p>Try to:</p> <ul> <li>Watch a full video</li> <li>Escape ads</li> <li>Buy Premium</li> <li>Find all hidden teapots ☕</li> </ul> <p>Good luck.<br> You’ll need it.</p> <h2> Code </h2> <p><a href="https://github.com/akshitkamboz13/adtube" rel="noopener noreferrer">GitHub Repo</a>: <a href="https://github.com/akshitkamboz13/adtube" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://github.com/akshitkamboz13/adtube</a></p> <p>The codebase includes:</p> <ul> <li>A global "Chaos Engine" using Zustand</li> <li>A custom video player with forced ad interruptions</li> <li>A fake streaming system using chunked video playback</li> <li>A TTS system for some dynamic ad voiceovers</li> <li>Hidden Easter egg tracking system (☕ 0/5)</li> </ul> <h2> How I Built It </h2> <ul> <li>Next.js (App Router)</li> <li>Tailwind CSS for UI</li> <li>Framer Motion for animations and chaos effects</li> <li>Zustand for global ad state management</li> <li>Custom TTS pipeline using Google Translate proxy</li> <li>LocalStorage-based persistence for user behavior tracking</li> </ul> <p>The entire system is designed to simulate a real product while intentionally degrading user experience over time.</p> <h2> Prize Category </h2> <h4> Best Google AI Usage </h4> <p>While I did not directly integrate a live API, I used Google AI tools during the creative and content generation process.</p> <ul> <li>Video assets were generated using Google Veo 3, helping create surreal, synthetic content that fits the chaotic nature of AdTube.</li> <li>I experimented with Google Antigravity concepts to inspire unconventional interaction patterns and anti-UX behaviors in the product.</li> </ul> <p>This project explores how AI-generated media and experimental thinking can enhance satire, user manipulation, and absurd product design.</p> <h4> Best Ode to Larry Masinter </h4> <p>The system includes multiple hidden HTTP 418 "I'm a teapot" Easter eggs triggered through user interactions such as:</p> <ul> <li>Clicking ads</li> <li>Searching for "teapot"</li> <li>Attempting premium checkout</li> </ul> <h4> Community Favorite </h4> <p>The project is designed to be shareable, frustrating, and strangely addictive — encouraging users to explore, suffer, and laugh.</p> <p>If you managed to survive AdTube…<br> you probably deserve Premium.<br> Unfortunately, Premium also shows ads.</p> devchallenge 418challenge showdev webdev