In this episode, we're diving into a hands-on project to solidify what we've learned so far—by building a simple (but cool!) image search app using the Unsplash API.
We'll start from scratch, setting up an input field and a "search" button inside a form, then wire it up using Alpine.js. As you type in a keyword and smash that button, our app will grab an image related to your query and show it right on the page.
We cover how to hook up the input field to your Alpine data
so it always knows what you're typing, and then create a method that takes your input, plugs it into the Unsplash API, and fetches the image URL. You'll see how to bind that resulting URL into an <img>
element using Alpine's special attribute binding, so the image updates instantly with your search.
You'll also learn to tidy things up—showing the image only once a successful search has been made (so it doesn't take up space by default), and separating the form from the image output by structuring your Alpine data/components a little smarter.
By the end, you'll have a neat image search tool and a better understanding of Alpine.js event handling, data binding, and component structure. It's a practical, visual way to bring together everything we've been covering, with instant results you can see!