💀 Article Rocks

Project Overview

The project, Article.rocks, is a personal news and article curation platform developed by the creator starting in 2014-2015. Designed initially for personal use during commutes, the site combines web scraping, automated curation, and basic sentiment analysis. Key technical achievements include achieving a 99-100 PageSpeed score and implementing a minimalist mobile interface.

Technical Implementation

The platform features a unique, stripped-down user experience focusing on single images and headlines, optimized primarily for mobile browsing. Users can navigate between stories through swipe/drag interactions. While initially generating referral fees through custom ads, the creator has intentionally scaled back monetization, now only using Amazon ads with an emphasis on maintaining coding skills and exploring media/publishing concepts.

Community Response

Initial community feedback centered on the site’s mobile-centric design, with users expressing appreciation for its minimalist approach. Technical discussions highlighted the site’s unconventional interface, with commenters specifically noting the single-image, single-headline presentation as an interesting design choice.

Notable Insights

The project represents a personal learning and skill maintenance platform, demonstrating that side projects can serve multiple purposes beyond direct monetization. The creator’s iterative approach—rebuilding the platform every 3-6 months—suggests an ongoing commitment to technical exploration and continuous improvement.