OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Spotify Playback Integration

Integrated Spotify playback functionality into the Oxford Learning Link platform using the Spotify Web API, OAuth authentication, and custom front-end interfaces.

Role

Developer

Skills

REST APIs, OAuth, Node.js, MongoDB, HTML, CSS, JavaScript

Context

End-to-end feature development for the Oxford Learning Link platform, including API integration, authentication flows, and front-end playback controls.

Overview

Many music-focused educational resources require licensed audio content, which can be prohibitively expensive for smaller textbook titles. To address this, I designed and developed a Spotify-integrated playback system that allows editors to embed music activities directly into Oxford Learning Link using Spotify’s existing streaming infrastructure rather than licensed audio assets.

Users authenticate with their existing Spotify accounts via OAuth, allowing them to control playback directly within Oxford Learning Link while using the Spotify app, desktop client, or web player across devices.

As the lead developer for this feature, I integrated the Spotify Web API into the existing Oxford Learning Link music player to enable real-time playback control and track management within the platform. The system supports actions such as track selection, play/pause controls, and synchronized playback across devices, creating a seamless listening experience without requiring users to leave the learning environment.