Learning to Code
Learning to Code
Archived: This note documents my coding journey from 2020-2022. Now working as a professional developer - see Career Development for current goals.
My Journey
Started learning to code in March 2020 during lockdown. What began as curiosity became a career change.
Timeline
2020
- March: Started with freeCodeCamp HTML/CSS
- May: First JavaScript tutorial
- July: Built first todo app
- September: Started learning React
- November: Completed first portfolio site
2021
- January: Began learning Node.js
- March: First freelance project
- June: Started applying for jobs
- September: First developer job!
2022
- March: Moved to current company
- Ongoing: Continuous learning
What Worked
Learning Strategies
- Build projects - Tutorial hell is real, escape it
- Teach others - Explaining solidifies understanding
- Consistency - 1 hour daily beats 7 hours once weekly
- Community - Discord servers, Twitter, meetups
Resources That Helped
- The Odin Project (comprehensive curriculum)
- JavaScript.info (deep JS understanding)
- Frontend Masters (advanced topics)
- Building in public on Twitter
Mistakes I Made
- Too many tutorials - Should have built more
- Comparing to others - Everyone's path is different
- Ignoring fundamentals - JS basics matter more than frameworks
- Not networking earlier - Community accelerates learning
Advice for Beginners
"The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now."
- Pick one language, stick with it
- Build things you find interesting
- Don't fear looking stupid - ask questions
- Take breaks - burnout is real
- Celebrate small wins
Projects That Got Me Hired
- Personal portfolio site
- Weather app with API integration
- Full-stack task manager
- Open source contributions