Weekly Dev Journal: April 13–19, 2025
This week was one of those “a little of everything” kind of weeks; balancing debugging, documentation, platform integration, and setting the stage for future content creation. Here’s a recap of what went down, what went right, and where I hit some bumps.
Highlights
1. Notion Dev Log Setup
After months of scattered notes and mental tracking, I finally consolidated everything into a structured Notion workspace. It’s now the central brain of my dev life; logging projects, ideas, weekly reflections, and challenges.
- Why it matters: I can now track my progress across multiple projects and review my journey with clarity.
- Bonus: I'm considering sharing it publicly to inspire others or receive feedback from fellow builders.
2. Blog System Kickoff with Astro
I decided to jump right into GitHub Pages + Astro to build my blog. I wanted:
- Full control over layout and content
- Integration with my portfolio site
- Markdown-based writing with modern speed
It’s minimal, fast, and just what I need for long-term flexibility. A sample post on debugging a MySQL crash is already live in my local build.
Challenges
1. MySQL Crash in XAMPP
While working on my English Learning Platform, I hit a nasty wall: MySQL wouldn’t start. After hours of trial and error, I traced the issue to corrupted ibdata1 and ib_logfile files likely caused by an abrupt shutdown.
-
Fixes attempted: Renaming, restoring backups, reconfiguring
my.ini -
Lessons learned:
- Never assume your dev server is indestructible
- Keep regular backups of your
/datadirectory - Consider moving to Docker or a more stable environment
This also made me reflect on long-term architectural decisions for my platform.
On My Mind
I’m thinking of merging my blog into my portfolio instead of keeping them separate. Why split my digital identity when I can have one source of truth that reflects both who I am and what I build?
Next Up
- Write my first proper blog post from scratch (maybe this one!)
- Finalize Firebase security rules for my multiplayer game
- Smooth out the Notion > Markdown > Blog publishing workflow
- Continue debugging and improving the LMS backend
Reflection: Progress isn’t always a straight line, but looking back helps me realize I’m building something real, brick by brick.
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