My Journey as a CS Graduate to a MERN Stack Developer

Introduction

Hi, I'm Awais Khan—a Computer Science graduate passionate about building scalable and efficient web applications. I thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments and love using modern web technologies to solve real-world problems. In this blog, I'll share my journey from a curious student to a MERN Stack developer, touching on my experiences, challenges, and growth along the way.

Getting Under Way

My entrance to web development had come in the 4th semester of my graduation, where I took some introductory courses. I felt that the study of web development was quite interesting and facile. The fact that just a few lines of code were able to create something visible and interactive, was exciting and addictive. Soon, deeper into the concepts of web technologies and eventually finding myself exploring the MERN Stack, which gave me the power to create complete web applications from front to back.

The Learning Curve

Most of what I know about the MERN Stack, I've learned from YouTube tutorials. But every single thing that I have learned, I have tried to implement. My main motto was building projects. With that, I wanted to solidify my knowledge by personally creating it. Thus, through experimentation, I learned React, Node, Express, and MongoDB—converting theory into practice.

First Project

My first major project was a MERN Stack Netflix clone. I vaguely knew MongoDB and Express then, while feeling relatively comfortable with React. So, I dived into the development, learning back-end development as I went along, facing challenges and mistakes until I finally got it right. Finally, I was able to complete the project and got an A grade in Lab.

Pretty big for me:

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I can create full-stack applications from scratch.
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Current Experience

Now, I have gained more than a year of experience working as a MERN Stack Developer. My work involves updated technologies like TypeScript, Next.js, and Nest.js. It's all about keeping updated, learning, and adapting to new trends in the tech industry.

Advice for New Developers

The advice I will give to people starting off with development is pretty simple:

1. Start Building Projects: Begin by making things, no matter how small. Practical experience is key to understanding development concepts.
2. Learn by Doing: The best way to learn web development is through hands-on work. Apply what you learn by creating real projects.
3. Experiment and Make Mistakes: Don’t aim for perfection. Stay curious, experiment, and embrace mistakes—they're crucial to learning.
4. Use Tutorials Wisely: Tutorials can provide foundational knowledge, but focus on applying what you learn by building your own projects.
5. Take Small, Manageable Steps: Break down complex projects into smaller, more manageable tasks. This helps you make steady progress and learn effectively.
6. Choose Projects That Matter to You: Pick projects that you’re interested in. Passion projects keep you motivated and make the learning process more enjoyable.
7. See Challenges as Learning Opportunities: Each problem you face while building is a chance to learn something new. Don’t get discouraged by challenges; use them to grow your skills.

By following these steps, you'll gain practical experience, deepen your understanding, and continuously improve as a developer.