Welcome to this week's Top 7, where the DEV editorial team handpicks their favorite posts from the previous week.
Congrats to all the authors that made it onto the list 👏


Why Learning to Code is So Damn Hard
Rachel Moser for The Odin Project ・ Mar 16
@rlmoser99 shares an article by the founder of The Odin Project that explains why learning to code feels overwhelmingly difficult at times, especially in the early stages. Through humor and empathy, the post helps readers normalize the struggle and keep pushing forward.
@adevnadia breaks down the what, why, and how of server-side rendering (SSR) in React, guiding readers through hydration, streaming, and performance trade-offs.

::before/::after pseudo elements in CSS - A Complete guide
Ritika Agrawal ・ Mar 20
@ritikaagrawal08 walks through everything you need to know about the ::before and ::after pseudo-elements in CSS. The guide includes clear visual examples and tips for how to leverage these tools for layout and styling improvements.

Stop Chasing New JavaScript Frameworks: Build with Fundamentals Instead 🏗️
Matt Lewandowski ・ Mar 20
@mattlewandowski93 encourages developers to stop chasing the latest JavaScript frameworks and focus on core web technologies to build more resilient and adaptable applications.

How I learn any type of new technology (As a Senior Developer)
Daniel Reis ・ Mar 20
@danielhe4rt shares a focused strategy for learning new technologies by building real projects from day one and iterating often to accelerate deep learning.
@railsstudent demonstrates how Angular's provide/inject pattern can simplify state sharing across components. This approach helps developers avoid prop drilling and keep their code cleaner and more modular.


How to Build an AI-Powered Open-Source Financial Manager ⚡️using Maybe Finance & CopilotKit🪁
Ekemini Samuel for CopilotKit ・ Mar 18
@envitab shares a detailed tutorial on how to build an AI-powered financial manager using CopilotKit and the Maybe framework.
And that's a wrap for this week's Top 7 roundup! 🎬 We hope you enjoyed this eclectic mix of insights, stories, and tips from our talented authors. Keep coding, keep learning, and stay tuned to DEV for more captivating content and make sure you’re opted in to our Weekly Newsletter 📩 for all the best articles, discussions, and updates.
Top comments (8)
Congrats on making the Top 7 @rlmoser99, @adevnadia, @ritikaagrawal08, @mattlewandowski93, @danielhe4rt, @railsstudent, @envitab!!
Thank you @jess and the DEV team! 💗
Glad to be featured on the top 7 posts of the week for the second time 😎
Thank you
Thank you Jess!
Awesome job @rlmoser99, @adevnadia, @ritikaagrawal08, @mattlewandowski93, @danielhe4rt, @railsstudent, @envitab❗Keep up the great work ❗
Thank you Jake!
Thank you Jake
Congrats!