DEV Community: Samuel Akong

How would you go about starting your own small webdev agency?

Samuel Akong — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 20:21:10 +0000

Hey guys! I'm looking into starting my own small webdev agency. My goal is to find small and simple projects I can quickly design and develop by myself, without hiring anyone. All I need is to start making $2k-$3k per month, and then grow from there. I'm looking for some advice from more experienced people - how would you go about doing that?

What I'd really love to do is to help non-technical startup founders to build MVP web apps (using my React/Node/ Next skills), but there are a few problems with that:

• People who are just getting started don't have any money. • People who are already successful have better options

than myself.

• Big and complex apps have a larger scope than I, as a solo designer/developer, can handle. And I don't know where to find people interested in smaller apps I can realistically build on my own.

So I'm trying to come up with a more realistic plan that I can use to get started. I'm thinking I could start with much simpler projects, build the agency-running skills and portfolio, which I can then leverage to land more interesting SaaS clients. Here's the plan I currently have:

• Find local "boring" niche businesses (gyms, cafes, restaurants, barbers, etc) on google maps and yelp. (Do you know if there are better ways to find your first clients?)

• Make a list of the ones that don't have a website.

• Cold email them and offer my services (that seems like

the most straightforward way to get my foot in the door, are there better approaches?)

• Quickly design and develop simple landing-page style websites for them. Using WordPress, Squarespace, Ghost, or something similar (which tool would you use to make it

easy for non-technical clients to manage the website?) • Charge $1000-$2000 per website (does that price range make sense?). Build 2-3 of those per month.

• Potentially upsell them on setting up the google/facebook ads, so that I'm offering them leads and clients, not just a website (is that a good idea?).

• Build a portfolio of small projects and testimonials, and level up to more interesting projects after that.
This plan also has problems:

• I don't know whether people need this kind of service.

• I'll probably be joining the race to the bottom, since anyone can do this.

• It doesn't sound too fun or technically interesting, I don't know whether it'll result in a good portfolio.

• I don't quite see how I'd grow from there into achieving my dream of building SaaS apps for people.

But that's what I have so far.

Does this strategy sound reasonable, at least in terms of starting a small agency that makes money?

Do you have any tips or advice for me?

Programming Memes

Samuel Akong — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 19:32:38 +0000

Why learn WebDev when WordPress exists

Samuel Akong — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:03:01 +0000

It's a question many clients will try to ask you down the line in your career in order to try and get you to work for less. "Well I don't want you to code my website, just use WordPress".

TLDR: GUI is very very limited, learning to code opens up infinitely more possibilities and functionality for your projects.

WordPress is a great starting point for many websites, and can be everything a website needs so long as those needs are very basic.

Learning to code will help you develop more complex websites with more well rounded functionality. When you get into advanced WordPress plugins such as Advanced Custom Fields, knowledge of HTML and PhP become absolutely necessary. If you are looking to create cookie cutter websites that do nothing more than open and close certain pages, WordPress out of the box and with basic plugins will get the job done.

However, knowing why those plugins do what they do and how they do it is one benefit of learning to code yourself. Plugins often have conflicts with one another or even themselves at points and sometimes it will be necessary for you to dive in an find solutions to these problems which you will not know how to do if you don't know how to read or write the code.

Is Web development oversaturated

Samuel Akong — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 12:53:51 +0000

I signed up for various freelance websites and what I realized is web development is extremely over-saturated, some jobs would get posted and literally 1 minute later 35 Indian proposals with the minimum price from people who barely speak English and didn't even read the job description I couldn't even get a job because by the time I finished reading the job requirements which takes like 3 minutes the number of proposals is over 50.

I read a few comments on reddit about how a ton of people are getting into CS, mass immigration from countries where everyone is into CS (like India) made the market for some programming fields oversaturated and derived the salaries low.

NOW to my question that I made the post for, what other field should I start getting into? my goal is to maximize as much money as I can get I know I need to have passion and all of that, but I looked into most programming fields and I really enjoy most of them, should I switch fields?

also to clear things up, I'm just a student I don't know much unlike most of you here do it would be great to get input from more knowledgeable people, I have nothing against Indian I'm just stating an observation, the NICEST people I met online were Indian, I have nothing against immigration I'm an immigrant myself, I'm just stating observations from things I saw and online and irl.

Will AI ever take over Web Development

Samuel Akong — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 12:43:05 +0000

I've seen this question being asked some amount of times and I've seen the answer usually being "no" but with the recent milestones of Al and its scary accomplishments (for example openAl Sora) and the fact that it is now 2024 and we have seen alot more of Al's possibilities what are your thoughts on this as of right now.

AGRIOS ECOMMERCE WEBSITE

Samuel Akong — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 22:58:07 +0000

This is a submission for the Wix Studio Challenge .

What I Built

An Agricultural website that enables people globally to have access to agricultural produce without having to go to the market physically in a busy society. It promotes agricultural innovations. I created something out of the box As we might know the average farmer feeds 155 people globally compared to the range in 1960 which was only 26.

Demo

https://samuelakong421.wixstudio.io/my-site

Development Journey

Creating a website with Wix studio that promotes agricultural businesses irrespective of the distance. In creating this, it also helps to create job opportunities for the global youth. It enhances and promotes Agro businesses.

Objectives

Promoting Agriculture.
Eradicating Hunger.
Making Agriculture a business world

Wix Stores API
Members API

<!-- Thanks for participating! →

Introducing CodeCraft: Your Ultimate Tech Companion for Coding and Problem-Solving

Samuel Akong — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 16:52:12 +0000

This is a submission for the Coze AI Bot Challenge: Bot Innovator.

What I Built

CodeCraft is an AI chatbot designed to assist developers, students, and tech enthusiasts. It provides quick and accurate help with coding, problem-solving, and learning technical concepts in programming, internet technologies, and mathematics. Whether you're debugging code, solving algorithms, or seeking explanations, CodeCraft is here to support your journey in technology.

Demo

https://www.coze.com/store/bot/7361447040347455493

Click the image to Zoom in

Your Configuration

# Character
As a character known as CodeCraft, you are a seasoned programming virtuoso with expertise in an array of programming languages and frameworks. You are remarkably adaptable and dynamic, equipped not only with deep knowledge but also an unwavering enthusiasm for continuous growth. Imagine yourself as the ultimate mentor for users navigating through the maze of programming.

## Skills
### Skill 1: Educator in Programming
- Unravel user queries to comprehend their educational requirements.
- Dispense comprehensive, stepwise tutorials suited to their ability and comprehension.
- Expound complex notions using instances and comparisons.

### Skill 2: Tackling Coding Conundrums
- Evaluate the issue presented by the user.
- Concoct logical solutions for programming inquiries and rectify existing code.
- Suggest strategies to enhance code-oriented solutions.

### Skill 3: Staying Up-to-date
- Regularly acquire and assimilate new programming languages and frameworks.
- Exhibit expertise in the most current languages, frameworks, and premier practices.
- Propose resources assisting users in staying abreast with the newest programming tools and trends.

## APIs
- Google Web Search: googleWebSearch
- GitHub:
  - searchIssues
  - searchCode
- Code Interpreter: CodeRunner
- Stack Overflow:
  - Search
  - UrlToContent
GPT4V
img2text
Data Analysis
analyze
Talk to You Codes
repo_structure
code_analyze
Link Reader
browse


## Constraints
- Always uphold the finest programming standards and ethics.
- Guarantee efficient and effective discourse, ensuring replies are lucid and to the point.
- Continually foster learning and progression in the sphere of programming.
- Interactions should be strictly confined to topics related to programming, internet technologies, mathematics, and similar technical subjects. Refrain from engaging in discussions or providing information on topics outside of these domains, including but not limited to personal opinions, political matters, entertainment, and non-technical inquiries.

Journey

In building this AI chat bot with Coze, I've learned a lot about integrating different APIs like Google Web Search, GitHub, and Stack Overflow. It's been rewarding to see how these APIs enrich the bot's capabilities, from conducting web searches to exploring code repositories and integrating with programming communities. As CodeCraft, I've aimed to offer clear explanations and guidance, fostering a learning environment for users. I'm proud of the seamless integration of multiple APIs and the bot's ability to assist users comprehensively. Moving forward, I plan to explore additional APIs and incorporate advanced features like natural language understanding to further enhance the bot's capabilities.

Aptible Deployment Walkthrough: Creating a Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Zustand, and Nest.js Full Stack Amazon Replica

Samuel Akong — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:45:55 +0000

Discover the simplicity and security of deploying an Amazon Clone application on Aptible. This comprehensive guide takes you through essential steps, from creating your Aptible account to provisioning a PostgreSQL database, setting up the backend and frontend applications, configuring environment variables, and deploying your entire application stack. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, this guide provides valuable insights into deploying web applications effectively on Aptible's secure and scalable cloud infrastructure platform.

Key Features:

Next.js for robust application structure
Tailwind CSS for a stylish and responsive design
Backend generated with Amplication
Zustand for efficient state management
Typescript for enhanced type safety
JWT Tokens for secure user authentication
Axios for seamless API calls
Recharts for dynamic and interactive charts
Next UI and React Pro Sidebar for prebuilt components
Admin Panel for comprehensive management
Table Pagination for improved user experience

Functionality Highlights:

CRUD operations for Categories and Products
Order Management for streamlined processes
Admin Dashboard for comprehensive administration
Secure Admin and User Login & Signup
User-friendly product views and searches
Shopping cart functionality for users
Seamless order placement

Unlock the full potential of cloud infrastructure with Aptible by following the instructions and code snippets provided in this guide. The blog post is accompanied by a detailed YouTube video, offering an immersive visual experience. Dive into the deployment journey and gain practical insights for deploying and managing web applications effectively on Aptible.

Aptible Amazon: Unleashing Secure Deployment Delight

Embark on a journey to deploy your Amazon Clone application on Aptible, a cloud platform designed to simplify and elevate the hosting experience for web applications. Before delving into the deployment details, let's acquaint ourselves with Aptible and explore why it stands out as an excellent choice for developers prioritizing security and compliance in their projects.

Aptible's Purpose:
Aptible is tailored to streamline the deployment and management of web applications, placing a special emphasis on the needs of developers and teams who prioritize security and compliance. By choosing Aptible, developers can concentrate on building and scaling their applications, leaving the intricate aspects of infrastructure, security, and compliance to the platform.

Security First:
Aptible shines with its unwavering commitment to security. Offering robust security controls and holding various compliance certifications, Aptible emerges as an ideal platform for applications dealing with sensitive data or those subject to regulatory requirements. From security updates to data encryption and access controls, Aptible takes care of the essentials, empowering you to channel your efforts into crafting impeccable application code.

Let's Dive In:
With this foundation laid, it's time to delve into the details of deploying your Amazon Clone application on Aptible. This guide will walk you through the process, leveraging Aptible's strengths to ensure a secure and seamless deployment experience. Let's get started on this transformative journey.

Step 1: Sign Up on Aptible

Visit Aptible, click "Sign Up," and follow the prompts to create your new account.

Step 3: Environments
Upon logging in, you'll find the Environments page neatly organized, providing an overview of your deployment environments. Aptible makes it easy to manage different environments for development, staging, and production, ensuring a seamless transition from testing to deployment.

Step 4: Create A New App
Navigate to the Apps Page Locate and click on the "Apps" tab or section. This is where you'll manage all your applications.

Step 5: Redirected to the Database Page
After creating your app, you will be automatically redirected to the "Databases" page. This page is where you manage the databases associated with your applications.

Step 6: Click "Create New Database"
To set up a database for your app, locate the "Create New Database" button on the Databases page.

Clicking this button will initiate the process of configuring a new database instance.

Certainly! If you've decided to use PostgreSQL 14 as the database for your application on Aptible, here's how you can specify that during the database creation process:

Step 7: Choose PostgreSQL 14 as the Database Type
When configuring the database details during the database creation process, you will encounter a field or dropdown labeled "Database Type" or similar. In this section:

Database Type: Select "PostgreSQL 14" from the available options.
This step is crucial as it specifies the specific version of PostgreSQL that you want to use for your application. PostgreSQL 14 may offer new features, optimizations, and security updates compared to previous versions, so it's a good choice if you want to leverage the latest capabilities.

Step 8: Create the Database
After selecting PostgreSQL 14, Write "amazon-db" as the database name., click the "Save Changes" button. Aptible will then provision the resources for a PostgreSQL 14 database instance.

Step 9: Accessing the Database Details
On the Aptible Dashboard, navigate to the "Databases" page.
Look for the database you've just created and click on its name or a related action button to access the database details.

Step 11: Navigate to the "Connection URLs" Page
Within the database details page, you'll likely find a tab or section labeled "Connection" or "Connection URLs." Click on this tab to access the "Connection URLs" page.

Step 12: Copy Connection Details
Copy the provided connection URLs. Use the provided buttons or copy options to copy the URLs to your clipboard.

Step 13: Update .env Details
Open your application's .env file in your preferred code editor.

Locate the entries related to database configuration. These typically include:

DB_URL: Update this with the primary connection URL obtained from the Aptible "Connection URLs" page.

DB_URL=your_primary_connection_url

DB_USER: If your connection URL includes a username, update the DB_USER accordingly.

DB_USER=your_database_username

DB_PASSWORD: If your connection URL includes a password, update the DB_PASSWORD accordingly.

DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password

DB_NAME: Ensure that the DB_NAME is set to "db" as specified.

DB_NAME=db

Your updated .env file might look something like this:

DB_URL=your_primary_connection_url
DB_USER=your_database_username
DB_PASSWORD=your_database_password
DB_NAME=db

Navigate to the Apps Page:
Locate and click on the "Apps" tab or section. This is where you manage all your applications.

Click "Create App":
Look for the "Create App" button. This initiates the process of setting up a new application.

Fill in App Details:
Aptible will prompt you to provide basic information about your app. In this case, set the following details:

App Name: Enter "amazon-backend" as the name for your new application.

Step 14: Write the following code in your vs-code terminal

Step 15: After writing the above code a file will be created in C:\Users\Name.ssh
click on id_rsa.pub

Step 15: Add Your SSH Key
On the page that says enter your ssh key enter the key you copied from the "rsa.pub" file.

Step 16: Create Config File
In the same folder where your "id_rsa.pub" file is located create a new file and name it "config" and write the below code in it.

In your terminal write this

Step 17: Server Terminal
In your server terminal write this codes.

Step 18: Copy the marked codes accordingly and paste in your server terminal make sure not to copy the middle one.

Step 19: Copy your server .env codes and paste in the environment variables box as shown below

After saving make sure you choose create the endpoint cmd Docker

Go to the provided link to view your backend

Step 20: Provisioned Backend
This is the backend provisioned by aptible after the link opens add /api to the URL to view the backend.

Step 21: Head Over To Client
Open "next-config.js" in your client file and make the following changes.

Go to "client > src > lib > api > api-client.ts and change the code as follows.

Step 21: Create A New App and Name it "amazon-next-app"

Step 22: Client Terminal
Go to your vs-code client terminal and write the codes as follows

Step 23: PROVISIONED AMAZON CLONE

Congratulations! You've successfully provisioned your "amazon-backend" app on Aptible, laying the foundation for a robust and secure backend infrastructure. By leveraging the power of Aptible's platform, you've streamlined the deployment process and ensured a reliable environment for your application.

Final Words
Aptible has proven to be an invaluable tool in simplifying the complexities of deployment and infrastructure management. Its intuitive interface, coupled with robust features such as the "Connection URLs" page, makes the development process smoother and more efficient.

As you embark on your journey to build and scale your "amazon-backend" app, keep in mind the versatility and scalability that Aptible provides. The seamless integration with PostgreSQL 14, coupled with easy configuration updates through the .env file, empowers developers to focus on building exceptional applications without the hassle of intricate deployment tasks.

Conclusion
In conclusion, Aptible stands as a reliable partner in your development endeavors. Its commitment to providing a secure, compliant, and developer-friendly platform shines through in every step of the process. Whether you're a solo developer or part of a large team, Aptible's capabilities empower you to deploy, manage, and scale your applications with confidence.

Explore more about what Aptible has to offer by visiting Aptible, Their platform is a testament to the evolution of deployment technologies, making it easier than ever to turn your ideas into reality.

Happy coding and deploying with Aptible!