How I’m Earning $3,000 at 14 While Learning to Build SaaS Products

Kostiantyn Ostapenko — Fri, 16 May 2025 05:56:18 +0000

Hi! I’m Kostiantyn, a 14-year-old fullstack developer with solid skills in JavaScript and TypeScript. Over the last few months, I’ve earned more than $3,000 working on real projects and freelancing — all before even finishing high school.

What I Focus On Right Now

Mastering JavaScript/TypeScript and Next.js for fast, scalable frontend and backend development.
Building simple SaaS projects that solve real problems and bring real income.
Learning backend basics with Node.js and NestJS, since this stack is in huge demand.

Why I Put Go on Hold

I started learning Go because it’s popular for backend and microservices. But quickly realized it doesn’t fit my current goals. Go requires more time to master and lacks the quick feedback loop I get with JavaScript and Node.js. For now, I prioritize skills and tools that help me earn money faster and build complete products.

My Goal

To keep building SaaS products and freelance projects that improve my skills and generate income. Practical experience and fast results are key at my age.

Where I’m Going Next

I’ll continue focusing on JavaScript, Next.js, and NestJS, then later consider other backend languages like Go or Rust when I’m ready for bigger challenges.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to follow my journey and share your own experiences. Let’s grow together.

Check out my SaaS project: https://charm-ai.io

Starting My Journey: Learning Go and Building New Skills While Growing My SaaS Business

Kostiantyn Ostapenko — Thu, 15 May 2025 17:28:59 +0000

Hi! I’m Kostiantyn, a 14-year-old fullstack developer with solid experience in JavaScript and TypeScript. Over the past months, I’ve earned more than $3,000 from real projects and freelancing, not just from my SaaS. This has given me motivation and proof that I’m on the right path.

One of my current projects is a SaaS called Charm AI (https://charm-ai.io), which I’m actively developing. At the same time, I realize that to scale and build more serious products, I need to level up my backend skills. That’s why I’m now learning Go.

Why Go?

Performance and scalability. Go is built for high-load systems. It’s lightweight, fast, and has a simple but powerful syntax.
Growing market demand. Companies that work with large-scale systems and microservices often choose Go. The demand keeps rising.
Modern language with a strong ecosystem. Go offers straightforward tools, built-in concurrency support, and easy dependency management.

What I’ve learned so far:

The basics of Go syntax — a foundation you need to master.
Working with data types, variables, conditions, and loops.
Creating and calling functions.
Working with arrays and slices (Go’s version of vectors).
Building a simple API — real practical experience.

My plan

I’m aiming to build a fullstack todo app using Next.js and Go within 16 days, as a SaaS product. This project will test my Golang knowledge and skills, helping me solidify what I’ve learned and gain new experience.

Why this matters now

At 14, having real projects, income, and experience is a serious career start. My JavaScript/TypeScript skills give me a strong base, but to reach a higher level, I must grow further. Learning Go is my move toward backend development, opening doors to companies that need professionals skilled in scalable systems.

I’ll be sharing regular updates on my progress, challenges, and solutions — not just to document my journey but to motivate others learning and growing as well.

Thanks for reading, and let’s level up together!

DEV Community: Kostiantyn Ostapenko