DEV Community: Matthew Jared Levin

If I Could Go Back to the Start: 10 Things I Learned About Coding by: Matthew Levin

Matthew Jared Levin — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:06:56 +0000

Organization is Key:

You will here things repeated by different people you meet along the way in your coding journey. Different people will also tell you many different things that will vary from one person to the next. It is important to always understand everyone is different, and things wont be the same for one person to the next. But I am certain that from a beginners standpoint, Organization is Key. I've actually had people tell me it is important to not focus to much on taking notes and organizing them as all collectively as you move forward and to just learn and do it....I even tried to stick with doing this for a short period of time. But for me and i suspect for many people, good notes are key to my success and equally important, organizing your notes and documents, is just as much of a key to my success as taking good notes in the first place. I found out very early on, if you don't have an efficient note taking and organizational system in place, things will get very messy fast. The amount of material we burn through during a full stack development program is astonishing. It is super easy to lose control of your notes to the point where you have way to many documents stacking up filled with many many pages of notes and you can no longer find where things are when you need them. If you have 100 documents all filled with many pages of notes and I'm just looking specifi

Time Management and Preparation:

So for starters, giving yourself the truly correct amount of time to prep for things starting with the actual prep course all the way back before it all started, is crucial. Assuming that you went through the prep course, and you will just touch up on things you don’t know still or didn’t comprehend when you circle back to it next or sometime down the line when you have more time, is probably not the best way to go about learning considering the fast pace of this type of program. It is super easy to wake up one day and realize how behind you really are or to severely overlook time and be forced to jump into something you truly were not prepared to begin and having to figure it out as you go in the name of time crunching because you were behind and time caught up, is a recipe to fail.

Importance of Understanding the Big Picture:

I learned very quickly, that you will here all forms of advice from people as you begin to learn and jump into things for the first time. One thing that stood out to me is a common theme I kept hearing again and again, specially throughout the beginning phases, is to make sure your not spending to much time with learning the bigger picture for many things you learn. I heard at many points, advice that was directed towards steering me away from spending to much time focusing on the bigger picture and trying to make sense of processes, concepts, and what we are doing. Obviously we are in a time crunch so it is important not to get to caught up on something and not leaving yourself enough time to go through everything.....but without truly understanding the Big Picture on what you are doing, it just will not leave you in a good position to efficiently learn what you need to do it and truly understanding and remembering what you did. You might be much more prone to relying on memorization to do things without truly understanding everything the code you just wrote does and why it does these things. Ive literally had instructors tell me to not overthink things and spend to much time on trying to understand the deeper level of things and making sense of it all and that just jumping in and getting wet is the best way to go....Again everyone is different but personally i found it extremely hard to learn and retain anything without thoroughly understand the big picture and the deeper parts of everything we are doing in terms of the real world and what is going on behind the scenes when people are using given code in real world applications....

Micro coding:

What is Microcoding? Microcoding is a term that I came up with because I'm basically a long time fan of RTG gaming long story short. One of the pinnacles to every good RTG game is the amount of focus you have to give to Micro Economics and Macro Economics. You have to be able to fight the small battles around a map while undertaking small tasks at the same time like scouting or using decoys to trick people etc.....is what the Micro Economic part of these games entails. While at the same time as the Micro, you have to equally balance and perform the Macro Economic part of the game which is keeping your economy in a healthy state while doing everything else you are doing simultaneously. If you do too much of one of these over the other and do not have a proper balance you will fail. If you over macro or micro or vice versa, you will fail. There has to be a correct balance between the two for everything to flow correctly and achieve success. I have found that coding perfectly parallels this concept as you are learning things. If you are micro coding, you are essentially paying too much attention to learning the syntax and methods you are using and making sure that you don't make any mistakes, rather than taking a step back and making sure not to lose site of the bigger picture, simultaneously as you learn the micro part of it. If you lose site of the bigger picture, and are forgetting to macro, it is easy for the syntax to become a blur, to retain less in the end, and to become repeatedly lost in understanding what and why you are doing what ever it is you are doing. If you put the right amount of focus into understanding the bigger picture, understanding and learning the syntax simultaneously will go from intimidating to a routine walk in the park. This all basically leads to my next one.....

Don’t let things intimidate you:

Something special to me that I wish I could have understood more clearly early on, is how harmful it is to let anything you are learning here for the first time, intimidate you. Towards the end, it became perfectly clear to me, that as long as you understand the actual process behind what you are doing, specifically what is going on in the real world, behind the scenes, for the code or task you are about to take on, you will be in good shape. Overthinking syntax or being intimidated by syntax or any of the complex methods you come across or worrying about memorizing syntax so you actually remember it, can all actually work against you more than you’ll realize. If you just take a moment to think about everything going on behind the scenes in the real world for the code you are writing….you will quickly realize the syntax is not the biggest deal ironically. If you simply focus more on things like understanding what a user is going to use a site for, the different things the user will do on the site, the buttons they will press, what should happen when they press a button or a link, what they will be doing in terms of all the actions they could take throughout the process of using an individual feature, when they input information and send it to a site, where is that sending and where is that info stored, how is that data retreieved etc….you will realize that stressing about things like syntax is a waste of time….You should be able to tell yourself very quickly, I understand exactly what will be going on in what places as this process folds out, I understand the exact actions the user will take to do something on this site, and in regards to the syntax for coding the actions out that the user will be doing on the site, it becomes a hell of a lot easier to take in and learn at that point. As long as you understand the what’s and why’s, the how’s is just googling and online research. There's a million different ways to do things, but as long as you understand why and what you are doing, figuring out how is usually just some simple research that you get better at doing the more you do it until eventually things like syntax don’t have any effect on you anymore.

Don’t put things off:

It is easy to delay in doing/learning certain things or to hesitate in getting familiar with things like debugging methods, using basic console log type tools frequently when you code, and to all the wide range of tools and libraries that are available to us as we are coding things for the first time. It is easy to look at things from a viewpoint where you think it is more practical to just focus on learning something first and all those extra tools, you can just circle back to them later and figure out how to use them. Putting a top priority on learning over things like debugging simultaneously will only harm you as a coder. These tools exist for a reason. Simply put they will make your job easier and make the learning process easier for you overall. They are 100 percent necessary as a coder, so delaying out of intimidation, makes absolutely no sense.

Listen to yourself above others:

When it comes to the way you want to tackle something (not all the time but for general things in your coding development journey) start getting used to doing things the way you like or the way that feels the most natural to you, what ever works best. You can always naturally adapt and change as time moves on, you will always discover different tools and ways to do things down the line. My advice in regards to this area is, as you are learning everything for the first time, avoid flip flopping around to fast on learning something one way and immediately switching to doing it a different way because so in so did it that way and said they like this way the best. If you find yourself doing this too much during the learning process you will easily find yourself struggling to retain things efficiently because your brain can get criss-crossed and overloaded. Just finish and focus on one way you are learning to something entirely before learning new ways to do things down the line. Overall, specially if time was not such a factor for us, learning the different ways to do things as you learn from different peers is obviously a great thing….But one thing I learned is that when you are going through something like a Software Development Camp, if you are not careful, it can be extremely harmful and can ultimately confuse you if you hop around to much with all the different ways to do something without ever getting the correct grasp on it using the first methods/ways you learned to do it….

Health is key: Of all things to consider this one might come off as the most obvious one that a lot of people I think tend to naturally overlook. Making sure you are staying well rested, well fed, and keeping yourself as mentally balanced as possible will save your life throughout your Software Development learning Journey. Of course this sounds obvious but i promise, many people will still overlook this.
Planning is key:

When you are about to tackle projects for your first time, proper planning is beyond crucial! Document EVERYTHING, compile all the things you know you will need to do for a given project into one area, and clearly lay out all the things you can think of that you will need to have to do what you are working on. For example, clearly go through the entire user experience in your head for the site you are trying to build, document every feature you know the user will need to access and use to the things that your site does for them, and compile all the sources you will use, and generate a completion schedule and task management system of some sort and everything else you can think of to aid you, document and compile it! For example even just going through the User process and documenting all the "Requests" period that you know their actions will generate and getting all the Requests down in an organized list before you start building it will give you a massive edge in terms of achieving success. You will find yourself cruising when you have properly done all this off the get go and struggling to move fast enough if you did a poor job at this....

Communication is key:

Possibly one of the most important areas in this realm period is Communication. This becomes especially true when you get to group assignments and projects. Another easy one to underestimate, communication, is KEY!!!!! If your group members are not exactly on the same page off the get go on understanding the project and exactly what your application is doing, why it is doing it, and everything else about it inside and out, it is a good way to experience major problem down the line because your partners were understanding something differently and had different ideas on how something needed to be arranged, set up, done, whatever.....long story short if you are not communicating efficiently from the start, you will likely fail or experience major set backs from group members being to out of synch with one another. The best example i have is my phase-1 project. I was in a group where a group member i had selected the project idea and it was related to Dungeons and Dragons which is a game that i have never played and no nothing about. He spent the first day trying to smash through code and getting things rolling and spilled everything he would do on us by surprise. When we, the other members, would opt to step in and try to help how ever we could, when you don't even understand a game like Dungeons and Dragons, and your partner jumps ahead, does things, and then gives you brief explanations that use a lot of in game vocab you don't know. Then he explains things in a manner where he clearly assumes we all know everything about the game, IT BECOMES A NIGHTMARE! How do you even help code things if you don't understand the game the app is based off of...how do you write code for a sports app if you literally know 0 about the sport the app is based off of. Long story short, EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE PERFECTLY, BEFORE UNDERTAKING AND ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD ON BEGINNING A PROJECT!

The Fusion of Machine Learning and Full Stack Development: New Possibilities by: Matthew Levin

Matthew Jared Levin — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:01:15 +0000

In the rapidly evolving landscape of software development, the synergy between machine learning and Full Stack development has ushered in an era of intelligent applications. As machine learning technologies advance, they are seamlessly integrating into Full Stack applications, revolutionizing user experiences and redefining the boundaries of what's possible in the digital realm. My blog post today, explores the significance of machine learning in the Full Stack world, backed by real-world examples, and offers a guide for new developers navigating their career paths.

The Power of Machine Learning, once confined to research laboratories, has now become a driving force behind the capabilities of Full Stack applications. It brings predictive power, automation, and personalized experiences to the forefront, transforming applications into responsive and intelligent entities. By seamlessly integrating machine learning models into the backend and frontend of applications, developers open doors to new functionalities that elevate user engagement and satisfaction.

Real-World Examples:

1.) Airbnb and Dynamic Pricing: As an illustration, consider the case of Airbnb, the renowned accommodation platform. Machine learning takes center stage as Airbnb employs dynamic pricing models. These models intricately analyze a multitude of factors such as demand, location, time of year, and even competitor pricing. Through seamless integration, users experience accurate pricing suggestions that not only maximize hosts' potential revenue but also instill guests' trust. By dynamically adjusting prices in real time, Airbnb showcases the immediate power of machine learning in enhancing user experiences and optimizing the marketplace.

2.) Spotify and Personalized Music Recommendations: Another compelling example is Spotify, a music streaming giant. Here, machine learning reshapes the music discovery landscape by offering personalized recommendations. Spotify's machine learning algorithms process vast amounts of user data, analyzing listening habits, preferred genres, and even user-created playlists. The result? A customized music journey that enhances user engagement and sparks musical exploration. With every song suggestion and curated playlist, Spotify showcases the profound impact of machine learning in tailoring the digital experience to individual preferences.

As new developers, embarking on a coding journey can be daunting, with a multitude of paths to choose from. Deciding between frontend, backend, or even specialized domains like machine learning can be challenging. I think its important to remember that our paths as new developers are not linear by andy means! There is a super wide range or variety of possibilities, options, and choices. As mentioned in the examples, machine learning bridges both frontend and backend development, offering a unique blend of responsibilities that cater to a wide range of interests.

From machine learning engineers shaping backend algorithms to full stack developers embedding these models into user interfaces, the field of machine learning offers a diverse array of roles. Whether your passion lies in backend deployment, frontend interactivity, algorithm innovation, or product strategy, machine learning can possibly give you the journey you envision, that aligns perfectly with your strengths and aspirations.

 In conclusion, as we bid farewell to the traditional division between frontend and backend development, the emergence of areas such as machine learning, have created new horizons. Horizons marked by intelligent applications that seamlessly combine data-driven insights with interactive interfaces. By embracing the convergence of machine learning and Full Stack development, we embrace the future, where applications are not just functional tools but dynamic partners, that adapt, learn, and enhance our overall digital experiences.

“Python: Gateway to Exploring a Data-Driven World"

Matthew Jared Levin — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:42:39 +0000

“Python: Gateway to Exploring a Data-Driven World”
By Matthew Levin

As a software engineering student learning Python for the first time, I have quickly realized that Python might not be for everyone. For the right person though, it can offer you a super versatile toolkit that can absolutely open up doors to various opportunities. Python isn't just a programming language but a versatile companion for beginners and professionals alike. In my blog I will be discussing why Python is becoming the go-to-choice for a wide range of developers and how it's transforming the way we approach programming.

First off, Python's simplicity in syntax and structure sets it apart making it a very user friendly language while also being very versatile considering the wide range of tasks a developer can use it for. Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced coder, Python certainly offers an environment that allows you to focus on the logic of your code rather than getting lost in complicated syntax rules.

Python comes packed with a collection of libraries, like pandas for data analysis, NumPy for numerical computation, and scikit-learn for machine learning. These libraries are like expert assistants that specialize in specific tasks. They've made Python an indispensable tool for data scientists and developers across various fields. Whether you're exploring trends in a dataset, predicting outcomes, or performing complex mathematical operations, Python has a library for it.

Currently, we our generating data at an unprecedented rate. Python’s plays a pivotal role in the world on Data science and helping manage a lot of this data and can kind of be looked at as a Data Scientists best friend. Its ability to seamlessly handle data and collaborate with robust libraries has crowned it the kingpin of data analysis, manipulation, and visualization. For example, if you are analyzing a dataset to uncover trends in customer behavior for a business Python can allow you to sort through the data, identify patterns, and extract insights that can shape the businesses strategies.

Python's real-world impact extends to numerous sectors. In finance, Python takes on the role of a financial analyst, crunching numbers to predict stock market trends. In healthcare, it aids medical professionals in diagnosing diseases by processing complex medical imagery. The entertainment industry leverages Python for special effects, animation, and game development. The applications are diverse, but the common thread is Python's ability to simplify complexity and amplify innovation.

In conclusion, Python isn't quite like any other programming languages. With its versatility, friendly syntax, and extensive library ecosystem Python can be an invaluable asset for developers of all levels. As I plunge into the data science realm during this phase of my software engineering bootcamp, experiencing firsthand how Python transforms raw data into actionable insights, goes to show me that for the right developer, Python will be your best friend. Its importance to the Data Science realm is the key to its value that it can offer to new developers alike.

"React State Management: Exploring Recoil for Simplified Global State" by: Matthew Levin (Flatiron)

Matthew Jared Levin — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 17:19:03 +0000

As a software engineering student in my sixth week of Flatiron school, I have been exploring different state management solutions in React. State management is a critical aspect of building complex applications, and Recoil, a new state management library for React, has been gaining attention for its simplicity and effectiveness. In this blog post, I'll be covering Recoil and breaking down how it simplifies global state management in React applications. This is something that I feel will be very useful to other beginners like me, whenever they start dipping into React!

Introducing Recoil

Recoil is a state management library created by Facebook for React applications. It's designed to make managing state easier and simpler. While other libraries like Redux and Context API are popular, they can become complex to set up as your app grows. Recoil aims to solve that problem by offering a fresh and straightforward approach.

In Recoil, we work with two main concepts: atoms and selectors.

Key Features of Recoil

Atoms

In Recoil, an "atom" is the basic unit of state. It represents an individual piece of state in your application. Atoms are similar to React's useState, but Recoil takes them a step further by enabling easy sharing and consumption of state across different components.

// Example of an atom

import { atom } from 'recoil';

const countState = atom({
key: 'count',
default: 0,
});

In this example, we define an atom named countState with an initial value of 0. Components can access and modify this state using Recoil hooks.

Selectors

Selectors allow you to derive computed values from one or more atoms. They are similar to React's useMemo hook. Selectors provide a clean and efficient way to derive state without duplicating logic in multiple components.

// Example of a selector

import { selector } from 'recoil';

const doubledCountSelector = selector({
key: 'doubledCount',
get: ({ get }) => {
const count = get(countState);
return count * 2;
},
});

Here, doubledCountSelector derives its value based on the countState atom. Any changes to countState will automatically update the doubledCountSelector value.

Recoil selectors are better than React's useMemo hook in certain cases. Recoil's selectors help manage shared state in larger and complex React apps in a more straightforward way. They automatically keep track of what data a component relies on, so when that data changes, Recoil updates the component automatically without you needing to do it manually.
Selectors also support asynchronous tasks like fetching data

RecoilRoot

Similar to React's Context API, Recoil provides a RecoilRoot component that serves as the entry point for Recoil state. It allows all Recoil hooks to access and modify the state within its subtree.

//Example

import { RecoilRoot } from 'recoil';

function App() {
return (

{/* Your application components */}

);
}

Asynchronous State

Recoil supports asynchronous state management “out of the box”. This means you can handle asynchronous operations, such as API calls, seamlessly within Recoil selectors.

(Example Cont...)

import { selector } from 'recoil';

const fetchDataSelector = selector({
key: 'fetchData',
get: async () => {
const response = await fetch('https://xxxxxx');
return response.json();
},
});

Advantages of Recoil

Simplified Global State
Recoil simplifies global state management by offering an easy-to-use API for defining and consuming state. Its minimalistic approach eliminates much of the boilerplate code associated with other state management solutions, allowing developers to focus on building features rather than managing state.
Dependency Tree Tracking
Recoil automatically tracks the dependencies between atoms and selectors. This enables Recoil to trigger re-renders only when necessary, optimizing performance and minimizing unnecessary rendering.
No Prop Drilling
Unlike Context API, Recoil eliminates the need for prop drilling to pass state down to deeply nested components. Components can access state using Recoil hooks, providing a cleaner and more efficient way to consume state.

*Conclusion *

Recoil is a cool way to manage state in React apps. Its simple API, automatic tracking of dependencies, and support for asynchronous operations make managing state easy and improve app performance. Whether you're building a small app or a big project, Recoil is a powerful tool to have in your React development toolbox. As I continue to learn and complete my bootcamp journey, it will be exciting to further explore Recoil and leverage its capabilities to create more efficient and maintainable React applications.

“Title: The Power of Data Visualization with JavaScript Libraries”

Matthew Jared Levin — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:48:59 +0000

“Title: The Power of Data Visualization with JavaScript Libraries”
By Matthew Levin

A.) Introduction:
Welcome to my first blog post! Today, I will explore the basics of data visualization using JavaScript libraries and give you my recommendation on which libraries I think will be most useful to us as beginners. Data visualization is about making information easier to understand by using charts and graphs. It's obviously an important skill for any new developer to have. In this post I will cover the basics and introduce some popular JavaScript libraries. By learning good data visualization skills, you'll be able to create cool visualizations that really impress others and help you stand out as a new coder.

B.) Importance:
Data visualization is important because it helps us understand complex information. People like seeing things visually, and charts and graphs help us see patterns and trends more easily. When we can interact with the visualizations, like hovering over points or clicking on them, we can learn even more. Data visualization is useful for making decisions and telling stories with data.

C.) Benefits:
JavaScript libraries are tools that make it easier for users to create interactive charts and graphs. Some might require more advanced skills to fully utilize the capabilities they offer, such as “D3.js”. While others, like “Chart.js”, require very little coding knowledge to use. Either or they will provide all skill levels with a range of benefits that gives them more control in some fashion overall. 2 key benefits JS libraries can provide you with are added interactivity and the ability to keep your visualizations dynamically updated.

Adding Interactivity to Charts:
Most JavaScript libraries will give developers the ability to customize and create fully interactive visualizations. This means you can do things like see extra information when you hover over a point or make parts of the chart stand out when you click on them. These interactive features make it easier to explore the data and find interesting things.
Dynamic Updates and User Interactions:
With JavaScript libraries, you can update charts in real-time. For example, you can let users choose what data they want to see and instantly update the chart to show it. You can also connect the charts to live data sources, so they always show the latest information. This makes the charts more useful and up-to-date.

D.) Popular JavaScript Libraries for Data Visualization:

“Chart.js”
A beginner-friendly library with lots of different chart types. You can easily make bar charts, line charts, and pie charts that look good on different devices. Chart.js Includes built in functions and methods that allow users to produce a range of basic visualizations without even doing any real coding. You can simply just feed your data to built in functions they provide you with that will produce what you need fast and efficiently.
“D3.js” (Our main focus of this blog)
If you want more control and customization, D3.js is a good choice. It lets you create detailed and interactive visualizations using HTML, CSS, and SVG. It's a bit harder to learn, but it gives you endless possibilities. It will require you to actually code and create your own functions to produce your visualizations as opposed to using pre-built functions and methods. The reward is, obviously, that it gives developers full control over customizing their visualizations allowing them to make highly customized and detailed visualizations that fully match the needs of whatever project they are working on. Having an in-depth knowledge of and learning how to code/use libraries like D3.js, could be a huge advantage when it comes to landing our first jobs after graduation. Just imagine how amazing it would look to possible employers, if you know how to code with D3.js and can create your own super advanced functions that produce absolutely wild and stunning visualizations that can be fully customized to your liking. (As opposed to only knowing how to use the basic libraries and produce basic charts with prebuilt in functions.)
“Plotly.js”

Another library to consider learning for producing your first data visualizations, is Plotly.js. Plotly.js is basically a combination of Chart.js and D3.js It offers many chart types and interactivity options, it's great for exploring data and for making highly detailed and interactive dashboards while not having to write near as much code as an advanced level library like D3.js would require. Plotly.js is a library geared more towards a developer that needs a solid data visualization for a project but does not require complete control over every aspect of the
Visualization. It is also maybe more for developers dealing with less data overall and time restrictions on their projects as it’s built in capabilities make it much more user friendly and easier/faster to use over libraries like D3.js.

E.) Example:
(For learning purposes, below is an example of a very basic D3.js function that I created which produces an extremely basic bar graph.)
const data = [10, 20, 15, 25, 30]; // Define data
// Set up the chart dimensions
const chartWidth = 400;
const chartHeight = 200;
const barPadding = 10;
// Create the SVG element
const svg = d3.select('#chart')
.append('svg')
.attr('width', chartWidth)
.attr('height', chartHeight);
// Calculate the width of each bar based on the chart dimensions and data length
const barWidth = (chartWidth / data.length) - barPadding;
// Create the rectangles for the bars
const bars = svg.selectAll('rect')
.data(data)
.enter()
.append('rect')
.attr('x', (d, i) => i * (barWidth + barPadding))
.attr('y', d => chartHeight - d)
.attr('width', barWidth)
.attr('height', d => d)
.attr('fill', 'steelblue');

F.) Conclusion:
Long story short, as a beginner that's looking to learn and enhance your coding skills as much as possible, expanding your knowledge on D3.js is the way to go. It is clearly one of the more advanced JavaScript libraries available to use since it requires us to write our own functions for producing data visualizations. But, again, learning how to write your own code in order to produce your very own, amazing and one-of-a-kind data visualizations, will definitely help you standout and add to your overall knowledge arsenal. Having experience with and understanding what some of the other libraries, more like Chart.js, can offer you as a developer, is obviously an important thing to be familiar with. But from a learning standpoint, JavaScript libraries such as D3.js, are what we want to be focusing on!!!!! There is just simply not as much to learn coding wise when It comes to basic libraries like Chart.js. And learning is kind of our overall goal at the end of it all, right?