Tackling the 'what do I build next?' gap for beginner frontend devs — thoughts from building a learning tool

Kome Nathaniel — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 22:20:23 +0000

One challenge I consistently see as a web dev tutor is that beginners often hit a wall after learning the basics—HTML, CSS, JS, maybe some React. They get stuck in this limbo where they don’t know what to build next, what to study, or how to validate whether they’re on the right track.

I ran into the same thing early on in my own journey. Most learning paths eventually jump into data structures and algorithms, which can be overwhelming when you're still figuring out how to write solid, clean frontend code.

To help my students (and honestly, to scratch my own itch), I spent the last few months building a tool aimed at addressing this “gap phase.” The core features I focused on:

Practical coding challenges directly tied to frontend topics

Lightweight code evaluation for immediate feedback

Frontend-specific quizzes to reinforce concepts

Real-time practice with a built-in editor

Integrated video content for guided learning

The hardest part was balancing just enough complexity without overwhelming beginners. Getting the feedback system to be helpful—but not punishing—took a lot of iteration. Also, deciding what “correct” code looks like in frontend (where there are often multiple valid solutions) was a UX/design challenge in itself.

The web app is called Zero.

Zero is designed for beginner frontend developers and includes:

Hands-on coding challenges

AI-powered code evaluation (to give feedback on your code instantly)

AI-generated frontend quizzes

YouTube tutorial integration

A built-in code editor for real-time practice

It’s built with beginner growth in mind—less about theory, more about doing.

🌐 Here’s the link: https://zeroacademychallengeapp.vercel.app/

Not looking to promote anything—just wanted to share this experience and hear from others:

Have you noticed this gap in beginner dev journeys?

If you've tried to build learning tools, how did you approach feedback and engagement?

What would you have wanted when you were just starting out?

Would love to discuss more with folks who've built similar tools or faced the same teaching/learning challenge.

My Goals and What I Want To Achieve At The End Of HNGi8 Internship

Kome Nathaniel — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 23:44:02 +0000

Hello, I'm Kome Nathaniel, a 22 year old Nigerian from Lagos, which I'm a Front-end Developer.

I have been a self taught developer for 6 months, and which being a self taught developer can be really difficult sometimes, because, procrastination steps in, the zeal to code everyday becomes a problem, solving errors or bugs can be terrifying.

Over the past few months of my coding journey as a front-end developer, I was able to kick start my journey by learning HTML and CSS and also learning how to work with GIT and with FIGMA, I moved on ahead to learn my very first programming language which has been incredible, JAVASCRIPT.

Coding can be really fun and hard when there is no-one or something to motivate you, luckily for me my sister introduced me to an online internship programme called ZURI, which this is programme is linked to the HNGi8 internship I’m currently in. I was excited because, I will to work with amazing people, I will also be coached or trained and I will get to experience real life projects, and which at that moment I knew that this is the motivation I have been looking forward too.

My goals are;
• To develop amazing products
• Solve Technical issue
• Work with a team of amazing developers.
I believe I am on the right track to becoming a better developer.

The internship program is for 8 weeks, which my target at the end of the internship is to have a better understanding of programming.

DEV Community: Kome Nathaniel

Tackling the 'what do I build next?' gap for beginner frontend devs — thoughts from building a learning tool

My Goals and What I Want To Achieve At The End Of HNGi8 Internship