How I Chose My Web Development Path as a Beginner

T. — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:14:23 +0000

Choosing a learning path is one of the most critical decisions you make as a beginner. When I set out to learn web development, I knew exactly what I needed: resources that were thorough, accessible 24/7, and completely free—both online and in print.

Before settling on my 2026 learning path, I experimented with a few popular options. Here is a look at what I tried, why they didn’t quite stick, and where I ultimately landed.

What Didn’t Work for Me

Scrimba
Scrimba offers highly interactive introductory courses in web development. However, I realized a bit too late that the platform isn't entirely free; a paywall kicks in shortly after you begin the core HTML and CSS sections. Because I was looking for fully open resources, I had to move on.

Frontend Mentor
Frontend Mentor is an excellent platform for practicing UI design, but it operates on a freemium model. While the basic learning paths are free, accessing project solutions, starter files, and advanced challenges requires a paid upgrade.

100Devs
100Devs is a free, self-paced, community-taught bootcamp led by Leon Noel. Originally broadcast live on Twitch, the full 30-week course repository is now available on YouTube and communitytaught.org.

I actually joined the inaugural cohort in 2020 and attempted subsequent restarts. Leon is an engaging instructor, but the live-stream format presents some hurdles for self-paced learners. The videos are several hours long and include significant time spent interacting with the live chat, managing stream tangents, and breaking away from the core curriculum. Ultimately, the pacing made it difficult for me to stay focused and build momentum.

(Note: I also found myself misaligned with some of the community’s culture and leadership choices over time, which made it easier to look for a fresh start elsewhere.)

What did I choose?

Ultimately, I chose The Odin Project (TOP) as my primary framework, and I couldn't be happier with the decision.

The Odin Project checks every single box for me:

100% Free: No hidden paywalls or premium tiers.

Thorough & Deep: It provides an incredible foundation, guiding you through the Command Line, Git, GitHub, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Project-Based: You build real projects from scratch, including extra credit assignments that push your limits.

Flexible: It’s fully online and accessible 24/7, allowing me to learn at my own pace.

Supplementing the Journey

To round out my education, I am supplementing TOP’s curriculum with their curated external links and a personal goal: reading one non-fiction and/or web development book per month.

Finding the right path is all about trial and error. It takes time to discover what aligns with your learning style, but finding the right fit makes all the difference. I’ll dive into the first book on my reading list in my next post—stay tuned!

Here to Learn

T. — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 22:44:33 +0000

I'm Tee (@teeteate), and I'm here to learn. Dev.to will be my space to document my learning journey in public. I have spent time being afraid to learn, fail, and grow especially in view of other people. I no longer want to remain stagnant and in hiding.

My goals are to:

Complete a data analytics course:
This learning path will focus on Microsoft Excel, SQL, and Python. I may also include Power BI. My goal for learning data analytics is to gain an understanding of using and managing data along with backend web development.
Complete a full-stack web development learning path:
This learning path is one that I have started and quit more times than I can count. I want to learn full-stack web development well enough to build a portfolio of projects. I'm starting with HTML and CSS, and will continue to build from there using the MERN stack - MongoDB (NoSQL database), Express.js (backend framework), React (frontend library), and Node.js (runtime environment).
Learn computer science and web development fundamentals: The plan is to do some learning on web fundamentals using free and low-cost resources online.
Combine my love of art and color to learn some design and UX/UI basics: I hope to build beautiful projects, and want to use UX and UI fundamentals to help me. I'm not sure yet how I will do this.

I hope the DEV.to community will join me on my learning journey! Let's connect here - follow me, leave a comment, and like and share this post! Excited to get started and learn with you!

DEV Community: T.

How I Chose My Web Development Path as a Beginner

What Didn’t Work for Me

What did I choose?

Supplementing the Journey

Here to Learn