DEV Community: Zakaria Haruna

How to Start a Software Project: A Practical Guide for Developers

Zakaria Haruna — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:40:22 +0000

You have a new project idea.

Maybe it is a notes app, an e-commerce API, a portfolio, a SaaS product, or a tool that solves a problem you personally have.

You create a folder, open your code editor, and then...

Where do you actually start?

This is one of the most common problems developers face, especially when moving from tutorials to real projects.

Starting a software project isn't just about writing the first line of code. Before you build features, you need to understand what you're building, choose the right tools, organize the project, set up version control, and create a small first version that you can actually finish.

In this guide, we'll walk through a practical process for starting a software project from scratch.

We'll use a small Node.js task API as our example, but the principles apply to React applications, mobile apps, backend systems, and larger software projects too.

What You Should Know Before Starting

You don't need to be an expert developer for this tutorial.

It's helpful to understand:

Basic programming concepts
Variables, functions, and objects
How to use a terminal
Basic Git commands
How to install packages with a package manager

For the practical example, we'll use Node.js and Express, but you can apply the project-planning process to almost any technology stack.

Start With the Problem, Not the Code

One of the easiest mistakes to make is opening your editor and immediately creating files.

Instead, start by answering one question:

What problem is this software supposed to solve?

For example, instead of saying:

"I want to build a React app."

say:

"I want to build a task management application where users can create, update, complete, and delete tasks."

The second statement gives you something you can actually design and build.

Write a one-paragraph project description

For our example:

TaskFlow is a simple task management application that allows users to create, view, mark as completed, and delete tasks.

That's enough to get started.

You don't need a 30-page specification for a small project.

Define the MVP

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product.

It means the smallest useful version of your application.

Imagine you're building a task management application.

You could eventually add:

User accounts
Email notifications
Team collaboration
File attachments
Task comments
Calendar integration
Analytics
AI features
Mobile apps

That's a lot.

If you try to build everything immediately, there's a good chance you'll spend weeks building features without finishing the actual project.

Instead, define the first version.

Our MVP

For TaskFlow, let's start with:

Create a task
View tasks
Update a task
Mark a task as completed
Delete a task

That's it.
Once those features work, we have a usable application.
You can always add more later.

Turn Features Into Requirements

Now turn your MVP into simple requirements.
For example:

Feature Requirement
Create task User can create a task with a title
View tasks User can see all tasks
Update task User can change a task title
Complete task User can mark a task as completed
Delete task User can remove a task

This gives you a development checklist.
It also helps prevent something developers commonly experience:
"I don't know what to build next."
You can simply look at the list.

Decide What Technology You Actually Need

Choosing technologies can become overwhelming.
You might find yourself comparing:

React vs Vue vs Angular
Node vs Python vs Go
PostgreSQL vs MongoDB
REST vs GraphQL
Docker vs no Docker
JavaScript vs TypeScript

These are useful discussions, but don't let them stop you from building.
For our project, we'll keep things simple:
Backend
└── Node.js
└── Express.js

For the first version, we can even use an in-memory array instead of a database.
Why?
Because the goal at this stage is to get the application working.
Later, we can introduce a database.

A useful rule
Choose technology based on the problem you're solving, not because it's the newest technology you found on social media.

If you already know a technology well and it can solve the problem, that's often a perfectly good reason to use it.

Create the Project Folder

Let's create our project.
Open your terminal:
mkdir taskflow
cd taskflow
Initialize a Node.js project:
npm init -y
This creates a package.json file.
Your project now looks like:

taskflow/
└── package.json

The package.json file contains important information about your project, including its name, scripts, and dependencies.

Install the Dependencies

Install Express:
npm install express
We'll also install Nodemon as a development dependency.
npm install --save-dev nodemon
Nodemon automatically restarts the server when you change your code.
That saves you from repeatedly stopping and starting the server manually.

Set Up Your Project Structure

Don't worry about creating 20 folders before you've written any code.
For a small application, start simple.

Create:

taskflow/
├── src/
│ └── server.js
├── package.json
├── package-lock.json
└── .gitignore

Create the src directory:

mkdir src
Then create server.js inside it.
The structure is intentionally small.
As the application grows, we can introduce folders such as:
controllers/
routes/
models/
middleware/
services/
But you don't need all of them on day one.

Create Your First Server

Open src/server.js:

const express = require("express");
const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;
app.use(express.json());

app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.json({
    message: "TaskFlow API is running"
  });
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

Let's understand what's happening.
Import Express
const express = require("express");
This loads the Express package.

Create the application
const app = express();
This creates our Express application.

Parse JSON requests
app.use(express.json());
This allows Express to understand JSON request bodies.

For example:

{
  "title": "Learn Node.js"
}

Create a route

app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.json({
    message: "TaskFlow API is running"
  });
});

When a client sends a GET request to /, our server returns a JSON response.

Start the server

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

This tells Node.js to start listening for requests.

Add a Development Script

Open package.json.
Find the "scripts" section and change it to:

"scripts": {
  "start": "node src/server.js",
  "dev": "nodemon src/server.js"
}

Now you can start the application in development mode with:
npm run dev
You should see something similar to:
Server running on http://localhost:3000
Open the address in your browser or use an API client such as Postman or Insomnia.
You should receive:

{
  "message": "TaskFlow API is running"
}

You have your first working version.

Build One Feature at a Time

Now let's implement the first real feature:

Create a task.
For this small example, we'll temporarily store tasks in memory.
Add this near the top of server.js:
let tasks = [];
Now create a POST endpoint:

app.post("/tasks", (req, res) => {
  const { title } = req.body;

  if (!title) {
    return res.status(400).json({
      message: "Title is required"
    });
  }

  const task = {
    id: tasks.length + 1,
    title,
    completed: false
  };

  tasks.push(task);

  res.status(201).json(task);
});

A client can now send:

POST /tasks

with:

{
  "title": "Learn Express"
}

The server responds with something like:

{
  "id": 1,
  "title": "Learn Express",
  "completed": false
}

Add a Route to Get Tasks

Next, users need to see their tasks.
Add:

app.get("/tasks", (req, res) => {
  res.json(tasks);
});

Now:
GET /tasks

might return:

[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "title": "Learn Express",
    "completed": false
  }
]

Notice something important.

We're not trying to build the entire application at once.
We're building one small piece, testing it, and then moving to the next piece.

That's a much more manageable development process.

Add the Remaining Features

Once creating and reading tasks work, continue with updating and deleting.

For example, to delete a task:

app.delete("/tasks/:id", (req, res) => {
  const id = Number(req.params.id);

  const taskExists = tasks.some((task) => task.id === id);

  if (!taskExists) {
    return res.status(404).json({
      message: "Task not found"
    });
  }

  tasks = tasks.filter((task) => task.id !== id);

  res.status(204).send();
});

The :id is a route parameter.

For example:

DELETE /tasks/1

means:

Delete the task whose ID is 1.

At this point, you have the beginnings of a real API.

Think About Data Before Adding a Database

Eventually, our task array won't be enough.

Why?

Because this:

let tasks = [];

stores data only in memory.
If you stop the server, the tasks disappear.
That's where a database becomes useful.
Before adding one, think about what your data actually looks like.

A task might contain:

Task
├── id
├── title
├── completed
└── createdAt

If you later add users, you might have:

User
├── id
├── name
├── email
└── passwordHash

And relationships such as:

User
│
└── Tasks
├── Task 1
├── Task 2
└── Task 3

Thinking about your data early helps you choose an appropriate database structure.

Add Environment Variables

As soon as your application has configuration values or secrets, don't hard-code them directly into your source code.

For example, avoid:

const databasePassword = "my-secret-password";
Instead, use environment variables.

Create:

.env

For example:

PORT=3000
DATABASE_URL=your_database_connection_string

Then use a package such as dotenv if your setup requires it:

npm install dotenv

And load the variables:

require("dotenv").config();

const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;

Your .env file should normally be excluded from Git:

node_modules/
.env

Never commit real passwords, API keys, database credentials, or other secrets to a public repository.

Initialize Git Early

Git isn't something you should add after finishing your project.
Initialize it near the beginning:

git init

Then create a .gitignore file:

node_modules/
.env

Check your files:

git status

Add them:

git add .

Create your first commit:
git commit -m "Initial project setup"
Now you have a checkpoint.
If you make a terrible change later, you have a history of your project.

Write a README

A README is one of the most underrated parts of a software project.

Imagine someone downloads your project from GitHub.
How do they know:

What the project does?
How do they install it?
How do they run it?
What technologies does it use?
What endpoints are available? Your README should answer these questions. For example:

TaskFlow API

A simple task management REST API built with Node.js and Express.

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>

Install dependencies:
npm install

Start the development server:
npm run dev

API
Get all tasks

GET /tasks

Create a task

POST /tasks

Request body:

{
  "title": "Learn Express"
}

It doesn't need to be perfect.
It just needs to help the next person understand your project.
That "next person" might be another developer—or **you six months from now**.


### A Practical Development Workflow

Now let's turn everything into a repeatable process.

When starting a new project, you can follow this checklist:

### Phase 1: Understand

- [ ] Define the problem
- [ ] Identify the target users
- [ ] Write down the main features
- [ ] Define the MVP

### Phase 2: Plan

- [ ] Choose the technology stack
- [ ] Think about the data you'll need
- [ ] Decide what the first version should contain
- [ ] Break features into small tasks

### Phase 3: Set up

- [ ] Create the project
- [ ] Initialize the package manager
- [ ] Install dependencies
- [ ] Create a basic project structure
- [ ] Initialize Git
- [ ] Create `.gitignore`
- [ ] Create a README

### Phase 4: Build

- [ ] Build one feature
- [ ] Test it
- [ ] Fix problems
- [ ] Commit your changes
- [ ] Move to the next feature

### Phase 5: Improve

- [ ] Add validation
- [ ] Add error handling
- [ ] Add tests
- [ ] Connect the database
- [ ] Add authentication if necessary
- [ ] Deploy the application

This process works because it keeps you focused on small, understandable steps.

# Common Mistakes When Starting a Project

## 1. Building too many features

This is probably the biggest one.

You start with:

> "I'll build a simple blog."

Two weeks later, you're trying to implement:

- Real-time chat
- AI content generation
- Payments
- Notifications
- Admin analytics
- Social login
And the original blog still doesn't work.

### Solution
Build the smallest useful version first.
Ask:

> "What is the simplest version of this application that solves the original problem?"

Build that.

---

## 2. Choosing technologies before understanding the problem

Don't start with:

> "Which framework should I use?"

Start with:

> "What am I trying to build?"

Once you understand the problem, technology choices become easier.

---

## 3. Overengineering the project structure

It's tempting to create:

text
controllers/
services/
repositories/
interfaces/
factories/
utils/
helpers/
middlewares/
validators/

before you've written a single feature.

Don't.

A project should become more structured as its complexity grows.
Start simple.
Refactor when there is a real reason to do so.

Skipping Git Some developers create the entire application and only initialize Git when they're ready to publish it.

That's risky.
Use Git from the beginning.
Small commits such as:
Initial project setup
Add task creation endpoint
Add task listing endpoint
Add task deletion endpoint

Make your progress easier to understand.

Hard-coding secrets

Never put credentials directly in your source code.

Bad:
const API_KEY = "secret-key-here";
Better:

const API_KEY = process.env.API_KEY;

And keep the actual secret outside your repository.

Trying to make everything perfect
Your first version will probably have problems.
That's normal.
The goal of your first version isn't perfection.
The goal is to create something that works well enough to learn from.
You can improve it after you have something concrete.
Best Practices for Starting Software Projects
Here are practices worth developing early in your career.
Keep the first version small
A finished small project teaches you more than an unfinished huge project.
Make small commits
Instead of one giant commit:
Finished application
Prefer focused commits:
Add project setup
Add task model
Add create task endpoint
Add validation
Add error handling
Document decisions

If you make an unusual technical decision, leave a short explanation in the README or project documentation.
Future-you will appreciate it.

Validate input Never assume users will send valid data. For example:

if (!title || title.trim() === "") {
  return res.status(400).json({
    message: "Title is required"
  });
}

Validation becomes even more important when your application starts accepting data from real users.

Don't add dependencies unnecessarily
Every dependency adds some complexity to your project.
Before installing a package, ask:
"Do I actually need this?"
If five lines of normal JavaScript solve the problem clearly, you may not need another package.
Test as you build
Don't wait until you've written thousands of lines of code.
Build one feature.
Test it.
Then continue.
This makes bugs much easier to locate.

A Realistic Project Roadmap

Let's imagine you're building TaskFlow as a real application.
You could develop it in stages.

Version 1
Create tasks
View tasks
Update tasks
Delete tasks

Version 2
MongoDB database
Input validation
Better error handling
Tests

Version 3
User registration
Login
Authentication
User-specific tasks

Version 4
Task categories
Due dates
Search
Filtering
Pagination

Version 5
Deployment
Monitoring
Performance improvements
Security improvements

Notice how each version builds on the previous one.
This is much more realistic than trying to build the final product in one giant step.

The Most Important Skill: Breaking Problems Down

A large software project can feel intimidating because you're looking at everything at once.
Instead of thinking:

"I need to build a complete task management platform."

Break it down:

Task management platform
│
├── Project setup
├── Task creation
├── Task listing
├── Task editing
├── Task deletion
├── Database
├── Authentication
├── Authorization
├── Frontend
└── Deployment

Then take one branch:

Task creation
│
├── Create endpoint
├── Validate input
├── Save task
└── Return response

And then one step at a time.
This is how experienced developers approach complex applications.
They don't necessarily know how to build the entire thing immediately.
They know how to break the problem into smaller problems.

Conclusion

Starting a software project doesn't require having every detail figured out.

A practical approach is:

Define the problem.
Identify the users and their needs.
Choose a small MVP.
Choose technologies that fit the problem.
Set up the project cleanly.
Initialize Git early.
Build one feature at a time.
Test as you go.
Add complexity only when you need it.
Document how your project works.

The next time you have a project idea, don't immediately ask:

"How do I build the whole thing?"

Ask:

"What's the smallest useful version I can build first?"

Then build that version.

Your challenge

Pick a small project you've been thinking about and spend 15 minutes writing down:

The problem it solves
Who would use it
Its three most important features
What you can remove from the first version
The first feature you can build today

Then create the repository and start.
The goal isn't to plan forever.
The goal is to turn an idea into something you can run, test, and improve.

FAQ

Should I plan everything before writing code?
No.
You should understand the problem and have a reasonable plan, but don't try to predict every detail before development begins.

A small plan followed by iterative development is usually more practical.

How do I know which programming language or framework to choose?

Consider the problem, your existing skills, the project's requirements, and the ecosystem around the technology.

For a learning project, using a technology you already understand can be a good choice because it lets you focus on the actual problem rather than learning five new tools simultaneously.

Should I use a database from the beginning?

It depends.
If your application needs persistent data, you'll eventually need one. For a small prototype, however, temporary in-memory data can help you validate your API before introducing database complexity.
Once persistence becomes necessary, add an appropriate database.

How big should my first version be?

Small enough that you can realistically finish it.
If you can describe the MVP in a handful of features, you're probably on the right track.

When should I refactor my project?
Refactor when the current structure makes the code harder to understand, test, or change.

Don't build a complicated architecture just because you think you might need it someday.

Let the project's actual complexity guide your architecture.

My First Hackathon Experience: What I Learned as a Beginner Developer

Zakaria Haruna — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:46:36 +0000

Hackathons have always been one of those things I heard a lot about ever since I started learning to code. People talk about how intense and competitive they can be, and for the longest time, that made me both curious and a little nervous 😓.

I used to believe that hackathons were meant only for seasoned developers, so I never paid much attention to them—until an unexpected opportunity forced me to step out of my comfort zone.

This is the story of how I joined my first-ever hackathon, what the entire process looked like, and the most important lessons I took away from it as a growing developer.

How It All Started

As someone passionate about technology, I make a point to connect with developers whenever I can. Through one of these connections, I ended up joining a local developers’ WhatsApp group where members share upcoming tech events, job opportunities, and project collaborations.

One day, a message popped up:
“Weekend Hackathon—Developers Needed.”

Instantly, my mind went to the same old thought:
“This is for experienced developers… and you’re not one of them.”

But my curiosity took over, and I applied anyway—just to see what would happen.

Getting Selected

A few days later, I received an email saying I had been selected. I was excited and nervous at the same time. On the morning of the hackathon, participants received a Google Meet link to kick off the event.

The hackathon was organized by a new startup searching for developers. Because of this, they already had a list of real-world projects they wanted participants to work on. These projects were categorized into:

T1 – Beginner level
T2 – Intermediate
T3 – Advanced

Each project also had a reward attached, and participants would receive the prize if they completed at least 90% of the tasks.

Choosing My Project

I chose a T1 project and received a GitHub invitation. After accepting it, I forked the repository, cloned it to my local machine, and began reviewing the code.

The startup’s instructions were clear:

Understand how the project works
Identify the working and broken features
Fix the issues
Add extra features if time allowed

Since this was my first hackathon, everything felt new. I quickly went through the onboarding guide, took a deep breath, and jumped straight into coding.

The 8-Hour Coding Marathon

I spent the entire 8 hours in my room—just me, my laptop, and the project. I debugged, fixed errors, added functionality, and tested everything repeatedly.

Surprisingly, it was fun!

There’s a different kind of excitement that comes with working under pressure, knowing there’s a deadline and a goal you're trying to reach.

At the end of the 8 hours, all participants joined the Google Meet again to present our final demos.

Winner Selection & Rewards

After the demos, winners were selected based on:

Features implemented
Code quality
Completion percentage
Creativity in additional features

Each winner received a prize according to their project category—and I was one of them 🎉.

For someone who started the day unsure of what to expect, walking away with a reward felt amazing.

Key Takeaways

Here’s what this hackathon taught me:

Take chances—even when you feel unprepared

I almost didn’t apply because I doubted myself. Yet, taking that small chance opened the door to an incredible experience.

2.Practice builds confidence

Working on a real project helped me apply the skills I’ve been learning far better than any tutorial.

3.Hackathons are powerful learning grounds

You get to:

Sharpen your problem-solving skills
Gain real-world experience
See how other developers approach problems
build your portfolio

4.Networking matters

I met talented developers I can collaborate with in the future.

Conclusion

If you’re learning software development, don’t wait for the “perfect moment” to test your skills. Hackathons, coding challenges, and small real-world projects are some of the best ways to grow as a developer.

Software development is constantly evolving. The more you practice, the more confident and capable you become—and hackathons provide the perfect environment to push your limits.

I'm a MERN-stack developer, open to collaborations.
Feel free to connect, like this post if it inspired you, and check out my GitHub to see what I’m currently working on.

SQL vs NoSQL Databases: Key Differences Explained

Zakaria Haruna — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:15:49 +0000

Introduction

Selecting the right database is crucial for ensuring optimal application performance, scalability, and effective data management. Two of the most widely used database types are SQL databases and NoSQL databases. Both store and manage data, but they differ in structure, use cases, and scalability. In this article, we’ll explore the difference between SQL and NoSQL databases, their advantages, and when to use each.

What Is an SQL Database?

SQL (Structured Query Language) databases are relational databases that store data in structured tables made of rows and columns. Each table has a predefined schema that ensures consistency and organization.

Key Features of SQL Databases

Fixed and predefined schema
ACID compliance (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability)
Strong data consistency
Ideal for handling complex queries
Popular examples: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server

What Is a NoSQL Database?

NoSQL databases are non-relational and designed for flexibility and scalability. They allow developers to store unstructured or semi-structured data in formats such as documents, key-value pairs, wide-column stores, or graphs.

Key Features of NoSQL Databases

Flexible and dynamic schema
Follows the BASE model (Basically Available, Soft state, Eventually consistent)
High scalability and performance
Supports unstructured, semi-structured, and hierarchical data
Popular examples: MongoDB, Cassandra, CouchDB, Redis, Neo4j

SQL vs NoSQL: Major Differences

When to Use SQL Databases

Banking and financial applications that require strict consistency
Enterprise apps with structured, stable datasets
Projects where advanced queries and relationships are necessary When to Use NoSQL Databases
Big Data applications with massive, evolving datasets
Real-time applications such as chat apps, social media, or IoT platforms
Projects needing high scalability and flexible data structures

Conclusion

The main difference between SQL and NoSQL databases lies in their structure and scalability. SQL databases excel in structured data and complex queries, offering reliability and consistency. NoSQL databases provide flexibility, speed, and scalability, making them ideal for modern, large-scale, and unstructured data applications. The right choice depends on your project’s requirements, data structure, and growth expectations.

If you find this post helpful, then consider following me on this platform to get access to my posts anytime I write one.

How to convert a JSON string into a JavaScript object and vice versa

Zakaria Haruna — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 21:26:23 +0000

Are you a beginner starting your web development journey and feeling overwhelmed by the information you're receiving?

Well, all these feelings are normal as you are now being exposed to information that wasn't in your normal daily life. Many people get overwhelmed when they start their coding journey, and it is now the norm for every beginner to experience this kind of feeling.

In this article, I'm going to show you how to convert a JSON string into a JavaScript object and vice versa, as this is going to be a normal thing for you as a web developer.

Web developers often work with a lot of data when building a project, and most of this data can be third-party data, that is, data acquired from external sources, which are mostly in JSON(Javascript Object Notation) form and before and anyone can used this in the project there is the need to convert it into javascript object.

To convert a JSON to a JavaScript object, you have to follow these steps;

JSON string to JavaScript object

Assuming you have the following JSON string: {"fname": "John", "lname": "Mike", "gender": "Male", "country": "Ghana"}
You have to assign it to a variable the same way you do when you are assigning a normal JavaScript variable. So let us do it in code


const jsonStr = `{"fname": "John", "lname": "Mike", "gender": "Male", "country": "Ghana"}`;

const jsObj = JSON.parse(jsonStr);

The above code will change jsonStr, which is a JSON string, into a JavaScript object jsObj.

JavaScript object to JSON string

Now let us look at the other way round, that is, changing a JavaScript object into a JSON string. Let us use the above example by changing the jsObj back to a JSON string, let's code.


JSON.stringify(jsObj);

With the above code, your JavaScript object will be converted into a JSON string.

Conclusion

So, sum everything up, we were able to use the built-in JavaScript parse() and stringify() methods to change a JSON string to a JavaScript object and vice versa.
If you find this post helpful the like and comment, and you can also follow me on GitHub