DEV Community: Zubair Khan

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Zubair Khan — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:18:07 +0000

Jonas Scholz

Apr 21 '25

How I save $$$ by self-hosting these 5 open source tools

#opensource #cloud #devops #webdev

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4 min read

How's your Side Project going?

Zubair Khan — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:20:20 +0000

6 Practical Tips to Balance Side project with Full time Job

Zubair Khan — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 17:33:54 +0000

For the Side Hustling Devs 🚀

Here are 6 Practical Tips to Balance that side project with your full-time job

Please! Some of these may appear theoretical and broad, but read each point carefully and give it a thought 🤔

Setting Targets ⛳
Building in Public 🛠️
Managing Time 🕑
Establishing a routine 🥋
Trying Iterative Development 🔄
Keeping Motivation Alive 🔥
Learning in Public 📝

Let's Go!

🎯 Begin with SMART goals:

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

For example, building the v1.0 of the app in 2 months

or acquiring first 100 users within 3 months ⛳

🏁 Write your goals, break them into smaller tasks, and stay focused on consistent progress

(Hint: Writing your goals down on a notepad is the key 🔑)

🛠️ Build in Public

Start talking about your idea on social, even before you begin coding

Keep talking about your progress

This builds your network & your authority on social

It helps you meet relevant people who may help your idea grow

(Hint: Start right now. You may find mentors as well as customers)

⏳ Time management is essential

Prioritize tasks by importance and impact

Ask: will this task propel me closer to my goal?

Remember the Pareto principle: 20% of the work yields 80% of the results. 📊

Rather than re working on button colors and Landing page background image, try to ease the user on boarding

Work on, what matters the most, first

(Hint: Search for Effort/ Impact Matrix on Google. Write down tasks in each quadrant based on its efforts and its impact)

🗓️ Establish a routine that works for you

Set aside dedicated time for your side project

Early mornings or weekends, you choice.

Consistency is crucial for success

Stick to your schedule and watch your project grow. ⌚

(Hint: Check the pinned post on my profile for a 30-Day Action Plan Google Sheet)

🌱 Embrace iterative development

Divide your project into smaller, manageable parts

Launch a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and gather feedback early

Iterate and improve

Focus on the progress, not perfection 🔄

(Hint: Get the 1st version out ASAP, let people try it. Hear from them. Note what they have to say. Think over it and implement the changes)

💡 Keep the motivation alive

Revisit the reasons behind your side project - your passion drives you

Celebrate small wins and remember to rest and recharge

Balance is key ⚖️

(Hint: Motivation is the most important. You have to keep pushing even if you don't feel like so)

🤓 Learn from the experiences of others

Engage with fellow developers, attend events, and participate in online communities

Share your journey, seek advice, and stay inspired

(Hint: Share what you are learning on social. You'll build new connections, Authority and Trust.

These are required to sell your SaaS)

Stay disciplined, maintain your passion, and watch your side project grow

You've got this, Devs! 💪

The Software Bug Diplomacy: Fun Story

Zubair Khan — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 18:30:00 +0000

Did you know, Australia once recalled its almost entire embassy staff back from Russia ✈️

Not because of any diplomatic issues, but because of a software issue 👇

...

The year was 1999

There was a lot of panic and fear because of the Y2K bug 🪲

It was being speculated that the world would come to a stand still 🌑

The computers will break, the systems will stop running and so on 🌏

The major fear was for the

banking system 🏦
nuclear plants ☢️
airlines industry ✈️ and
communication systems 📡

...

If you are not aware, the problem of the Y2K bug was:

During early development of computer systems, memory space was super costly 💾

The scientists wanted the most efficient use of the available memory 💽

One of the method they used was...

For the Date & Time system they used the last two digits of the year instead of total four digits 🗓️

So, they entered 70 instead of 1970

But when the year 1999 approached...

Many feared that after 11:59 PM on 31st December 1999 the computer will increment the year by 1 and...

That means 99 will become 00

And that 00 can be interpreted as 1900 instead of 2000

If that happened, then of course the fear was real 😨

Makes sense? Keep reading.

...

The entire world went crazy 💢

The US, the UK, Australia and others invested huge sums of money to fix the issue 💲

(The solution to the problem was fairly simple though, but more on that later)

But some countries like Italy, South Korea, Russia, didn't invest much to fix the issue

...

🪫 Due to the fear of transportation system collapse and the unavailability communication system...

🇦🇺 Australia called its almost entire 🇷🇺 Russian embassy staff back at home

But there was a twist

...

It came out that, the Y2K bug was not a major problem

All it needed was, memory space be increased to occupy four places instead of two 🤌

Apart for some minor issues worldwide, no major systems were affected

...

As a software developer, many a times a solution to a complex problem is fairly simple 🔑

Just take a break, and come back at it again 🔐

And approach it from a different perspective

...

If you happen to be working on a side idea, do check my previous post

Devs, roll up your sleeves

Zubair Khan — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 05:15:41 +0000

As you may have heard, Github fired the entire team in India.

We all know layoffs are happening, but firing the entire team is something serious.

In times like these...

💪 The Devs who roll up their sleeves and start acting now, can still dominate this situation

🫤 But those who panic and keep waiting for the opportunity, well...

I can't offer much advice, other than to say...

🤌 Get up and roll your sleeves up and start acting

...

🤔 Asking, What should I act on?

😃 Glad you asked

...

💡 Start building your side project or any idea that excites you

🗓️ And you can do it in just 30 Days as well, If you are really good at coding, do it in 15

...

✅ Build a solid profile in the times, when everyone else is thinking about how to improve their resumes

...

💻 For more practical guidance on Why and How, check this post

https://lnkd.in/gbraEyQf

Why Side Projects are Essential for Software Developers

Zubair Khan — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 18:35:36 +0000

🚀Why Side Projects are Essential for Software Developers🚀

Layoffs are real, You need to get real too.

It's time for software developers to diversify their income streams. 📉💼

(Before going into details, stay tuned as I am releasing a revised step-by-step 30-Day action plan, if you are tinkering around with some ideas)

Ok back to the topic

Side projects not only provide an additional source of income but also offer an opportunity to

1) Expand your skillset
2) Build your portfolio
3) Network and collaborate and
4) Stay relevant in the ever-changing tech landscape. 💡🛠️

Here are 4 key reasons why software developers should consider building side projects:

1️⃣ Income Stability 💵🔒:

Side projects can help you achieve financial strength during uncertain times.

Even a small amount of extra income can make a huge difference when faced with layoffs.

2️⃣ Skill Development 👩💻🌟:

Working on different projects allows you to explore new technologies and sharpen your existing skills.

This continuous learning will make you a more attractive candidate in the job market.

3️⃣ Networking Opportunities 🤝🌐:

Side projects often lead to collaborations with like-minded individuals

That helps you expand your professional network and opens doors to future opportunities.

4️⃣ Entrepreneurial Spirit 🚀🌕:

Developing a side project can be the first step toward building your own business or startup.

Who knows, your side project might turn into your full-time gig!

So, let's start building those side projects, fellow developers!

Share your ideas and experiences in the comments below, and let's support each other in these challenging times. 💪🔧

job #developer #layoffs

30-Day Plan to build a Side Project -For Beginners

Zubair Khan — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 21:19:47 +0000

Devs, It's the first Monday of the month 🗓️

If you start today, in the next 4 weeks, you can have a working and live side project 🚀

Here is a 30 Day step by step process. 🧵

I have created a detailed Google Sheet of the 30-day plan. Check Link to access it

Mentioned below is the very trimmed-down version of the plan, just for your high-level understanding and to get you motivated and excited.

You can refer to the mentioned Google sheet that has a detailed plan and tracking (More on that later), but for now, keep reading

Remember you are building in public. Use #buildinpublic in your tweets

Tweet every day and post on LinkedIn about your progress

Keep announcing the wins as well as failures.

Let's begin 🚀

Week 1 - Planning 📋

Monday: Brainstorming ideas (Light Activity)
Tuesday: Research ideas
Wednesday: Research existing tools
Thursday: Finalise the idea
Friday: (Get serious) Create product Roadmap & Milestones
Saturday: Continue with the roadmap
Sunday: Create next week's content

Week 2 - Getting Started 🛴

Monday: Take a Break
Tuesday: Setup Dev env, tools & frameworks
Wednesday: Work on the DB & structure
Thursday: Continue with the previous task
Friday: (Get serious) Start with the core logic & functionality
Saturday: Continue with the previous
Sunday: Create next week's content

Week 3 - Build 🛠

Monday: Break
Tuesday: Build core functionalities
Wednesday: Build core functionalities
Thursday: Build core functionalities
Friday: (Get serious) Complete the core functionalities
Saturday: Work on supplementary features
Sunday: Finish supplementary features & content

Week 4 - Ship 🚀

Monday: Take a break
Tuesday: Finish the basic UI and test it
Wednesday: Deploy for beta
Thursday: Allow your connections to test it
Friday: Fix bugs and test
Saturday: Fix bugs and test
Sunday: Release

The next voyage begins once you release your product.
More on that in upcoming posts, but for now...

Enjoy the process as much as you can 🧨

Do whatever, but don't deviate from this plan.

Remember, in 4 weeks you can do something that can have the potential to change your life

Check the link to access the Google Sheet
Link