Many developers say the same thing:
“I don’t have time to build side projects.”
But if we look at it honestly, that’s usually not the real problem.
Let me explain.
I work a 9-to-5 job as a software engineer, mainly focused on web development. Like many others, my weekdays are busy with company work. But even with that schedule, I still spend time building side projects.
And the truth is — most people can do this too.
A week has seven days.
We work five days.
We still have two full weekends.
Even on working days, after your job and sleep, you still have a few hours left at night. When you actually calculate it, you will realize that time exists.
So the issue is not time.
The issue is mindset.
The Mindset Shift Developers Need
If you want to grow as a developer today, especially in the AI era, you cannot rely only on company work.
Your job will teach you many things, but it usually focuses on one product, one stack, and one direction.
Side projects are different.
They allow you to:
- experiment with new technologies
- build full products
- solve real problems
- think like a creator, not just a coder
Side projects make you grow faster than tutorials ever will.
But there is one mistake many developers make.
The Big Mistake: Too Many Small Projects
Many developers do something like this:
They build:
- a todo app
- a weather app
- a calculator
- a small blog
- another todo app
And then they move to the next tutorial project.
In the end, they might have 10 projects, but none of them are truly meaningful.
They never grow beyond the beginner level.
Instead of doing that, try something different.
Build Fewer Projects — But Grow Them
You don’t need dozens of projects.
Just start with three core ideas:
- one web application
- one desktop application
- one mobile application
That’s enough.
Once you build them, don’t abandon them.
Instead, keep improving them.
Day by day.
Month by month.
Treat them like real products.
Turn a Small Idea Into Something Big
Let’s say you build a simple note-taking app.
Most developers would stop there and move to another project.
But what if you kept improving it?
You could add things like:
- better design
- search functionality
- folders or categories
- markdown support
- syncing
- collaboration
- AI assistance
After one or two years, your small note app could become something powerful.
Maybe something similar to Notion.
And the best part?
It will be built around your own needs.
Build Apps That Solve Your Own Problems
This is one of the most powerful ideas in product development.
Instead of building random apps, build something new you will use every day.
When you use your own app daily, you will start noticing things:
- missing features
- bugs
- bad user experience
- ideas for improvements
Write these down.
Then slowly improve your project.
You become both the developer and the user.
This is how real products grow.
The Power of Long-Term Projects
Imagine working on the same project for one or two years.
You will learn things that small projects never teach you:
- architecture design
- performance optimization
- debugging real problems
- scaling features
- improving user experience
These are the skills that turn a developer into a product builder.
The Key Idea
Don’t chase many projects.
Build one meaningful project.
Use it daily.
Improve it constantly.
Fix bugs.
Add features.
Let it grow with you.
One day, you might realize that the small side project you started has turned into something much bigger than you expected.
And that could become the project that defines your journey as a developer.
Top comments (2)
I’ve realized that as the number of small applications grows, it becomes increasingly hard to dedicate enough time to maintain each of them well.
I think one app per platform is enough. For example, I already know web development and I use it daily at work, so I avoid building more web apps. Instead, I focus on mobile and desktop since they are the next step for me. So I maintain just two apps. Even 3-4 productive hours is enough to improve one app per day, fixing bugs or adding a feature. The real problem is the mindset of finishing fast. Just keep working on it, and it will become great over time.