This is a submission for the 2025 New Year Writing challenge: Retro’ing and Debugging 2024.
First off, thank you, 2024, for being the best year of my life so far!
Looking back, I realize how much time I spent tinkering with HTML, CSS, and a little JavaScript, creating basic web pages with minimal functionality. It never occurred to me to explore frameworks or libraries. After completing my bachelor's degree, I returned home, where my father and brother surprised me with my dream laptop—a brand-new one!
From there, I dove deep into the world of tech. Platforms like Twitter, Product Hunt, and other indie maker communities opened my eyes to real-world projects. They inspired me to take my skills to the next level.
I started with the basics of JavaScript:
- DOM manipulation
- Functions
- Objects
- Destructuring
- Template literals
- Ternary operators
- Import/export syntax
Then, I discovered React.js. FreeCodeCamp videos and John Smilga’s tutorials became my go-to learning resources. John’s detailed explanations made every concept click for me.
With practice, I ventured into Next.js, aiming to bridge the gap between frontend and backend. A quick Google search told me that Next.js could handle both, and that sounded perfect for the projects I envisioned. Around the same time, I learned TailwindCSS, a true lifesaver! Writing CSS in just a few utility classes instead of 20+ lines felt like magic.
I also discovered Supabase, which became my go-to tool for backend management. It simplified setting up databases and authentication for my projects, giving me a powerful, open-source alternative to Firebase.
May-July: The Dream Phase
I built exciting projects like:
- A Live Group Chat App
- A Logo Builder
- A Music Player
- A Resume Builder
- An ErrorsMan Community
Each commit on GitHub became a moment of pride, a testament to my growth in 2024.
However, challenges weren’t far behind. Learning TypeScript tested my patience. The endless type errors were frustrating, yet strangely rewarding. They taught me how to debug calmly and strengthened my understanding of coding principles.
2024 was a year of exploration, growth, and accomplishments.
It taught me to embrace challenges, experiment fearlessly, and enjoy the process.
I can’t wait to see where the next year takes me!
Top comments (1)
It seems that you worked hard in 2024!!