Side projects are one of the best ways to level up your skills, build a portfolio, and explore new technologies. Whether you're a frontend, backend, or full-stack developer, these project ideas will challenge you and help you grow. Each project includes a skill breakdown, why it’s valuable, and ways to expand on it.
🚀 Beginner-Friendly Projects
1️⃣ To-Do List App
- Skills: JavaScript, React, Local Storage
- Why? Learn state management, CRUD operations, and UI interactions.
- How to Build: Create a simple to-do list where users can add, edit, and delete tasks. Use local storage to persist data.
- Upgrade it: Add authentication, real-time sync with Firebase, or a calendar feature.
2️⃣ Weather App
- Skills: API calls, Async/Await, UI Design
- Why? Get hands-on experience with API integration and error handling.
- How to Build: Use OpenWeatherMap API to fetch weather data based on user input. Display temperature, humidity, and forecast.
- Upgrade it: Use Next.js for SSR, add a map for location-based results, or implement AI for personalized weather insights.
3️⃣ Markdown Editor
- Skills: React, Hooks, Local Storage
- Why? Work with text inputs, parsing, and real-time preview.
- How to Build: Create a simple text editor that converts Markdown syntax into formatted output.
- Upgrade it: Add file exports (PDF/HTML), cloud storage, or AI-powered text formatting.
4️⃣ URL Shortener
- Skills: Express.js, Database (MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB)
- Why? Learn backend, database operations, and API development.
- How to Build: Create an Express.js backend that takes a long URL and returns a short one, storing mappings in a database.
- Upgrade it: Track analytics, add authentication, or generate QR codes for shortened URLs.
5️⃣ Image Gallery with Search
- Skills: React, Unsplash API, Tailwind CSS
- Why? Work with API calls, filtering, and UI layouts.
- How to Build: Fetch images from Unsplash API and display them in a grid with a search bar.
- Upgrade it: Add infinite scrolling, user uploads, or categories.
🔥 Intermediate-Level Projects
6️⃣ Notes App with Rich Text Editor
- Skills: React, Draft.js/Quill.js, Local Storage
- Why? Learn text formatting, state management, and component design.
- How to Build: Create a note-taking app that supports rich text formatting.
- Upgrade it: Sync notes across devices, add voice-to-text, or AI summarization.
7️⃣ Expense Tracker
- Skills: React, Redux, Firebase
- Why? Work with state management, database storage, and charts.
- How to Build: Users can log their expenses and view reports.
- Upgrade it: Add multi-user support, currency conversion, or AI-based budget tips.
8️⃣ AI-Powered Chatbot
- Skills: OpenAI API, React, Node.js
- Why? Understand API calls, AI models, and chatbot logic.
- How to Build: Implement an OpenAI-powered chatbot using React and Express.js.
- Upgrade it: Integrate with WhatsApp, Discord, or Slack.
9️⃣ E-Commerce Product Page
- Skills: React, Tailwind CSS, Payment Integration
- Why? Learn UI design, state management, and API integration.
- How to Build: Design a product display page with a shopping cart.
- Upgrade it: Add full checkout flow using Stripe or PayPal.
🔟 Real-Time Chat App
- Skills: WebSockets, Firebase, React, Express.js
- Why? Learn real-time communication and database updates.
- How to Build: Create a chat app where users can send and receive messages instantly.
- Upgrade it: Add authentication, end-to-end encryption, or AI moderation.
💎 Advanced-Level Projects
1️⃣1️⃣ Job Board Website
- Skills: Next.js, PostgreSQL, API Development
- Why? Build a full-stack project with dynamic data fetching.
- How to Build: Fetch job postings from a database or API and allow users to filter jobs.
- Upgrade it: Scrape job listings from LinkedIn, Indeed, or Wuzzuf.
1️⃣2️⃣ YouTube Video Downloader
- Skills: Next.js, Puppeteer, Express.js
- Why? Learn web scraping and video processing.
- How to Build: Create an app where users enter a video URL and get a download link.
- Upgrade it: Allow downloading audio-only versions or full playlists.
1️⃣3️⃣ AI-Based Code Review Tool
- Skills: OpenAI API, Next.js, Node.js
- Why? Automate code reviews and best practices enforcement.
- How to Build: Use OpenAI API to analyze code and provide suggestions.
- Upgrade it: Integrate with GitHub to review pull requests automatically.
1️⃣4️⃣ Multi-Tenant SaaS Dashboard
- Skills: Next.js, PostgreSQL, Authentication
- Why? Learn about multi-tenant architecture and database scaling.
- How to Build: Create a dashboard that serves multiple users with separate data.
- Upgrade it: Implement billing, team management, and analytics.
1️⃣5️⃣ Portfolio Generator
- Skills: React, Next.js, Tailwind CSS
- Why? Help developers generate and deploy their portfolios easily.
- How to Build: Users can enter their details and generate a customizable portfolio.
- Upgrade it: Add drag-and-drop customization or AI-based content suggestions.
🚀 Final Thoughts
Side projects help you apply what you learn, build confidence, and make your portfolio stand out. Pick one from the list, build it, and share your progress! Which one will you try first? Let me know in the comments! 🎯
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Top comments (2)
I started a markdown editor, in pure JS. A longer version is replace a JS parser with a rust/webassembly/webworker based parser to achieve a real great speed on giant markdown file.
That sounds awesome! A pure JS markdown editor is already a great project, but replacing the parser with Rust/WebAssembly for performance sounds like a game-changer!! Impressive work.