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Discussion on: Any tips to become a web developer?

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Michael Otu

As far as you interested in building stuff from ground up and understanding what you are doing, I'd say start with PHP (add html, css and some Js).

There is a lot that happens with PHP, you'd learn how data follows through your application and it's not bad, in fact, as a first language (Some C will help you - but not necessarily).

Start in one niche, one tool, one project at a time. Make sure you know enough about the tool you are using and google a lot.

Now, there is python with flask/fast API, and Js with node/Express so why PHP?

As a beginner, I don't have to think about servers or application instance. No package or library is needed until you need it. There is not need for ports and routes, php does file routing. To you don't have to visit /login to view the login page, just go to login.php. just like that.. this is what I meant by you'd learn data flows through your app..

I'd leave you with three things.

  • develop a lot of projects. It is through trial and errors that you'd really know you are doing something
  • I read a lot about documentation down there in the comments. So before you start developing, plan what you want to develop. Have some sketches,
  • once in a while ask people for feedback, find a mentor or a community to join or something like that.
  • don't unnecessarily pay for online courses before discussing it with your mentor. YouTube is awesome and you'd learn a lot for free. There are free articles on dev.to.
  • make sure you can do something the way you understand it before jumping to using some approach like MVC or the like.

Remember, you can't be good or better in a day or something like that. Your code is not always going to work. You can fall ill yourself, your PC may have a break down.. it happens, so prepare for anything and feel free. Don't join the software politics. 🥂