I wasted 2 years chasing the "hot new framework." Then I realized the uncomfortable truth.
The Framework Trap
My journey looked like this:
Year 1:
- January: "React is the future, I need to learn it!"
- March: "Wait, Vue is easier, switching to Vue"
- June: "Everyone's talking about Svelte, time to learn Svelte"
- September: "Angular has better structure, maybe I should..."
- December: Still can't build anything complex in any of them
Year 2:
- Learning Next.js, then Remix, then Astro
- Rewriting the same portfolio in 6 different frameworks
- Watching "X vs Y" comparison videos for hours
- Arguing in Twitter comments about which framework is "best"
- Still not building anything meaningful
Notice the pattern? I learned ABOUT frameworks. I didn't learn TO BUILD.
The Wake-Up Moment
A friend who learned coding in 2010 showed me his project. Built with jQuery and vanilla JS. It was:
- Fast
- Clean
- Actually used by 10,000+ people
- Making him $2k/month
My reaction: "But... that's old tech?"
His response: "Yeah, but it works and I actually finished it."
That stung.
What Nobody Tells You
Frameworks don't make you a better developer. Problem-solving does.
Here's what matters:
- Can you break down complex problems?
- Do you understand how data flows?
- Can you debug efficiently?
- Do you know when to optimize and when not to?
- Can you actually ship something?
These skills transcend frameworks.
I know developers who master React but can't explain:
- When to use state vs props
- How async actually works
- Why their app is slow
- How the internet works
- What happens when you type a URL
They can install packages. They can't solve problems.
The Experiment
I challenged myself: Build something complex WITHOUT any framework.
Just vanilla JavaScript. HTML. CSS.
The result?
It was HARD. Really hard.
But I learned more in 2 weeks than I did in 6 months of framework hopping:
- How DOM manipulation actually works (not just
setState) - Why frameworks exist (they solve real problems I was now facing)
- What "reactivity" actually means (I had to build it myself)
- How routing works under the hood
- Real performance optimization (no framework to hide behind)
After this, going back to React felt like superpowers. I finally UNDERSTOOD what it was doing for me.
The New Approach
Now I tell beginners:
Phase 1: Build Without Frameworks (2-3 months)
Build these with vanilla JS:
- Interactive quiz app
- Image carousel
- Form with validation
- Data table with sorting/filtering
- Simple SPA with routing
Yes, it's harder. That's the point.
Phase 2: Feel The Pain
You'll naturally encounter problems:
- "Managing all this DOM manipulation is messy"
- "Keeping UI in sync with data is annoying"
- "This routing logic is getting complex"
Good. Now you understand what frameworks solve.
Phase 3: Learn ONE Framework (3-4 months)
Pick based on job market:
- Most jobs? React
- Want easiest? Vue
- Love TypeScript? Angular
Learn it deeply. Not just the tutorial level.
Phase 4: Stop Learning Frameworks
Seriously. One is enough.
Spend your time on:
- Building actual projects
- Learning backend
- Understanding databases
- Getting good at debugging
- Shipping products
The Uncomfortable Truth
The framework doesn't matter as much as you think.
React vs Vue vs Svelte? They all:
- Manipulate the DOM
- Manage state
- Handle events
- Compose components
Once you deeply understand ONE, you can learn another in 2 weeks if needed.
But here's what takes years to learn:
- How to structure large applications
- How to write maintainable code
- How to debug production issues
- How to work with APIs
- How to optimize performance
- How to collaborate with a team
These skills work in ANY framework.
What Changed For Me
I picked React (because job market) and went DEEP:
- Read the actual docs (not just tutorials)
- Built 5 complex projects (not todo apps)
- Read open source React code
- Understood how it works internally
- Learned patterns, not just syntax
Meanwhile, I ignored:
- New framework announcements
- "X is dead, use Y" posts
- Comparison videos
- Twitter framework wars
Result? I'm actually employable now.
The Framework Paradox
Beginners think: "I need to learn all frameworks to get hired"
Reality: "Companies want someone who can solve problems, regardless of framework"
I've seen job postings say "React experience required" hire Vue developers.
Why? Because the Vue dev showed they could:
- Build complex features
- Write clean code
- Debug effectively
- Learn quickly
The specific framework was irrelevant.
My Advice If You're Starting Now
Month 1-3: Learn JavaScript deeply. Build things without frameworks.
Month 4-7: Pick ONE framework (React is safest bet). Build real projects.
Month 8+: Stop learning frameworks. Start building your career.
Focus on:
- Solving real problems
- Building complete projects
- Understanding fundamentals
- Shipping actual products
The Test
Ask yourself:
❌ "What framework should I learn next?"
✅ "What problem am I trying to solve?"
❌ "Is React better than Vue?"
✅ "Can I build this feature?"
❌ "Should I rewrite this in [new framework]?"
✅ "Does my current solution work?"
If you're still asking the first questions, you're stuck in the framework trap.
Stop Optimizing For Learning. Start Optimizing For Building.
The goal isn't to know every framework.
The goal is to build things people use.
You can do that with React. Or Vue. Or even jQuery.
Pick one. Go deep. Build stuff. Ship it.
Then, and only then, if you NEED another framework for a specific job or project, learn it in 2 weeks.
Your Turn
What framework are you "learning" right now? Be honest - are you learning to build, or learning to say you know it?
Drop a comment. Let's be real with each other.
Hit ❤️ if you needed this reality check. Hit 💀 if you're currently stuck in framework tutorial hell.
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