This article was written by Erik Trautman, the founder of The Odin Project.
What every beginner absolutely needs to know about the journe...
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Just started the Odin project today (20/3/2025), and I am so excited to begin this overwhelming but fascinating journey myself! I am going to take the Foundations course and then move to the Full Stack JS course.
Thank you for making this awesome post, which made me motivated, and now I am ready to persevere and grind every single day !!
I'm just embarking on this long and arduous journey now. Which stage are you in? Are you still in the honeymoon period, or have you reached the cliff of confusion? I know we have a long desert of despair to cross before we reach the upswing of awesome. You know what my greatest fear is? My age. At 34, I'm constantly haunted by an inner voice asking if starting this journey is a wise move. 👍
I'm 31, and started TOP in Oct, 2025. So far I'm loving the journey.
im starting this today, is it beginner friendly?
This is not beginner friendly but it is something for which your future self will thank you for. It will make you the real developer not the one who always depended on others
Just do it
This post is gold!
You should probably also mention the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Just getting starting with The Odin Project.
Great article! My favorite line is:
"You're learning faster and more intelligently than ever before and, eventually, you will have absorbed enough best practices that your swiss cheese knowledge coalesces into a production-grade skill set."
Also, I found a little typo:
If you're able to identify a path and stick with it, you'll eventually push forward to the next phase instead of spending months or years chasing mirages across the shifting sands of the this desert.
All the best,
Dave Adams
I started The Odin Project today, and it really resonated with me. I’ve always had the mindset of “I can learn this in just a month,” but that approach hasn’t worked out well. I keep questioning whether the resources I’m following are the right ones and constantly second-guessing my choices: “What if I choose this one? What if that one is better?” All the self-doubt has kept me from starting a project on my own. I’ve been stuck in this cycle for too long. Thanks to this article, I’m now aware that this is just a phase and that I need to keep moving forward. I believe The Odin Project will be a solid starting point for me.
I am new as well. We can do this if we stick with it!
i started a couple days ago, i want to build a study group for morale, focus and inspiration. nothing like friends to share the struggle with!
Hi @johan20000819 I'm looking forward to working with you. I just joined and are beginning my journey today. Let's keep going everyone
I am glad to hear! maybe we could make a group chat on discord, of people in similar learning times
A study group sounds like a fine idea! I just started yesterday, coming from a surface level web design/graphic design background. I look forward to deepening my skills with like-minded learners!
Honestly this is just the advice I needed. I felt as I was stuck on the Desert of Despair for the longest time and because of it I took a step back from coding and my skills regress. Glad to find this article and the Odin project on my path to becoming a web developer
I am 'restarting' The Odin Project today - Wed 15 Apr 2026. I have been down this road a couple of times before, but did not complete it. Looking back, I can see that the distractions came from the urge/curiosity - for lack of better words - in trying some other stuff that could 'make me money faster' - even though I always knew I wanted to end up as a software developer. I did make some money in digital marketing, learn testing automation, and project management, which are all good, but not fulfilling for the long-term goals I'm craving for. So now, I am back for a full commitment. I would like to work with a partner who is also starting or has probably gone in a bit, so we can do pair programming and pull ourselves up when the 'desert of despair' eventually comes. You can send me an email at ubongudotai@gmail.com or contact me on X @andreudotai. See you at 'Job ready'!.
I think it will be great to partner with you. I have starting TOP all over again just like you. Kindly let me know if you are still available.
This hits home
Excellent article. It really resonates with me.
I made it through a reputable boot camp three months ago, but I can see now I was firmly stuck gazing in fear over the Cliff of Confusion. I'm excited to fill in the Swiss cheese holes in my knowledge by working through The Odin Project.
Hi there, I've just started the Odin Project, today is the (10/08/2025). I've done a few tutorials over the years, but I haven't built anything. I was in template and tutorial hell for a while so this article was definitely enjoyable because I don't feel as alone in my journey towards becoming a full stack developer.
I started learning programming between 2013 and 2016 during high school. However, the whole course was just Java (the one with the coffee), and only in the 5th semester did I start to see web development and fall in love with it. I did a graduation project using HTML, CSS, JS, PHP and a database, hosted via Xampp. But I'm from a humanities background and ended up forgetting everything. I studied History, now I work as an HR assistant and I always find myself wanting to study front-end development. However, many courses teach programming logic, and I understand it, but I can't visualize it. I'm very much a visual learner and this has prevented me from moving forward. I learn more easily if I see a
forloop being applied directly to a website, instead of being asked to do aconsole.log. I started The Odin Project today and I hope to learn a lot.This is such an eye opener for a kid like me who wanted to jump right into coding with all the cool looking courses that internet offered to make a life changing moment. This is a hard hit on my expectations while it also reminds me that path ahead is not easy as it may sound and I need the willpower and focus to push through. I just started the odin project today and I would like to learn it along with someone like me who is uncertain of this path and grow together. I have always believed that teaching others what you know and learning from them of what you don't is the best way of learning. Well please do contact me in discord -
noah_osmont._.or by mail to charancodes@proton.me
I have no words to describe the familiarity, clarity and realism in this post, I will make sure to share it with anyone beginner in programming, so he takes the right path from the beginning of his journey.
I have been jumping between the mountains of resources out there, the frustration and despair kept growing inside me, but this post cleared my vision and thoughts without a doubt, drawing a clear a path in my head to what I should do.
I started the Oden Project on 25 June 2025, I will stick with only it, I don't have a vision into future, so I don't know what I will encounter in my journey, but I will make sure to keep my passion high and build as much as I can, I will keep moving forward until my name shine in the industry of Web Dev, wish good luck my friends as I wish all of you the same.
Same start date! Good luck!
I'm excited to see where this journey will take both of us, good luck ^^!
Thank Richard, best wishes on working through freeCodeCamp!
What a cool journey we're on!
Thank you so much! It made me realize that my feelings lately are valid. It motivates me to be not scared of trying new things. Btw, I'm just started Odin project today. I really hope that I can finish this until the end of the lesson. :)
Erik Trautman’s breakdown of the four phases of learning to code resonates so strongly with my own experience and what I’ve seen in others. The ‘Hand-Holding Honeymoon’ really captures the excitement of early tutorials and gamified challenges, and the way he describes the sudden drop into the ‘Cliff of Confusion’ mirrors the shock of trying to build something from scratch without guidance. I particularly appreciated the explanation of Resource Density and Scope of Knowledge — it’s such an accurate lens for why the Desert of Despair feels so overwhelming, and why persistence and focus are critical. The Upswing of Awesome perfectly captures the bittersweet stage where you can build functional apps but still feel like a newbie under the hood, highlighting the importance of feedback, best practices, and polishing one’s code to professional standards. This article isn’t just motivational; it’s a practical map for anyone serious about surviving and thriving in the coding journey."
Thank you for the guideness sir, i really love to learn by self taught and this odin project also doing that way with documentation. i think today my motivation was so high because of its my phase 0 ,but gradually i build learning as system not just a goal , i will do it consistently and im also so eager to take my first step on this and good to see you all foks, stay with touch i will update it...
Thank you for this amazing post. This somewhat sums up my experiences so far. I took a bootcamp, I ended at the tail end of Cliff of Confusion and at the mouth of Despair. Felt like a fraud. I hope I can get past these, this time!
Hey Everyone, today (24/06/2026) marks my day of beginning The Odin Project.
Im 28 with 2 yoe in web development, but i thought of cementing my foundation in the age of AI so that I can have a deeper understanding of whats happening under the hood.
Thank you Erik for this wonderful path.
I have wanted to take this course for years and I am finally able to. I am so excited to dive in! I am grateful for this article because it breaks down the reality of learning development and the journey through each phase... all the way to employment. This was a great read!
Just starting the Odin Project today, 06/09/2026, and I believe that I can make it to the end and bring my ideas to life. My name is Oluwafunmilayo from Nigeria, Thanks to you all and the founder of this great Project.
Amazing post; I loved it. I started learning code 1.5 years ago, but I think I need to relearn due to fundamental gaps. So, I decided to start from scratch by following the Odin Project. Pray for me, guys. I also pray for everyone who has started this journey or wants to start. Best of luck, everybody!🤲🏻
I’m 31, and I just started learning this TOP curriculum in October 2025. In the HTML and CSS course, I thought it was too easy, but when I entered the JavaScript course, I suddenly realized why people say ‘code is hard’. However, I’m loving the journey so far and keep pushing myself every day.
Thank you, TOP community, for providing this amazing learning platform for people like me.
This article clearly shows all kinds of troubles we will face this one is really is a good one for starters, I just started this "THE ODIN PROJECT" today and I will re-comment after completion.
All the best to you all.
Such an eye opener. Honestly, I spent way more time reading, introspecting and grasping the teachings than I normally would, but damn is it worth it! I honestly wish someone would have recommended me this sooner.
As someone wandering the Desert of Despair for quite some time; it honestly felt as if the Mr. Erik knew me inside out. All my worries, problems, shortcomings and acute advice to overcome them, all condensed into one.
I would again request everyone to not just read it/skim it but rather absorb it (if that makes any sense) and *reread it again and again. *
BEST OF LUCK!
Just started my journey today, after making a tough decision to leave my marketing career behind, i'm 20 so i know i still have plenty of time to learn, fail, iterate and improve... reading this article also prepares my mind for what's to come, pretty sure i'd be back here occasionally when things get hard.
I come from a civil engineering background. Recently, I’ve been trying to automate my tasks through coding. In the last 2 months, I finished my “hand-holding” phase and have now set out a clear path forward with my tech stack:
Starting today (17/06/25), I decided to invest my time into The Odin Project to complete my first three goals: mastering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and later I’ll move to FreeCodeCamp for Python.
My end goal is to build real-world solutions that solve problems I face in my field.
I’m always open to suggestions. If there’s a tool, concept, or path you think I should explore, feel free to share!
Thank you to all the contributors who created this article for aspiring web developers. I also want to thank the beginners reading, digesting, and applying this knowledge while striving to reach their goals. To those who started The Odin Project but couldn't finish: you didn't fail. As the saying goes, "Time and unexpected events overtake us all." Sometimes we have the right mindset but life gets in the way. Shifting to another course is perfectly fine, but remember that nothing good comes easy. Personally, this article has given me a broad perspective and taught me to think outside the box. Based on my research from YouTube and online articles, I know this project will be highly challenging, but I am determined to complete it. If anyone is starting out and wants an accountability partner or collaborator, I would love to connect. Two heads are better than one, and great things take time! Feel free to reach out to me on WhatsApp at +250 738 566 77.
Hey all, I recently started the Odin project and have a fair idea of HTML, CSS, and JS, but am going through the foundations course right now, planning to take the full stack web developer path. I also have some experience in Java and cloud fundamentals in Azure. Looking for dedicated learners to pair up with so we can support each other in the learning process!
Just started the Odin Project. This will be a great test of my determination, patience and resilience. Would like to network with anyone who is a beginner like myself to help. Our goal would be to support each other and share ideas. I'm also willing to be a student of any possible mentors in the field of a Full Stack Dev.
Hi Talon,
Hope the journey is going well for you. I just started and would be interested to network. If you have discord feel free to add me: smandev
As a person who started 4 yrs ago, and near to "job" ready, gotta confess that it wasn't easy... but it was EXTREMELY FUN & REWARDING! I'd say that you won't regret this thing if u do it properly...
I was thinking of coaching some beginners...
Anybody interested?
while you are already just surviving and not living, sometimes the sheer volume of things to learn is overwhelming on its own. Add the current 'AI Rush' into the mix, and it makes sense why someone would need to step away from coding for a bit. Returning is often the hardest part. Like Andrej Karpathy recently noted,
But eventually, you wake up and realize you just have to push through the noise. It’s hard for everyone, and I am incredibly grateful for the internet, The Odin Project, and resources like NeetCode. I am tired of starting and stopping, so I am leaving this comment here as a hard commitment to myself. If I am ever on the verge of quitting again, maybe someone in the community will see this and drop a reply to keep me accountable. We are all in the same boat. There is no shame in struggling, we are all just learning, and there is no reason we shouldn't feel confident moving forward.
This is a great article that clearly describes the arduous journey of web development without exaggeration. On one hand, it discourages the naysayers and dispels the fears and intimidation associated with code. On the other hand, it also warns those who are overly hopeful or irrationally exuberant.
I just accepted a job to create a website for a local tattoo studio + I feel like I know what I'm doing but I'm suspicious of how easy it seems like this project is going to be lol. I've got experience in a few of the major languages I need to use because of my software engineering degree, but I was SO bad at that course because I thought it was intensely boring. Hopefully the Odin Project means I can find a passion for this and maybe go into freelance webdev:)
Having a solid understanding in HTML/CSS I'm now trying to embark on learning JS - Just started the Odin Project and its ACE! We've got this folks, it'll be one hell of a journey, but one well worth the time. 🤪
Just started the Odin project today (17/09/2025), and I am so excited to begin this overwhelming but excellent journey! I actually think I am gonna do the Foundations course and then move to the Full Stack JS course, but still thinking about Ruby on Rails.
Thank you for this awesome post.
Started the odim project now 29/05/2025, and im in love with the project and the propose it has, i started by the foundations course and discovered this post made by the creatro that just gave me a map with all the steps i will face and problems i will have. i will not stop until i fell that im a real programmer and can do things with confidence.
thanks to everybody that put love to make this possible, i promisse that i will use it to make it happens and become a developer.
Hi everyone,
I have been wanting to go into coding for years until I met this Young man "Leng" who introduced me to The Odin Project and I am happy to have gotten this opportunity to learn. This Odin Project is meant for common people who wants to learn but does not have the resource to accomplish it.
I promise to work harder to complete this program and identify my mentor "The Odin Project"
bro have you created the discord group for beginners to learn , if you did that can you please add me in that group
A friend recommended me the Odin project as I am job hunting at the moment. I live on an island where jobs are hard to find in the off season and I was looking for something to occupy me while I look for a full time job instead of a seasonal one. I was looking into coding and asked around and most people just said google it. While yes, I can google it, but at this point in time there are so many resources that I don't know which are actually useful to start with and which are just slop. I am grateful for him showing me this site a couple of days ago and giving me some tips on how to go on with it. He is in college for this kind of thing so he has more resources than I do, but he said he'll forward me what I need when I get there and help me along the way if needed. So today 5.12.2025. marks the day of my start to learning coding. Wish me luck y'all.
I wanted to mark the date, when I'm starting my journey of becoming a developer. I have tried before, but this time I'm dedicated to finally reach my goal. Starting the Odin project on 11/11/2025. Cheers to all, who dare to challenge themselves. YOU CAN DO IT.
Hello I am MIlyas and i just started this journey TOP of full stack developer JS i am a software engineer but as the blog mentions the about the second phase cliff of confusions i too got distracted and got lost after a big break i have come again to stick through all the phases this time. If anyone wants to give me advices or wanna coop on some projects ill be glad thanks.
Thank you so much for the post, it is really motivating and now I am ready to start the journey of learning the courses with the right mindsets.
Wishing myself the very best.
Start my journey to ( 25th of sept 2025).
Thank you for the post. I am going back to school to achieve a CS degree while also learning to code as well. The takeaways from this post are to stick to one thing, don't give up, seek feedback, always be learning and curious.
Have been trying to code but have been stuck in this honey moon / Cliff of confusion / Desert of despair, have learned over a long time "Longer then id be willing to admit" and have massive gaps in even simple areas.
focusing on
HTML & CSS
JavaScript
React
Python
PostgreSQL
Goal is to be able to fully write ML/RL without need of following guides on simple syntax. And to be able to build out front end/back end
06/17/2025
Reading this article is really scaring,however I'm NOT quitting, I'm starting this beautiful journey on 5th January 2026 with The Odin Project. Lets nail it by the end of the year I'll come back to testify what I went through.
it's august 23 i will follow along the course of this odin project i will see what are the changes happening to me and if i am able to build projects, what i wanted is to build an iot related or any good website and secure a job successefully at the end of the course what important is that i keep learning and not giveup and be updated as per industry standard and make plan and follow along that my goal is to get a job at 1 jan 2026 or before it.
Just started the Odin project today "19/8/2025" (maybe a little late to the party), and I am so excited to begin this overwhelming but fascinating journey myself! I am going to take the Foundations course and then move to the Full Stack JS course.
Thank you for making this awesome post, which made me motivated, and now I am ready to persevere and grind every single day !!
So The Odin Project has led me here as of 22/10/2025, this post really gave an insight on how pursuing this will have its ups and downs. I just want to thank for the information that is provided here really amazing!
Hello everyone, I'm currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science. I will be graduating soon and I've come here to act as a sponge, I'm trying to soak up all of the information in this space and sometime feel as if I'm not smart enough to be here. I guess that's part of the journey. I just started the Odin Project today (11/03/2025) and I wish every single one of you the best of luck on your journey and I hope you reach your end goal. <3
I was struggling with machine learning and felt confused, so I thought I should switch to front-end (even though my hands are already full). I’m glad I searched it up, and thanks to Odin I found this post. Thank you so much! I’ll finish what I’ve started this time, and then I’ll get back to Odin and do front-end, which is also my goal.
Thanks for the advice, I just started the Odin project, on 9 sep 2025, I am totally new to coding and developing and would like to participate in groups to increase our collective chances to persevere through these phases. Good luck guys and gals.
This was a very enlightening blog and made so many things in my head clear now. It's amazing how easy it can be to enter a downward spiral of desperation after learning the basics of something you want to learn, and then not having the guide that you desperately require. As someone who has been stuck in trying to get as many skills only to not be useful with either, this has set me forward. My goal will be work with this mantra to be able to find a job and set my path forward. Thank you ,Erik Trautman!
Thank you for such an eye-opening article! I started a course on Codecademy about a month ago and I agree on the handholding part. It felt good to 'achieve' something, but in the end I actually didn't know exactly what I had achieved, apart from memorizing some basic syntax. I was doing puzzles without the context necessary to understand what I was doing and why I was doing it.
I'm now reading through the Foundations part of the Odin Project and it's obvious that this is a project built by people who know what you need to actually get somewhere. And that certainly helps me to stay motivated and focussed.
I'm starting my journey today through the Odin Project and am going to have a job in the industry within the next 6 months :)
This was a great read to help me through the journey. I've struggled with staying the course during the difficult periods, however won't this time.
Today 8/17/2025 is my starting date. I do love the post and i look forward to an awesome ending. I hope to pass through the phases and get things done.
Incase if you have a group meant to sharing knowledge about programming do reply to my post.
Thanks.
Beginning the Odin project to refresh my journey of becoming a developer and I am blessed to have come across this wonderful resource. A big thank you to all who have contributed to creating such an amazing resource for those of us who wish to become developers!!! If anyone is interested to network feel free to add me on discord: smandev
I have attempted to learn how to code multiple times over the past 10 years but never had the right machine to do it with, now I do. I also now have the time right now due to being laid off from my job so I am going to go for it. I have definitely heard about this journey before and honestly I have never been past the Honeymoon phase. I really appreciate the eye-opening reality of what this is going to be like so that I can check my expectations right now and at be ready for when it does get so hard, that way I won't beat myself anymore than I normally do. Lets go!
I am here now at 02:37 AM CST on 09/18/2026 and will say that I am going to start the Odin Project and I will learn whatever I can to get myself into a programming based job position and eventually develop my own games. This is a bit of what you would call a time stamp.
The odin project brought me here. I've started and stopped learning how to program so many times before. After reading this article, I now know why that is. I'm excited to take a different approach to learning these skills that I so want to learn.
Today is (11/05/2026), am just starting the Odin project and starting from foundational to full stack ,As a Highschool graduate who was unenable to join University ,this has really given me hope and motive towards my goal of becoming a professional web developer .Thanks so much ,i really needed this🥰
Great post, didn't know that others are struggling as well. Felt like a failure for taking longer to finish smaller projects.
Gives me the encouragement to continue the journey, thank you Erik Trautman and the Odin community.
We can do this, continue to learn and develop.
23rd Feb 2026... This post tells me I am not the problem and then shows me the way out of this maze. This is my time capsule entry today. I will be back to say I made it through the desert of despair to the upswing of awesome. 🤞🏻
What an awesome read. I feel like I have been spinning wheels for a while now, but I am beginning the Odin Project, and I already feel good about where it will take me. This is a bit scary, I find myself right up to the cliff right before the honeymoon phase ends, then I end up finding a new tutorial. I need to focus and get to and through the cliff and desert. I feel like -- as with most skill development -- the desert is the scariest but most necessary part.
7/16/2025
This is the beginning of my New Years resolution. I was excited when i started to read all this information then i got a little worried about my abilities to do this kind of thing but now I am feeling a bit more confident with myself and can't wait to get really going on it.
Hi Linda,
Even getting started is an awesome step! I hope you keep with it!
Wow! I must say I am really impressed with the motivation in this whole context. Thank You So much Erik Trautman for the Great article making us know the journey ahead which all beginner level wed developers are taking.
Thank you! It was very inspiring and informative I Just started the Odin project today, and I hope to figure it out slowly day-by-day
It's Day 1 for me so If anyone wants to form a group to help each other or just a study buddy, I'm up for it.
I happen to have saved the bookmark to the Odin project 2 years ago after giving up on software engneering and moving in the direction of data science. The journey hasn't been easy but every lesson gained is worthwhile. The post goes beyond software engineering and speaks to other IT fields like data science, bioinformatics etc.
I find this very useful as I remake my way into the software engineering space.
Just found The Odin Project today. I have tried other courses on Udemy but it did not work well, now I am on college 3th. period in IT Management and I hope to join the area asap. Excited with the project and I promised to myself I will do my best and I will get there!
Starting The Foundations now.
Thank you all for a quick breakdown before melt down. I think I'm prepared for my upcoming failures, but I am resilient, and I'll smile and laugh now and probably certain I'll cry more than once in frustration, but I know at climax the reward will be worth all the effort and work I invest..once again. Thank you - just a newbie with big dreams.
I just started this coding phase yesterday afternoon after my Chatgpt recommended Odin Project as one for me who have no coding background. I will give my best and strive to accomplish this journey. Seeing this post, have added more motivation to me.
I am open to learn and work with friends around the globe.
Had to make an account to comment about how awesome this article is! I cannot express how fun it was to read. Daunting subject matter for sure, but incredibly well written and does a great job conveying the ideas the author set out to convey.
*Today 6 October 2025 My day 1 *
love to see all the guys that are from different places and learning a same skill
It’s so nice how we can share so much knowledge with each other without even knowing one another personally
Ok, here goes. Be careful what you wish for, as the saying goes. I'm already two feet in so here's to digging deep and grinding it out even when some days could feel like I'm sinking in the desert of despair! Thank you for this honest but motivating article.
I can completely correlate with the post Erik has written. Thank you for the heads-up and showing the true picture of the hassles we are about to face..
I am going to start it today April 16th 2025 and looking forward to learn through this amazing platform.
Thank you mates!
Thank you! I am ready to jump right in! I appreciate the honesty of how this journey can be. I am already a Software Engineer Bootcamp graduate, and I felt all of the phases that were described in your article. I don't feel so alone now. I believed that there was simply something wrong with my learning style. It all makes sense now. Thank you!
I started the Odin project today (28/07/25), thank you for this post, it has elevated my spirit and pointed me to what I should focus on. Building while learning is how we cement what we've learnt.
I'm excited to begin this journey although I've been a bit overwhelmed, this post has eased me in the journey.
Consistency and perseverance will make the difference. I will be sure to journal my journey. Thank you once again