Starting with Web Development: The JavaScript Jungle
Hey everyone, it's Gagan here! After a long break, I'm excited to share a personal story that might resonate with many of you aspiring developers. My journey started, as most web dev journeys do, with JavaScript. The sheer number of frameworks can be daunting! I, like many others, chose React as my starting point. I learned the core concepts and explored some useful libraries, feeling confident in my skills. However, research revealed the vast knowledge ocean waiting to be explored.
Diving Deeper: TypeScript, Next.js, and the Power of CSS Frameworks
Determined to dive deeper, I delved into TypeScript, solidifying my code with its type safety. This was just the beginning. The discovery of Next.js, a powerful framework built on React, was a game-changer. Its features impressed me, and I eagerly learned its nuances. Soon, I realized that plain CSS wasn't cutting it. Enter Tailwind CSS, a CSS framework that streamlined my styling process.
Full-Stack Adventures: Databases, APIs, and the Edge
Next.js boasts full-stack capabilities, meaning we can manage both frontend and backend aspects within the same codebase. Already familiar with SQL, I utilized it for my initial database interactions. But the quest for knowledge led me to explore Object-Relational Mappers (ORMs) as a better alternative to raw queries. Between Drizzle and Prisma, I opted for Drizzle's simplicity and SQL-like approach. For my database needs, I took advantage of a serverless database from NEON to avoid local setup hassles.
The desire to understand the backend world ignited my interest in REST APIs. After some research, I discovered building APIs using Express in Node.js, but Hono.js in the Edge Runtime also piqued my curiosity. The concept of Edge computing with Cloudflare deployment was fascinating. I even built a couple of basic projects in this environment, utilizing Upstash Redis for speed.
Personal Projects and the Internship Grind
But learning is only one piece of the puzzle. To showcase my skills, I embarked on personal projects. These projects became the foundation for my internship applications, landing me interviews for Next.js developer roles. However, the technical tasks for these internships proved overwhelming for someone just starting.
To meet the challenges, I had to learn new libraries on the fly. While I successfully completed projects like the "Image Generation Application" using OpenAI and Huggingface models, (link: Imaginify), the competition was fierce, and my submissions weren't quite enough.
The Reality Check: Saturation and the Need for a New Path
The internship experiences revealed a harsh truth: the web development landscape is becoming increasingly saturated. The competition is fierce, and the potential for growth and income doesn't align with my expectations. It was time to explore a different path.
After careful research, I realized that mastering Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) is the key to unlocking a brighter future. DSA not only enhances problem-solving skills but also provides a deeper understanding of how systems work. It's a foundation that can lead to a more fulfilling and rewarding career.
Embracing the DSA Journey
I'm currently focused on diving deep into DSA. While the road ahead is challenging, I'm excited about the possibilities it holds. This journey has been a rollercoaster, filled with both triumphs and setbacks. I hope my experiences can offer valuable insights to those navigating the complex world of web development.
Thank you for reading!
Top comments (2)
I would love to share with you a site, It gives you access to high quality content on Nextjs and keeps you up to date without overlooking any recent updates. Have you look at NextRadar? What is your thoughts?
As someone who has worked as a freelance backend developer (python/django), I was planning to pivot into the world of front-end and become a next.js dev. In my opinion, AI will soon replace many backend developers who merely just create CRUD services + some business logic that usually doesn't go beyond some well-known processes and algorithms.
I'm majoring in the field of statistics but I'm in my freshman year and I don't still have enough mathematical foundations to get into data science and etc... but because I'm already familiar with most of the front-end echo system (html,css,js,ts,react,tailwind,matUI, so on and so forth...) I wanted to learn next.js deeply and get a job so I can make some money while studying. I chose front-end because it has many complexities (responsive ui, animations, performance optimization, client-server cache syncing, etc...) that LLMs are not even close to tackling them because there's just lots of details and edge-cases in the front-end compared to backend which is just pure logic.
I've never officially worked for any companies but I've accomplished a handful of freelance projects. also this is my linked-in profile: linkedin.com/in/ashkan-mohammadi-dev
I'm trying to land my first official internship/junior-level job, but your post made me somewhat disappointed... (the part you said job-market is saturated)
Would you mind if I seek your guidance? Would you recommend me to pursue Next.JS? or should I aim for a more long-term goal like data science?
BTW could you please tell me more about your internship interviews? what do recruiters usually expect?
Sorry for my long comment, I really appreciate the time you spent reading it. Thank you