I have been struggling with learning web development on and off for a little over two years, the biggest difficulty I've faced is keeping up momentum and consistency. So far I've built a couple of web pages on codepen using html, css and bootstrap following freecodecamp curriculum.
I am giving it another go, I believe I can do it.
So far I've struggled so hard with Javascript, it seems so abstract. I'm still not comfortable applying it to my code. However I've always wanted to learn React because of the idea of HTML + Javascript since I'm very comfortable with HTML so I recently delved into it. So far React has been decent, but I'm worried about running into problems since I'm lacking in javascript.
I would like recommendations on any resources that could help me understand javascript in a more practical sense and ease into the basics of React.
Site Reliability Engineer
I would take my code away from codepen and save it at my desktop.. Whatever you are currently working at, save it on your computer's desktop, right at hand.
Own it!
Plus, saving it at codepen makes it look okay if it is just partial code.. when you save it as a full web page, you can watch your progress better, and think at the whole picture. Even if you start with just
<p>This is my first page</p>
Then, just work from there. Write some content, add Boostrap, style it, create a second page, link them together.. You can use Windows Notepad to edit your page, just save it with .html extension.
Download VScode or Atom to edit your code, place your HTML pages under the same directory at your computer's desktop, open the directory at one of these editors, and continue your progress.
I had the same difficulty understanding Javascript for a very long time, due to it being event-based. I wasn't sure what was being executed and when. Learned other languages before I went back to it, suddenly it became understandable after I followed a REACT course on Udemy.
After you rebuild and save your site on your local computer, as HTML+CSS, I suggest two things:
1) Publish it online, any free static site host will do. It could be motivating. 2) Give Gatsby a try. Clone a Gatsby starter site, follow their tutorials. You can later move to learning REACT (mixing REACT dynamic pages inside your gatsby site) and later yet go back to raw Javascript tutorials. Most people would tell you to first understand plain JavaScript, but somehow I only started understanding JavaScript while learning REACT. Now, if I search any JS solution, or use it raw at a website, I understand it easily, can't really explain why, feels like it should have always been so easy.
Hi Tari.
I struggled to learn web dev for a couple years as well. It's a lot to learn, and the fact that you've kept at it this long is worth being proud of!
For resources, I recommend Kent C Dodds. He has done a lot in and for the React community, including creating a ton of blog posts, courses, and workshops, all around React, and Javascript. He even has a post specifically about what Javascript features you should know before learning React. I'd start there!
I am also willing to help answer any questions. You can find me here which has a link to my twitter. DMs always open.
Keep that momentum up!
In that boat as well. I just keep trying. I think I get the furthest along when I build something. I follow tutorials for a bit and whatever they are building I build something I want alongside. Good luck!
I've been in your situation when I was a beginner and I felt the same. In 5 tips to become a better developer, I give some tips that I would like to receive when I started learning more about programming.
Try understanding how JavaScript works before giving React a try. I recommend you start learning how to use booleans, conditionals, repetition loops, functions, array methods, what is an object and how to improve your code using it, ES6, and object-oriented programming.
Yes, there is a lot of things to learn first 😅. But the first step is to know what you're just about to understand.
After learning more about the concepts above, you'll be able to create amazing applications using any framework!
A good website to learn more about JavaScript in small parts is samanthaming.com. And, in this article, I give some tips for beginners to code like a pro 🤓!
If you need any additional help, feel free to contact me via Instagram (@blogdolipe.com.br) 😉
Sabin Adams
All of the resources the others have mentioned are great!
Codecademy is an awesome resource for learning and is what I suggest to anyone who asks for a starting point, along with Freecodecamp.
There’s a challenge going around called #100DaysOfCode. The goal of this is to get beginning developers into the habit of practicing daily and becoming involved in the community. That’s what’s really important when learning and trying to grow as a developer is consistency and community involvement.
There are tons of resources on YouTube, Twitter, blogs like the ones here on Hashnode, and so many other places that are geared towards teaching the fundamentals. With these, persistence, and again, consistency, these will become more apparent and useful.
Best of luck, and always feel free to reach out with any questions 😁