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My Journey Through Modern Web Development in 2024

3 min read

After diving deep into web development for the past few years, I thought I'd share what it's actually like - no sugar coating, just real experiences. Fair warning: this post pairs well with coffee.

The State of Web Dev in 2024

Remember when web development was just HTML, CSS, and some jQuery? Yeah, those days are long gone. Now we've got frameworks for our frameworks. But here's what I've learned: not everything that's shiny and new is necessary.

What Actually Works

The Frontend World 🎨

After building several projects and breaking many more, here's what I've found actually matters:

Core Skills That Pay the Bills

  • JavaScript Fundamentals: Seriously, get good at arrays, objects, and async programming
  • CSS That Works: Flexbox and Grid solve 90% of layout problems
  • HTML That Makes Sense: Semantic HTML is underrated - good structure makes everything easier
javascript
// The kind of JavaScript I write daily
const getData = async () => {
  try {
    const response = await fetch("/api/data");
    const data = await response.json();
    return data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to fetch:", error);
  }
};

Framework Reality Check

I work with React, but here's the truth: the framework matters less than:

  • Understanding component architecture
  • Managing state effectively
  • Writing clean, maintainable code

The Backend Story

While I focus more on frontend, here's what I've learned about backend:

  1. Pick Your Stack Wisely

    • I chose Node.js because I already knew JavaScript
    • Built some APIs that actually work
    • Learned that backend is more than just REST endpoints

  2. Database Decisions

    • Started with MongoDB (because everyone said it was "easy")
    • Realized SQL isn't that scary
    • Now I pick the right tool for the job

Tools I Actually Use

Version Control

Git commands I use daily (and actually remember):

bash
git status
git add .
git commit -m "fix: made that thing work"
git pull origin main
git push

Development Setup

  • VS Code (with way too many extensions)
  • Chrome DevTools (my second home)
  • Postman for API testing

Real Talk: The Learning Process

What Worked For Me

  1. Building Stuff

    • Started with small projects
    • Broke things, fixed things
    • Repeated until it clicked

  2. Reading Code

    • Other people's PRs taught me a lot
    • Open source projects showed me good practices
    • Documentation (once I learned how to read it)

What Didn't Work

  • Tutorial hell (watching without coding)
  • Trying to learn everything at once
  • Copying code without understanding it

Current Challenges

Still working on:

  • Writing better tests (it's a journey)
  • Performance optimization
  • Architecture decisions
  • Staying updated without getting overwhelmed

Looking Forward

The web keeps evolving, and that's what makes it interesting. These days I'm exploring:

  • Edge computing
  • Web Assembly
  • Better build tools
  • Performance optimization

Final Thoughts

Web development in 2024 is complex, but it's also more powerful than ever. Focus on the fundamentals, build stuff that works, and keep learning. That's really all there is to it.

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