I’m Gaël, a 25-year-old software engineer who’s been working in a startup environment in Southeast Asia for a few years. 🌏

Working remotely has its perks, and while hopping from one exotic location to another, I’ve been nurturing a little dream: to kick-start my journey as a solopreneur.

I genuinely love my job—there’s a certain thrill in startup life that I think everyone should experience at least once. Sure, it’s a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but it's where I've learned the ropes of product development and caught the bug for making things people love (and will hopefully pay for!). I often think of coding as adult LEGO—endless possibilities and just plain fun. 🤓

After two years of nomadic life, I chose to plant my feet firmly on the ground to strike a better work-life balance and finally carve out time for my side projects.

But here’s the kicker: settling down didn’t magically make time appear. Between the 9-5 grind and weekend exhaustion, I struggled to find the energy and belief needed to start something of my own.

Choosing the Right Tools for the Journey

Embarking on this solopreneur journey, I decided to harness the tools and technologies I was already familiar with: HTML, CSS, Tailwind, JavaScript, along with React and Next.js for creating websites.

This choice was not just about comfort but was also about applying best practices in web development that I've learned over a few years of experience.

In the following sections, I'll explain why I chose these particular technologies. I'll also provide guidance on how you can select the most suitable tools for your own projects, balancing learning curves, productivity, and project requirements.

Expect to find practical tips and lessons from my hands-on experience, which you can apply to enhance your coding skills or streamline your development process.

Realizing the Need for Change

Until recently, my daily routine was disordered. I juggled work with late-night phone scrolling sessions until 1-2 AM, only waking just in time for a hurried breakfast before starting my day.

Frequent use of food delivery apps led to overeating and unhealthy habits, which, despite my overall good life, I knew wasn’t sustainable.

I was trapped in a cycle, fearing that cutting back on my late nights would reduce my life to just work, work, and work. 💻

Then, something clicked a month ago. Motivated by all the recommendations I've seen about going to the gym, I contacted a personal trainer and started my first few sessions. Initially skeptical about lifting weights, I was surprised by the surge in energy it brought me.

"Talking to my therapist today" - @levelsio on X (Twitter)

This burst of energy triggered a chain reaction: I began paying more attention to my diet, choosing healthier, lighter meals. Sleep, too, became a priority. Influenced by the insights from "Why We Sleep" I transformed my sleep routine, targeting eight hours a night. This shift turned my mornings from a rush into a peaceful, productive time. 😴

Now, a month later, these practices have almost become natural. Waking up earlier, I feel more energized, and I've discovered precious time in the morning before work.

How Improved Health Boosts Coding Productivity

For those on a coding journey or balancing work with learning new skills, I cannot stress enough the importance of good sleep and regular exercise. These aren’t just lifestyle choices – they are essential tools for enhancing your cognitive function and focus.

After integrating better sleep and exercise into my routine, I noticed a significant improvement in my coding productivity. I was able to learn faster, stay focused for more extended periods, and tackle complex problems with more clarity. It felt like unlocking a cheat code for my brain!

Coding is an exciting yet demanding journey. With the additional energy gained from these changes, you'll be more equipped to face the challenges and joys of learning how to code.

Taking the First Step: BooksByMood

The concept for BooksByMood had been developing in my mind for months, inspired by Mood2Movie, an app developed by Marc Lou.

The idea of finding books based on your mood captivated me, and I envisioned a platform with my own twist on design and suggestions. This marked the beginning of my indie project journey with BooksByMood. 📚

Getting started on this new journey was daunting. My Twitter feed was full of stories of polished apps and good earnings, which heightened my stress and anxiety about starting. At that time, I didn't fully realize that we all have to start somewhere, and even the well-known people out there started at the beginning one day.

To manage my expectations and focus, I established clear, achievable goals:

• To create a straightforward website centered around a single, compelling feature.
• To keep the website free, ensuring accessibility and user engagement (IMO, also easier to get started with–particularly as a 1st project).
• To dedicate a week to learning promotion techniques, aiming to drive traffic to the site.

These goals weren’t just milestones – they were my commitment to myself to prove that I could bring an idea to fruition and attract visitors. 🎯

How I Chose My Technical Stack

As mentioned earlier, I utilized technologies I was proficient in: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, along with Tailwind for styling and Next.js for the framework. I chose this stack for its familiarity and efficiency.

I specifically opted for Next.js due to its convenient features:

• server-side rendering and static site generation, leading to improved website performance
• the file-based routing system
• various optimizations such as website navigation using the <Link> component or the <Image> component
• it's great for SEO
• overall it helps craft a better user experience

This stack allowed me to rapidly prototype and deploy, enhancing the site's performance without additional effort.

Takeaways: Stick to technologies you know well when validating an idea quickly. This approach helps you move faster and focus on the project's core value. That's why you can find many solopreneurs online using the same technologies for years (for example, Pieter Levels is using HTML, CSS, JS (with JQuery) and PHP for years).

App Development Process and Challenges

The journey of developing BooksByMood was iterative, starting with a basic, barely functional version.

I encountered several challenges, such as sourcing reliable book data and crafting a user-friendly interface. Overcoming these obstacles required research, trial and error, and continuous iteration.

Challenge 1: Finding Reliable Books Data

Finding a dependable source for book data was unexpectedly challenging.

I initially wanted to use some APIs. Unfortunately, Goodreads closed its API on December 8th, 2020. OpenLibrary was not bad, but the data needed to be more consistent. Google Books API was alright, but I would have also curated manually in the end, and sometimes some info could have been better.

This made me realize that it's hard to find a good books API out there (probably due to Amazon owning Goodreads and making sure it's hard for competitors to have good data as they do).

There was one thing I knew: it'd be complex to satisfy everyone with the recommendations, but I could do my best. My best was to ensure that what was recommended was well rated by the community (for example, it had a good rating on Goodreads).

You may wonder what will happen in the future, if the website is growing? In that case, it'll definitely need improvement. But, for a first release, it does the trick!

Takeaways: When facing a challenge on a new project, always take your time to consider all options and find the right balance between shipping fast, quality and reliability.

As an example, I'm 95% sure that curating books manually in JSON files with the help of AI has been a great choice. It resulted in shipping in a reasonable time, only showing books liked by the community, and controlling the data (for example, cover, title, description, tags, authors, and so on).

Challenge 2: Designing a user-friendly interface

As a full stack developer who's been working on the backend for a while, designing an appealing front end was my second major hurdle. Ensuring the site was not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing was crucial for user engagement.

I'm still in the process of learning about design, and it's far from perfect. But I discovered Dribbble and it's been a great place to get inspiration. Also, I've been using Excalidraw to sketch an initial layout version showing how I'd like to organize the information.

Takeaways: For non-designers, drawing inspiration from design-focused platforms like Dribbble can be incredibly helpful. Combining this with UI component libraries, like DaisyUI, can significantly enhance the design process, making it more effective.

Initial sketch of BooksByMood on Excalidraw (shared for my 1st day of #buildinpublic)

1st version of BooksByMood

Releasing the App

With the extra time my new morning routine afforded me, I devoted 1-2 hours each weekday and additional weekend time to developing BooksByMood. After a week of focused effort, I opted for a soft launch: I added the project on Twitter by updating my bio link.

The following day marked the beginning of more assertive promotion across various platforms, including Twitter, Reddit, and HackerNews. ✍️

Takeaways: Feel free to release your project everywhere you can. It can sound scary, but you never know what will happen. Doing that will help you in many ways, such as starting to attract visitors, getting feedback, getting backlinks, and so on. There's nothing to lose!

BooksByMood Homepage

Learning and Growing: Early Lessons from the Journey

Personal and Business Lessons

It might sound a bit cliché, but these points have genuinely resonated with me:

• Believe in Yourself: Doubt was a constant companion, but taking the leap showed me the importance of faith in my ability to turn an idea into reality.
• Ship That Idea: After all, there could be only positives in doing so. Releasing a product, no matter how small, is a victory in itself.
• Building Publicly Is Rewarding: Engaging with the Indie Hackers community has been a blast. Their support and encouragement have been pivotal, making the process not just about building a product but also about being part of an inspiring collective.
• Believe in the Internet’s Magic: Sharing my project on HackerNews was a leap into the unknown. To my astonishment, we hit the first page, and the influx of visitors exceeded my expectations. Indeed, the internet can work wonders, turning small actions into significant impacts.

Technical lessons

On the technical front, the project has been a rich source of learning:

• Choosing the Right Stack: Leveraging familiar technologies like Next.js and React facilitated a smoother development process and quicker iterations. This really underscored the importance of choosing the right tools for the job. I've said it many times in this article: Use what you know. Don't try to overthink using the latest shiny technology. I'd advise you to focus on your product, not how it's being built.
• Data Handling and AI Utilization: The challenge of sourcing reliable book data forced me to consider solutions, including using AI for content curation. This experience highlighted the need for flexibility and creativity in problem-solving. Sometimes, in tech, you'll not find exactly what you want, and you'll have to evaluate potential tradeoffs to find alternatives.
• Design for the User: As a backend-focused developer, delving into front-end design was challenging. But prioritizing user experience and employing design resources like Dribbble for inspiration proved crucial in creating an engaging interface. Also, don't be too worried about your design. Your first version will probably be "ugly," but over time and iterations, you'll start having something visually pleasing. Everything takes time!
• Iterative Development: Start with a minimal viable product with only one focused feature. It's tempting for a developer to add many features, such as a dark mode, a user account, fancy filters, and so on, but that's unnecessary. Instead, use your technical skills to make that one feature work perfectly.

To wrap up this reflection, I can’t emphasize enough the satisfaction of crafting a project, releasing it, and seeing people using it. It’s an amazing experience that I recommend to everyone. If you’ve been sitting on an idea, stop overthinking and start building it now. 🚧

Looking Ahead: The Road to Indie Hacking

I plan to stay committed to the indie hacking path for the upcoming months, balancing it alongside my 9-5 job.

A vast landscape of knowledge awaits me, especially in areas like design and marketing, where my experience is limited. Objectively, I know it's not gonna be easy. Yet, the idea of acquiring new skills is exciting. 🎨

The Indie Hackers community has been a goldmine of insights, with members generously sharing their tips and success stories. This collective wisdom, along with a wealth of books and resources, will continue to guide and inspire my journey. 🔖

In the coming months, my focus is on continuous learning and building. I aim to diversify my projects, incorporating paid features to explore different business models and market needs.

Regarding the tech stack, I plan to stick with my current tools, which are versatile enough to meet most of my needs. While I'm open to integrating new libraries like NextAuth for streamlined authentication processes, my primary focus will be learning marketing. Understanding and getting better at marketing is crucial for any indie hacker, as it's often required to transform a side project into something bigger.

Whether it leads to success or failure, every step forward is one step toward. I'm excited to see where this path will take me and to share the journey's story with you all.

Takeaways: Your journey should be one of continuous iteration and exploration. While developing your project, never underestimate the power of marketing—it's essential for gaining traction and turning your ideas into reality. To realize your full potential, embrace both the technical and business sides.

Conclusion: An Invitation to Join the Journey

As this chapter of my journey unfolds, I invite you to come along. I'd love to navigate the ups and downs of indie hacking together.

Join me on Twitter where I share real-time updates, insights, and milestones of this journey, all in the hope of inspiring some of you to embark on your own adventures. 👀

Explore BooksByMood

Curious about what I’ve been working on? Check out BooksByMood, my first indie project that helps you find books based on your mood. 👇

Imagine a space that not only highlights your finest achievements but also attracts potential clients and makes a memorable impact on every visitor.

This guide will help you navigate creating an outstanding personal portfolio. We'll dissect the process from choosing an eye-catching layout to crafting content that tells your story. It'll all be aimed at building a page that resonates with who you are and the value you bring.

But the journey doesn't end here. Diving deeper, you'll learn more strategies and insights to help you elevate your portfolio beyond the ordinary. Are you ready? Let's step into the realm of crafting a portfolio that's not just seen but remembered.

Table Of Contents

1. The Importance of a Personal Portfolio Website
2. How to Choose the Right Domain Name
3. How to Design Your Portfolio Site
4. How to Pick the Right Tools
5. How to Showcase Your Best Work
6. How to Craft Your Brand Story and Unique Voice
7. How to Add Additional Content
8. Essential Pages for Your Portfolio
9. How to Organize the Home Page
10. How to Keep Your Portfolio Fresh
11. Conclusion

Short Summary

1. Building a great personal portfolio page is crucial for showcasing your skills and personality in the digital realm.
2. This step-by-step guide will help you overcome common challenges like starting, structuring, and designing your portfolio effectively.
3. Learn how to choose the right domain, design your site, showcase your best work, and craft a unique voice to make a lasting impression.
4. Discover the essential elements, additional content options, social media strategies, and SEO techniques to maximize your portfolio's impact.

Why is a Personal Portfolio Website Important?

Your portfolio, much like a shop's facade or what you wear, communicates your personal style and standards, offering a reflection of your professional identity.

The structure of your website, the projects you spotlight, and the narrative you weave about your journey play a pivotal role in this representation.

While some have navigated their way to impressive careers without a digital footprint, these days it's become more and more important to have a solid personal portfolio. This is particularly true for tech professionals—ranging from software engineers to data scientists and AI experts.

This digital domain gives you a place to show what sets you apart, embodying the core of your unique value proposition. Without this platform, you leave your professional narrative to chance, permitting others to assemble a fragmented view of your persona.

Not having an online personal portfolio could well dictate whether you secure your dream position and successfully establish a strong personal brand, versus fading into the background. In the digital-first era we navigate, a personal portfolio transcends mere benefit—it emerges as an essential instrument for personal branding.

How a Personal Portfolio Helps You

For engineers seeking to carve out a distinctive identity in the tech landscape, the quest to showcase what makes you unique is paramount. While GitHub serves as a testament to your technical abilities, it often speaks a language too specialized for a broader audience.

Similarly, YouTube offers a platform for personality-driven exposure, but the prospect of speaking to a camera for hours may not align with your preferred mode of expression. Herein lies the unparalleled value of a personal portfolio page: it stands as one of the most effective mediums to represent yourself.

When you're creating your personal portfolio, it's crucial to demonstrate your expertise and establish your credibility. This demands clear and concise communication, directly engaging potential clients or employers, showcasing your skills, and fostering an online presence.

These are not mere suggestions but critical measures for contemporary professionals. By crafting a portfolio that not only displays your work but propels your career forward, you assert a distinctive presence in the competitive realm of technology, ensuring your unique contributions are both seen and valued.

How to Choose the Right Domain Name

When setting up your personal portfolio website, selecting the perfect domain name is a crucial decision that can impact your online presence significantly.

Your domain name is essentially your online identity, so it's important to choose wisely to make a lasting impression on your visitors and potential clients.

Choosing my domain name - vaheaslanyan.com

For my personal portfolio page, I like to keep it simple: firstname+lastname.com or just firstname.com. So for me it is: vaheaslanyan.com. (My firstname + lastname.com)

Other examples are

1. JohnDoe.com: This is the most direct approach, using both your first and last name. It's professional and clear for anyone looking for your work.
2. AlexJohnson.dev: For those in the tech industry, using a domain extension like .dev can highlight your area of expertise.
3. MichaelRoberts.design: Similar to the .dev extension, using .design can be a great choice for professionals in fields like graphic design, UX/UI, or related areas.
4. Elena.co: If your first name is unique enough, or if you prefer a shorter URL, you might use just your first name with a less common extension like .co.
5. MaxCreates.com: If "Max" is your nickname and you're in a creative industry, this domain clearly indicates what you do and who you are.

My name coming up in Google search results

Importance of a Domain Name

Your domain name is the first thing users see when they land on your website, so it should be memorable, easy to spell, and reflect your brand identity.

Here's why it's critical:

• It Reflects Your Brand: A well-chosen domain name can effectively convey your unique voice and what you have to offer. If it is your project portfolio website, then something that reflects your name or nickname is a great way to accomplish this.
• It Improves Search Engine Ranking: Having relevant keywords in your domain name can positively impact your website's SEO.
• It Attracts Potential Clients: A professional and catchy domain name can pique the interest of potential clients and make your website stand out.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Domain Name

• Keep It Simple: Opt for a domain name that is easy to remember and type.
• Include Keywords: If possible, incorporate relevant keywords related to your industry or profession.
• Consider Your Niche: Ensure your domain name aligns with the type of work showcased on your portfolio.
• Avoid Numbers and Hyphens: Numbers and hyphens can be confusing and are often forgotten when typing a domain name.
• Check Availability: Verify that the domain name you want is not already taken and is available for purchase. You can use namecheap.com, godaddy.com and many other online hosting websites.

How to Design Your Portfolio Site

When selecting a design for your portfolio website, it’s important that the theme reflects your professional brand. For example, lawyers typically want a theme that suggests reliability and authority, while educators might choose a Learning Management System (LMS) to share courses.

To find the right design, websites like Envato, ThemeForest, and Figma templates are useful. It's helpful to plan what you want on each page before deciding on a design.

Here's how to approach this process:

Understand Your Brand: First, define what your brand represents and the impression you want to make. Whether your style is modern and sleek or more traditional and professional, your website's design should align with this.

My personal portfolio homepage

Research Design Options: Explore various design templates on platforms like Envato, ThemeForest, and Figma. These resources offer a wide array of designs suited to different professions, aiding in finding one that matches your vision.

Different site design options

Functionality and Features Needs: Consider the features essential for showcasing your work effectively. For a digital artist, high-resolution galleries might be key, while a developer might need support for embedding code snippets.

Press releases on my site

Sketch Your Layouts: Draft a basic layout for each page of your website before committing to a design. This helps visualize how the design will accommodate your content.

Example wireframes for creating a personal portfolio

Prioritize Simplicity and User Experience: A design that's easy to navigate and not overly complicated will keep the focus on your portfolio and provide a better experience for your visitors.

An example of a simple website design

Ensure Compatibility and Responsiveness: The design should look good and function well across all devices and browsers. Responsiveness ensures your website adapts to any screen size.

An example of a responsive site that looks good on both desktop and mobile

Customization Flexibility: Look for a design that offers customization. Being able to adjust elements like colors, fonts, and layout means you can tailor the design to fit your brand perfectly.

An example of a flexible design

Test and Gather Feedback: If possible, test the design with some of your content and ask for feedback from colleagues or mentors. Their insights can help you gauge the design's effectiveness in presenting your work.

By carefully choosing a design that represents your professional brand, you create a strong foundation for a portfolio website that effectively showcases your skills and communicates your unique value to visitors.

How to Pick the Right Tools

Choosing the right tools to build your portfolio involves understanding your needs, evaluating available options, and selecting solutions that align with your skills and goals.

This chapter guides you through this process, from deciding between coding your own site vs using a no-code platform to selecting the perfect hosting provider.

Understand Your Needs

First, it's important to identify your field: are you in the tech industry, or are you in some other line of work?

Your field of work significantly influences your choice of portfolio tools. Tech professionals might lean towards custom-coded sites to showcase their coding prowess, while those in non-tech fields may prefer no-code builders for their convenience and ease of use.

Next, you'll want to evaluate your skills to decide how to actually create the site. Do you want to code your own portfolio, or choose a no-code solution?

Assess your skills honestly. If you're comfortable with coding, a custom-built site might be the best way to showcase your technical abilities. For those without coding skills or a desire to learn, no-code platforms offer a practical and efficient alternative.

Then you'll want to set your website goals and objectives. Define what you want your portfolio to achieve. Are you looking to attract freelance clients, land a full-time job, or simply showcase your work? Your goals can influence the choice of platform, design, and content of your portfolio.

Options for Tech Professionals

Coding your own portfolio from scratch offers complete control over design and functionality, allowing you to create a unique and personalized online presence. It also showcases what you can do with code.

Benefits of Custom Coding

• Customization: Tailor every aspect of your site to fit your personal brand.
• Skill Demonstration: Showcase your coding ability to potential employers or clients.

Recommended Technologies and Frameworks

• HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Basics: The foundation of web development, essential for any custom-built portfolio.
• Advanced Frameworks: Utilize React, Angular, or Vue to create dynamic and responsive sites.

Hosting Solutions for Coders

• GitHub Pages: A free option for hosting simple, static sites.
• Netlify and Vercel: Provide more flexibility and support for dynamic sites built with advanced frameworks.

No-Code Solutions for Non-Tech Professionals

No-code platforms have democratized web design, enabling anyone to create beautiful, functional websites without writing a single line of code.

Comparing Popular No-Code Platforms

• WordPress: Versatile and widely used, with extensive themes and plugins.
• Webflow: Offers unparalleled customization and flexibility without requiring coding knowledge.
• Squarespace: Known for its ease of use and stunning, design-forward templates.

How to Choose the Right Hosting Option

Your hosting provider impacts your site's loading speed, uptime, and overall user experience, making it a crucial factor in your portfolio's success.

Some Common Hosting Providers

• Namecheap: Offers affordable, reliable hosting with excellent customer support.
• Alternative Options: Explore other reputable providers like Bluehost and SiteGround based on your specific needs.

Choosing the right tools for your personal portfolio requires a thoughtful evaluation of your needs, skills, and goals. Whether through custom coding or no-code platforms, the perfect portfolio is within reach.

By carefully selecting the right tools and platforms, you can create a portfolio that not only showcases your work but also helps you achieve your career aspirations.

How to Showcase Your Best Work

When setting up your portfolio page, it's essential to showcase projects that reflect your current focus in software engineering, data science, AI, or whatever area of tech you call home.

Select projects that are recent and demonstrate your skills and interests in these areas, ensuring your portfolio aligns with the professional direction you're aiming for.

Categorize Your Projects

Divide your projects into categories like software development, data analysis, or artificial intelligence to help visitors navigate your portfolio more easily.

The project section on my personal portfolio site with clear sections for different topics

This organization allows you to display a broad skill set, making it clear you're well-versed in multiple aspects of tech. It also helps visitors quickly find projects that align with their specific interests or needs.

Provide Detailed Project Descriptions

For each project, write a brief description that outlines the project's goals, your role in its development, and the technology used. Highlight any unique challenges you encountered and how you overcame them, showcasing your problem-solving skills.

Example of some project descriptions listing the challenge, goal, technologies used, etc.

These descriptions give context to your work and help visitors understand the depth of your technical expertise and creativity.

Use High-Quality Visuals and Code Snippets

Incorporate clear screenshots of your projects or UI designs, and consider including code snippets to illustrate the quality of your coding practices.

A high quality visual

Visuals help convey the complexity and functionality of your projects, while code snippets can give fellow tech professionals insight into your technical approach. Together, they provide a comprehensive view of your capabilities.

Include Client or Collaborator Testimonials

Testimonials from clients, colleagues, or collaborators can add credibility to your portfolio. Positive feedback on your technical skills, work ethic, and ability to deliver solutions can significantly enhance your professional image.

Examples from my testimonials page

These testimonials act as a form of social proof, validating your expertise in your field.

Highlight Achievements and Contributions

Showcase any recognitions, certifications, or contributions to open-source projects.

For example, if you've received a "Developer of the Month" award from a well-known tech community, obtained a certification in Advanced Machine Learning from a reputable online platform, or contributed to open-source projects on GitHub like TensorFlow or Apache Spark, make sure these are prominently featured.

Some of my own milestones throughout my career

Highlighting such achievements, like winning a hackathon or being part of a team that developed a widely used software tool, showcases your commitment and active engagement in the tech community.

It also positions you as a dedicated and accomplished professional, underlining your contributions and achievements within the fields of software engineering, data science, and AI.

Feature Interactive Demos

Where possible, include interactive demos of your projects or links to live sites where visitors can see your work in action. This not only makes your portfolio more engaging but also lets visitors experience the usability and functionality of your creations firsthand.

Interactive demos can be particularly compelling for projects in AI and data science, where results and data visualizations play a crucial role.

To effectively include interactive demos or links to live sites in your portfolio, consider these approaches:

1. Embed Project Videos: Create short video demonstrations of your projects and embed them directly into your portfolio. These videos can guide viewers through the functionality and features of your creations, providing a dynamic way to showcase your work.
2. Use GitHub Pages: For software engineering projects, deploy your web applications or tools on GitHub Pages, providing a direct link in your portfolio. This free hosting service allows you to present live versions of your projects, making them accessible to anyone.
3. Interactive Data Visualization Tools: For data science projects, utilize tools like Tableau Public or D3.js to create interactive visualizations of your data analyses. Embed these visualizations in your portfolio to let visitors interact with the data, understand your analytical skills, and appreciate the insights you've uncovered.
4. Host on Cloud Platforms: Use cloud platforms like Heroku or Netlify to deploy your projects and include the live links in your portfolio. These platforms support a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, making them suitable for showcasing both frontend and backend projects.
5. Demo Notebooks for AI Models: Share Jupyter notebooks via platforms like GitHub or NBViewer that demonstrate the workings of your AI models. These notebooks can include code, visualizations, and explanations, offering a comprehensive view of your project's development process and results.
6. Create an Interactive Portfolio Section: Design a specific area of your portfolio dedicated to interactive demos. This section can include thumbnails or icons representing each project, which visitors can click on to explore the demo or live site.
7. Use Code Sandboxes: For smaller projects or code snippets, use online code editors like CodePen or JSFiddle to create live previews. These platforms allow you to write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in the browser and share interactive versions of your work.

By incorporating these methods, you can make your portfolio more engaging and provide potential employers or clients with a hands-on understanding of your projects' usability, functionality, and the innovative solutions you bring to the table in software engineering, data science, and AI.

Regularly Update Your Portfolio

Keep adding new projects and updating your portfolio to reflect your latest work and ongoing learning in the tech field. This demonstrates your commitment to staying current with technological advancements and your continuous professional development. An up-to-date portfolio shows you're actively involved in your field and passionate about your work.

By tailoring your portfolio with these considerations in mind, you ensure it effectively showcases your expertise in software engineering, data science, and AI. This approach not only highlights your technical skills but also your adaptability and ongoing growth in these rapidly evolving fields.

How to Craft Your Brand Story and Unique Voice

Crafting your brand's voice is a vital aspect of the brand's identity, serving as the embodiment of its personality across all forms of communication. A well-defined brand voice not only distinguishes a brand in a crowded market but also establishes a consistent and relatable presence that resonates with its target audience.

This chapter delves into the intricate process of sculpting your brand's unique voice and narrative, ensuring it aligns with its core values, mission, and the expectations of its audience.

Understanding Your Brand's Core

The journey to crafting your brand's voice begins with a deep dive into its essence. This involves clarifying your brand's mission, values, and the unique proposition it offers to its audience.

A brand voice that is in harmony with these core aspects will not only be authentic but also compelling to your target audience.

Identify Your Audience

Understanding and identifying your target audience as a developer is pivotal to creating a personal portfolio website that resonates with the right people, whether they are potential employers, clients, students for your courses, or collaborators. Here's how to refine your approach based on who you're speaking to most often:

For Educators and Course Creators

If analytics or feedback suggests that a significant portion of your visitors (like the 90% in the example) are potential students interested in your courses, your portfolio should position you as a subject matter expert and a capable educator. Here's how:

• Showcase Educational Content: Highlight courses you've created, workshops you've conducted, and any educational materials you offer. Use clear, engaging descriptions and include student testimonials to underscore the value of your courses.
• Demonstrate Expertise: Include a detailed "About Me" section that outlines your credentials, experience, and any awards or recognitions you've received in your field. This helps build trust and establish your authority.
• Provide Free Resources: Offering free tutorials, blog posts, or downloadable resources can be a great way to showcase your knowledge and teaching style, encouraging visitors to engage with your paid courses.
• Engage with Interactive Demos: Use interactive elements or demos related to your courses to engage visitors and give them a taste of what you offer, making your site and courses more memorable.

For Developers Seeking Employment

If your primary goal is to attract potential employers, your portfolio needs to emphasize your technical skills, projects, and the professional value you bring. Here's how to tailor your site:

• Highlight Relevant Projects: Showcase a selection of projects that are most relevant to the types of roles you're seeking. Include detailed case studies that walk through your problem-solving process, technologies used, and the outcomes achieved.
• Professional Narrative: Use the "About Me" section to narrate your professional journey, emphasizing experiences and skills that align with your career aspirations. Mention any collaborative projects to demonstrate teamwork and communication skills.
• Testimonials from Colleagues: Including endorsements from past colleagues, supervisors, or collaborators can add credibility and provide insight into your working style and contributions to a team.
• Technical Blog: If you maintain a blog, focus on posts that highlight your expertise, insights into technology trends, and solutions to common problems in your field. This not only showcases your knowledge but also your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly.

General Tips for Identifying Your Audience

• Survey Your Visitors: Simple surveys or feedback forms on your website can provide direct insights into who your visitors are and what they're looking for.
• Analyze Website Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to understand the demographics, interests, and behavior of your site's visitors. Look for patterns in the pages visited, the content engaged with, and the referral sources.
• Social Media Insights: If you use social media to share your work or insights, platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram provide analytics that can help you understand your followers' profiles and preferences.
• Competitor Analysis: Look at the portfolios of peers in your field. Notice who their target audience seems to be and how they engage with them. This can offer clues about your own audience.

Identifying and understanding your target audience allows you to craft a portfolio that speaks directly to their needs and interests. Whether you're teaching, seeking employment, or offering freelance services, a focused approach ensures that your portfolio resonates with the right people, making it a powerful tool in achieving your professional goals.

Craft Your Brand Narrative

Once you have a clear understanding of your brand's core and its audience, the next step is to weave your brand narrative.

This narrative should tell the story of your brand—where it comes from, what it stands for, and where it is headed.

The narrative becomes the foundation upon which your brand voice is built, ensuring that every message you convey is coherent and aligned with your brand's story.

Be Aware of the Tone of Your Voice

The tone of your brand voice can vary depending on the context and the platform, but it should always reflect your brand's personality.

Whether it's confident and authoritative, friendly and conversational, or inspirational and aspirational, the tone should be consistent across all channels to maintain brand recognition and loyalty.

Consistency Is Key

Maintaining consistency in your brand voice across all platforms and touchpoints is crucial. This consistency helps in building trust and credibility with your audience. It ensures that no matter where or how your audience encounters your brand, they receive the same experience and message.

Evolve Your Voice

While consistency is essential, it's also important to allow your brand voice to evolve with your audience and the market. Stay open to feedback and be willing to adjust your voice as needed to ensure it remains relevant and engaging to your audience.

Crafting your brand story and unique voice is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process of refinement and evolution.

By staying true to your brand's core, understanding your audience, and being consistent yet flexible in your approach, you can create a brand voice that not only defines your brand's identity but also builds lasting connections with your audience.

How to Add Additional Content

Enhancing your personal portfolio website with a variety of content not only enriches the visitor's experience but also showcases the breadth of your capabilities. Here are some key additions that can transform your site:

Client Testimonials and Peer Reviews

Incorporate feedback from previous clients or colleagues to highlight your skills and professionalism. Testimonials lend authenticity and foster trust in your portfolio.

Example: a section titled "What People Are Saying" can feature a carousel of quotes from past clients, such as: "Alex transformed our brand's vision into reality with exceptional design and attention to detail. Working with them was a game-changer!" – Jamie, Brand Manager

Detailed Case Studies

Showcase your standout projects with comprehensive case studies. These narratives offer a deep dive into your creative process, problem-solving abilities, and the impact of your work.

Example: a page dedicated to a rebranding project for a local café, including the challenge ("Revitalizing a beloved local brand"), the process (from initial sketches to final design choices), and the impact (increased customer engagement and sales).

Blog Insights

A blog section can serve as a platform for sharing your expertise, industry insights, or personal reflections. It reflects your dedication to your craft and ensures your site remains vibrant with new content.

Example: a series of posts under "Design Insights," with entries like "The Future of Web Design: Trends to Watch" or "My Creative Process: From Concept to Completion," providing readers with valuable knowledge and a peek into your creative world.

Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses

Offer a look into your creative journey through behind-the-scenes content like sketches, mood boards, or early designs. This transparency into your process can fascinate visitors and add depth to your work presentation.

Example: a gallery called "The Making of a Logo," featuring early sketches, revisions, and commentary on the thought process behind each stage, culminating in the final design.

Engaging Interactive Elements

Incorporate dynamic features such as sliders, animations, or interactive galleries. These elements can make your portfolio more engaging and leave a lasting impression on visitors.

Example: an interactive gallery for a photography portfolio, where visitors can filter images by theme or color. Hovering over an image reveals the project name and details, while clicking enlarges the photo with a detailed caption.

Awards and Honors

Highlight any accolades or recognitions you've received. Showcasing your achievements adds prestige to your portfolio and distinguishes you from your peers.

Example: a "Recognition" section displaying badges or trophies from design competitions, accompanied by a brief description of the award and the project that won it, such as "Winner of the 2023 Design Innovation Award for the Eco-Friendly Packaging Series."

Video Demonstrations

Embedding video content, whether project walkthroughs or client feedback, can provide an immersive experience. Videos add a dynamic layer to your presentation, making your work more relatable and memorable.

Example: a video walkthrough of a mobile app design process, starting from wireframes to the finished product, with voiceover explaining design choices, challenges overcome, and user feedback incorporated into the final version.

Infographics and Data Visualizations

For those whose work involves data, adding infographics or visualizations can compellingly present complex information. This not only showcases your ability to simplify intricate data but also your creative approach to visual communication.

Example: an infographic titled "The Impact of Good Design on User Engagement," showcasing statistics on user retention, satisfaction, and conversion rates before and after a website redesign, highlighting your ability to drive results through design.

Diversifying the content on your personal portfolio website with additions like testimonials, in-depth case studies, and interactive elements enriches your online presence. Such enhancements not only amplify the appeal and credibility of your portfolio but also demonstrate your comprehensive skill set and creativity.

What Pages You Need in Your Portfolio

To make your personal portfolio website truly unforgettable, paying close attention to its structure and content is paramount.

The goal is to showcase not just your work and abilities, but to establish a holistic online platform that mirrors your professional identity. Integrating specific essential pages is critical for a detailed presentation of your competencies to prospective employers or clients.

Here’s a detailed guide on the essential pages that are fundamental to a standout personal portfolio:

Home Page: The Gateway to Your Professional Universe

The home page serves as the initial welcome to your professional domain, providing a brief yet impactful overview of your identity and offerings. This first impression is vital, setting the tone for the visitor's experience on your site.

My home page

Your home page should emphasize:

• Engaging Introduction: Introduce yourself with a quick mention of your professional designation and expertise.
• Visual Elements: Incorporate captivating visuals or a portfolio reel to immediately draw attention to your work.
• Navigation Tips: Direct visitors smoothly to different site sections with clear navigation aids.

Portfolio Section: A Display of Your Expertise

This core section is where you showcase your finest work. Organizing this area thoughtfully ensures that visitors can easily navigate through your projects. You should include:

• Organization by Category: Group projects by theme, type, or sector for straightforward browsing.

Projects organized by category on my personal portfolio page - Python, Statistics, Machine Learning, and NLP

• Project Summaries: Provide a concise description of each project, outlining your role, the methodology, and the results.

Example project summary on my portfolio

• High-Resolution Media: Present your work with high-quality images or videos to fully convey its quality.

About Me Page: Your Professional Narrative

This page allows you to forge a deeper connection with your audience by sharing your story, ambitions, and what makes you unique. It should cover:

• Professional Background: Share your career path, educational achievements, and significant milestones.

Some of my personal milestones

• Skills and Expertise: Spotlight the abilities that distinguish you in your field.

A page on my portfolio showing my "digital DNA" - the skills I'd like to showcase

• Personal Insights: Offering a peek into your personal hobbies or interests can make you more approachable and relatable.

Services Offered: How You Can Assist Clients

If your portfolio is meant to attract freelance or consulting work, clearly detail the services you provide. This section should convey:

• Services List: Enumerate the services you offer, such as design, consulting, or writing.

A section on my site describing the courses I offer/topics I teach about

• Unique Advantages: Describe what sets your services apart from the competition.
• Workflow Description: Outline your process from the initial contact to project completion, offering potential clients a glimpse into your working style.

Contact Information: Simplifying Communication

For potential collaborations, it’s essential to make reaching out as simple as possible. Your contact page should include:

• Various Contact Methods: Provide a contact form, email, and possibly a phone number for easy communication.

My contact information page on my personal portfolio site

• Social Media Profiles: Guide visitors to your professional social media pages.
• Geographic Details: If applicable, mention your location or time zone.

Client Testimonials: Evidence of Your Expertise

Testimonials from previous clients or colleagues act as a strong endorsement of your skills and dependability. Consider featuring:

• Client Feedback: Include concise, meaningful quotes from clients about their satisfaction with your work.

Some of my client's testimonials

• Project Links: Optionally, connect these testimonials to specific projects they refer to.
• Client Images or Logos: Adding photos or logos of the client's company can add credibility to each testimonial.

Incorporating these key pages into your personal portfolio website not only effectively showcases your skills but also offers a complete picture of your professional sphere.

By meticulously designing each section, you can cultivate a digital presence that draws in potential clients or employers, showcases your proficiency, and distinguishes you in your industry.

How to Organize the Home Page

Now let's talk about how to strategically organize the homepage of your personal portfolio website. The essence of the homepage is to succinctly represent you and ignite the curiosity of visitors to delve into your portfolio page. Essential sections include:

1. Navigation Bar

A well-designed navigation bar is your visitor's roadmap to your website. It should be intuitive and straightforward, guiding them through your site with ease.

Navigation section of my site

Include links to your portfolio, about page, services, and contact information. Ensure it's accessible from every page, providing a seamless browsing experience.

2. Header Hero

Your header hero acts as the first impression and the hook that draws visitors in. This section should feature a striking, high-quality image or a dynamic slider that represents your work or persona.

Accompany this visual with a bold, concise statement about who you are and what you do. This is your chance to make an impact, so choose words and images that resonate with your professional identity and goals.

Homepage displaying the header hero image on my site

My hero image has my name in large print, and informs viewers that I specialize in compter science, data science, and AI.

3. Your Skills

Highlighting your skills is crucial in showcasing your competencies to potential clients or employers.

Create a visually engaging section where you list your primary skills, perhaps using icons or progress bars for a more dynamic presentation. Focus on the skills that set you apart and are most relevant to the work you want to attract.

Some of my skills listed on my site

On my site, I emphasize that I've had experience managing teams, optimizing performance, and building AI-driven products, for example.

4. Your Case Studies

Case studies are powerful testimonials of your work history and success stories. Dedicate a section to showcase selected projects that highlight your problem-solving skills, creativity, and the value you’ve brought to previous engagements.

For each case study, provide context, your role, challenges, solutions, and results. Including impactful visuals or links to the projects can greatly enhance this section.

5. Your Milestones

This section is a timeline or a list of significant achievements, awards, recognitions, or other milestones in your career. It's a narrative of your professional journey and successes.

Presenting this information in a chronological timeline or a visually engaging infographic can help tell your story compellingly and succinctly.

You can list achievements such as starting a company, graduating from a degree program, reaching a certain number of followers on social media, and so on.

6. Testimonials (What others say about you)

Testimonials from past clients, colleagues, or employers lend credibility and trust to your professional image. Select quotes that reflect your work ethic, impact, and personality.

Displaying these testimonials with the name, title, and, if possible, a photo of the person providing them adds authenticity and a personal touch.

7. Technical Skills

In addition to your general skills, it's important to specifically highlight your technical skills. This section should detail the tools, technologies, software, and programming languages you are proficient in.

Using logos or icons of these technologies can make this section more visually appealing and easier to scan for visitors who are quickly trying to gauge your technical capabilities.

My "digital DNA"

For example, my "digital DNA" is made up of C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, React, and other popular technologies.

Beyond these, your homepage doesn't require additional content. It's vital to capture the visitor's attention quickly with compelling visuals and effective copywriting, given the short window to make an impact.

Do's for a Captivating Homepage

• Be Concise: Ensure your message is clear and to the point.
• Use Endorsement Logos: Incorporate logos of companies you've appeared on to build trust.
• Display Technical Stack Logos: Show the technologies you're proficient in using their logos.
• Showcase a Case Study Gallery: Highlight your best work in an easily navigable gallery.
• Include a Dynamic Header: Use an engaging hero section to make a strong first impression.
• Highlight Recent Work: Give visitors a glimpse of your latest projects to show you're active and relevant.
• Use Testimonials Strategically: Place client testimonials where they'll have the most impact, showcasing your reliability and skill.

Don'ts for Your Homepage

• Avoid Random Placement: Structure your content logically – don't place information haphazardly.
• Steer Clear of Long Paragraphs: Keep your homepage breezy and easy to read with short, impactful statements.
• Don't Overwhelm with Content: Your homepage isn't the place to squeeze in every detail of your portfolio.
• Avoid Image Neglect: Images are crucial for visual engagement, so don't omit them.
• Resist Clutter: Keep the design clean and focused to improve user experience.
• Avoid Technical Jargon: Use language that's accessible to all visitors, not just industry insiders.
• Skip the Hard Sell: Present your skills and achievements without being overly aggressive.

Effective organization of your homepage is key to creating a memorable and professional personal portfolio website.

By following these guidelines, you ensure that your homepage not only accurately represents your professional persona but also encourages further exploration of your portfolio, opening up new opportunities for engagement and collaboration.

How to Keep Your Portfolio Fresh

Keeping your portfolio updated is crucial for reflecting your evolving skills, expertise, and experiences. An engaging and current portfolio not only captivates potential clients and visitors but also illustrates your dedication to your profession. Here are strategies to ensure your portfolio remains fresh and appealing:

Continuously Update with New Work

Regularly add your latest and greatest projects to your portfolio. This demonstrates your active involvement in your field and your commitment to quality and innovation. It's a way to showcase your growth and adaptability over time.

Revamp Your Portfolio's Design

Periodically rejuvenating the design of your portfolio website can keep it looking modern and fresh. An updated design can better engage visitors and reflect your ability to stay in tune with the latest trends and technologies in design.

Showcase Testimonials and Recognitions

Incorporate new testimonials from clients or colleagues, as well as any recent awards or honors you've received. This external validation of your work adds credibility and can significantly influence potential clients' perceptions of your expertise.

Maintain an Active Blog

A blog can be a dynamic component of your portfolio, offering insights into your work process, industry observations, or detailed project breakdowns. Regular posts keep your site content fresh and can help establish you as a thought leader in your field.

Leverage Social Media

Use social media platforms to highlight recent projects, achievements, and updates from your portfolio. A robust social media presence can extend your reach, attract a broader audience, and keep your work in the spotlight.

Incorporate Interactive Elements

Adding interactive elements, such as animations or interactive galleries, can refresh the user experience on your site. These elements can make your portfolio more memorable and engaging.

Feedback Loop

Invite feedback on your work and website from peers and mentors. Implementing constructive feedback can improve your portfolio's effectiveness and demonstrate your commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

Diversify Your Content

Show a range of projects and skills, including collaborative works, to display the breadth of your capabilities. This diversity can attract a wider array of clients interested in different aspects of your expertise.

Stay Relevant with Trends

Keep abreast of the latest trends in your industry and incorporate them into your work and portfolio presentation. This shows that you are forward-thinking and capable of adapting to change.

By employing these strategies, you can ensure that your portfolio remains an accurate, engaging representation of your professional journey and capabilities. Regular updates and a proactive approach to showcasing your achievements can significantly enhance your portfolio's appeal, making it a powerful tool for attracting new opportunities and clients.

Conclusion

When it comes to crafting a standout personal portfolio page, remember that simplicity and showcasing your best work are key. By following the step-by-step guide outlined in this blog, you can create a compelling portfolio that effectively highlights your skills and talents.

Start by organizing your projects in a clean and visually appealing layout. Use high-quality images and concise descriptions to provide visitors with a clear understanding of your work. Remember, your portfolio is a reflection of you and your brand.

Don't forget to include a call to action that prompts visitors to take the next step, whether it's contacting you for collaborations or viewing more of your work. Engage your audience with a clear message and encourage them to explore further. Ready to elevate your online presence? Take the first step and build that portfolio.

Resources

Kickstart your journey in technology with our specialized program that dives into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This initiative is crafted to build your programming expertise, supplemented with dedicated mentorship and career guidance to pave your way in the tech industry.

Propel your career forward with this curated list of resources, focused on tangible outcomes:

• How to Enter Gen AI in 2024: This guide breaks down the essentials of emerging AI technologies and prepares you for future trends.
• Land Your Software Engineering Internship: This resource provides step-by-step instructions for finding and landing a valuable internship in software engineering, giving you a competitive edge.
• Machine Learning Fundamentals eBook: Begin your exploration of machine learning with this eBook, which provides a concise overview of its core principles and techniques.

For access to these resources and detailed information about our program, visit LunarTech's website. Embark on your tech career path with the right tools and support from LunarTech.

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on LinkedIn for a ton of Free Resources in CS, ML and AI
• Visit my Personal Website
• Subscribe to my The Data Science and AI Newsletter

About the Author

I'm Vahe Aslanyan, specializing in the world of computer science, data science, and artificial intelligence. Explore my work at vaheaslanyan.com. My expertise encompasses robust full-stack development and the strategic enhancement of AI products, with a focus on inventive problem-solving.

I've consistently aimed to revolutionize technical education, striving to set a new, universal standard. As we wrap up this handbook, I want to say a big thank you for spending time with it. Sharing what I've learned has made me think more about my work. I hope what we've gone through together helps you move forward in tech.

It's almost been two years since I got into coding and a year since I became a full-time dev.

I started writing this article merely as a self-reflection exercise. But I thought maybe someone who's in a similar position as I am or is just starting to code right now might find some of my experiences useful or interesting.

I plan on talking about a lot of things here. I'll go over everything from my background and how I switched careers at almost thirty to how I learned to code and chose my tech stack.

I'll also discuss what I plan on learning in the future and why, along with some general advice and my overall feelings and thoughts about this first year of professional work.

The way I'm going to structure this is that first I'm going to tell you the story of how I became a developer. Then I'm going to list the main thoughts and concepts that have helped me get to where I am now.

This article is going to be a bit different from what I usually write, in the sense that it won't be too technical and it might get too self-referential at some points. But the idea is to take you through my experience and thought process so you can get an idea of how things could be if you walked the same path.

Although always remember my opinions and experiences don't necessarily extend to everyone else. And I don't claim that my choices and preferences are necessarily the best. So you know... if you read through it all, just take whatever is useful to you and ignore the rest. :)

Enough cháchara, let's go!

Table of Contents

• My background

• How I learned to code

• My first job as a developer

• Present tense and future

• Tips and thoughts

  • Learn how to learn

  • Try to find a path

  • Do you need a college degree to work in technology?

  • What kind of developer do you want to become?

  • How to pick a tech stack

  • Don't jump around too much

  • Don't be too comfortable or get ahead of yourself

  • How to know when you're job ready

  • Sometimes not coding is the best way to learn about code

  • Diversify your learning sources

  • Keep in mind that nobody knows everything

  • There're good and bad things too

• Wrapping up

My Background

I'm a 29 year old guy from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I grew up here, and once I finished high school I had no idea what to do with my life. I knew I had to go to college because that's what everybody else was doing. And according to "general knowledge", that was what was going to give me the best chances at life. So I started investigating around different career paths...

I was a shy and introverted adolescent in high school, so in this new chapter of my life I decided to change that and get more in contact with people and society in general.

I was attracted to social sciences studies such as philosophy, psychology and history. But It worried me that these professions weren't very in demand in the labor market. So I ended up choosing a major in human resources, as I thought it was a good match between social sciences and business.

I made this decision completely by myself, as I was part of the first generation of college students in my family. I didn't really know anyone who could guide me in this situation. I just made the best guess I could with the information I had.

Fast-forward a couple of years and I was starting to heavily regret my choice. I wasn't interested at all in what I was studying. The rigid structure and bureaucracy of college bored me to death and I had the feeling that I was wasting all my youth hearing people I didn't respect giving me meaningless lectures.

I started analyzing again what other career paths could I take, but nothing seemed to convince me enough. I even consulted with a group of vocational orientation professionals who charged me a ton of money for telling me that I was going to be a great HR manager in the future and that I should "just keep going".

This together with the fact that I had already put two years into this college thing convinced me to "just keep going".

Fast-forward another couple of years and I still felt the same way, but at least I was close to graduation and I was also working. So I was still bored to death but at least I was making money out of it.

I finally graduated and exited college with the feeling of having learned almost nothing, just happy that I was finally going to have more free time.

Regarding work, I started climbing the corporate ladder. Switching jobs every once in a while, making a tiny bit more money, and working for big and well known companies.

At this point I somehow got convinced that I liked this life, and even though I never enjoyed my job or being in the office environment, this was part of the deal.

In 2017 I was working for a very big industrial company and was offered the chance to move almost a thousand miles away from Buenos Aires, in exchange for a salary raise and the promise of future professional growth. I thought about it and accepted, as at the moment it seemed like too much of a great opportunity to pass by.

The work environment in this new position was terrible. I had to deal with crappy tasks, crappy leaders, and crappy people in general. I was learning nothing and the promises of future professional growth ended up being BS.

Things kept going the same direction for a few years, and when the pandemic arrived I was working harder than ever, often putting in nights and weekends, but somehow my leaders weren't happy with my effort.

I was feeling stuck and bitter. I left my family back in Buenos Aires in order to grow my career, and even though I was working as hard as I could, I wasn't collecting any profits and I was disliking my job more than ever.

At this point I finally opened my eyes and realized I couldn't be there anymore. I didn't know what to do next but I definitely knew I had to get out of there.

Then I saw an ad somewhere about a programming course and started investigating coding. I was always interested in technology, and at the moment it just felt right to occupy my mind with something new.

I didn't think about it as a way to get a new job, but as a hobby, a way to get my brain to think about something else.

How I Learned to Code

So after seeing this add and getting interested in coding, I did what most people do when looking for information: I Googled things, opened a ton of browser tabs, and watched a million YouTube videos.

I remember at the time I often couldn't understand a single thing about those videos. So many strange terms where used and people related each of those terms to other topics I had no idea about.

I didn't really know how computers worked, much less how the internet worked. I didn't know what a programming language was, why there were so many of them, what was the difference between front and back-end, what a function was, what a variable was, what on earth was SQL ... So many concepts and all of them completely new.

I just didn't know where to start. Learning to code felt like staring at the wall of Game of thrones.

I was feeling like the recruiter here...

Here's where I got back to freeCodeCamp (I had done a bit of a basic HTML and CSS course a few years ago) and also downloaded an app called Mimo (which helps you learn to code in a Duolingo kind of way).

These structured courses helped me organize my learning and grasp the basics of things before moving onto more complex topics. I dedicated a few hours every day to these two resources, and after a few months I was able to build a very very simple HTML and CSS page.

After that I felt I needed to interact with other people who were in the same learning path I was. I wanted to share knowledge with others, hear from other people's experiences, and check if what I was doing and learning made sense compared to what everyone else was doing.

The way I got to this was by signing up for a few online bootcamp courses. I liked that classes were live with a professor and a bunch of other students. This meant that I had the chance to ask questions, hear other people's questions too, and compare myself to others.

Four months went by and at that point I was completely into coding. I'd become comfortable with HTML and CSS, and also learned basic programming concepts with JavaScript. I was dedicating absolutely all my free time to this and even though slowly, I felt like I was making progress each day.

By this time luckily I was able to switch jobs (still within the human resources field) and get back to Buenos Aires. I was working in a much nicer environment and I was happy with my job and the team I had. But I still kept coding and learning about it every day. I just liked it a lot and felt I could be good at it some day.

A few more months went by, I completed more bootcamp courses, and got comfortable with React as well. I was able to build some more interesting and "complex" projects on my own and with the passing of time I got more and more curious about how could it feel to do this for a living.

I could somehow picture myself as a developer, and after doubting a lot I decided to give it a try and started applying for jobs.

I got rejected A LOT and struggled BIG TIME with the few interviews I was able to get (you can read more about that in the article I wrote about tech interview tips).

Some of those interviews were like a reality check for me in the sense that they made me realize there was still an immense amount of things I knew nothing about and I'd need to keep improving if I was ever to have the chance of working as a dev.

These experiences kind of hurt my self esteem and made me doubt if I could do this. I gave up coding for a few weeks for the first time in almost a year, but eventually got back to it. I just liked it a lot and felt like I had to prove the people who rejected me wrong.

By this time I started to expand the resources I was using to learn. Live classes weren't that interesting for me anymore since I felt I didn't need constant feedback from others like I did when I was starting.

Now that I had a wide array of knowledge, terms, and concepts at least superficially present in my mind, I could easily take advantage of asynchronous resources like videos, articles, and documentation.

And more importantly, I knew what path I needed to go through in order to learn what I needed to learn to get to the jobs I wanted.

So I reduced the number of live classes I was taking, and started getting more into videos, articles, and documentation of good trusted sources I found.

Also, I started writing about each of the things I was learning, which made a huge difference for me as it helped me internalize knowledge, go into detail on each of the topics I learned, and gain confidence in a way I hadn't experienced before.

In parallel I was still going through different interview processes and feeling better and more confident in these situations. And in one of these processes I ended up getting hired. 🙃

After a year of learning, burning my brain, and dedicating absolutely all my free time to code, I finally reached my goal.

I remember I felt as happy as I'd ever felt when I got the news. It felt like ending a marathon. I'd never before put so much consistent effort into something, and the feeling of going from knowing nothing about technology to being able to call myself a "programmer" was amazing.

It was really a great moment, but to tell the truth, I was also scared to the bone... When I looked into the mirror I didn't see a programmer. I saw a guy who still didn't know much. And now I was going to switch careers and put my financial (and emotional) stability at risk. Crap... 😳

My First Job as a Developer

Luckily, all the fears I had going into my first developer job were unfounded. I landed on an amazing company, and got to work on an amazing team with an amazing leader.

There were TONS of new things to learn, and at moments I couldn't understand a single thing. But my team made it clear to me that this was what it was supposed to feel like and that I should be patient and stick to the process of learning.

I did, and I took it step by step. With the help of my leader and teammates I was able to become pretty much proficient in a matter of months.

My team had a great culture and our leader encouraged us to share knowledge all the time. If someone found a bug, created a new feature, or wrote some documentation, that had to be shared with the rest of the group.

The same went for when someone made a mistake. Mistakes were not treated as opportunities to blame someone, but as chances for everyone to learn.

We had weekly meetings in which we shared this kind of information with each other. Through this continuous exchange I made a huge "click" in my mind. I understood no one knows everything.

Before I got this job, one of my biggest fears was that I wasn't prepared enough. There were many things I knew nothing about and I felt I "was supposed" to know them. But after getting to know developers with 5, 8, or more years of experience, I understood even with that amount of study and preparation, they still don't know everything. And that's ok, because no one can.

The size of the technological world humans have created and the constant evolution of it just makes it impossible for a single person to understand and know every single detail.

What I think is truly important is to deeply understand the given set of tools you work with in your environment, and to have a superficial understanding of the general system you work within.

But even then, you'll still never understand everything. Learning new things all the time and figuring things out is a core part of the job. In fact, what most companies pay engineers for is to figure things out. You just face problems you don't know how to solve at first, and slowly figure them out until you arrive to a solution.

This single idea was very powerful to me, and allowed me to get over the impostor syndrome I felt.

Overall I was feeling awesome at my new job. I was working remotely all the time (which I love and allows me to spend more time with my family and pets). I was working with people I felt related to in the sense that everyone was interested in sharing knowledge and constantly learning. And I felt my job was stimulating and interesting.

I was using my brain everyday, having to think in order to solve stuff, and that made me feel alive and useful instead of the zombie-like feelings I had in past jobs.

The feeling I had (and still have) is that my job and my hobby are the same thing. I'm not longer living for the weekend (great song by the way). I enjoy my job and I still dedicate most of my free time to learning and doing code-related things because I like it.

Present Tense and Future

After 9 months at my first job as a developer, I got the chance to switch jobs again. It was hard to leave such a great team and leader, but in my current position I'm able to work with cool technologies on a big and interesting project. Also, changing companies and projects has allowed me to understand a little bit better the process of software development and how different companies manage it.

It's also very interesting to get to know other fellow developers and learn from them. I feel there're things to learn from every single person working in this industry, so getting to know and work with new people every once in a while is something I'd like to keep practicing.

Besides focusing on my job, I also got back into college to study computer engineering. I made this decision because I felt most of the courses and classes I took focused heavily on learning to use tools (such as React or Node for example), but I lacked the basic knowledge those things were built upon.

I wanted to have deep knowledge about computer science topics too, and even though there're many ways in which you can get this knowledge, college made sense for me.

I find it funny that I'm having a completely different experience now compared to my first time at university. I'm attending classes with curiosity and learning at least a few useful things every time. Being truly interested in what you're learning and understanding the purpose of the information really makes a huge difference.

And besides those two things, I'm also working as a part-time assistant teacher in a coding bootcamp and trying to periodically write articles.

Sharing knowledge with others is something I really like and appreciate about the coding world, and without a doubt is one of the things that has allowed me to learn the most. Lots of people have benefited from this practice and I'm not an exception.

Regarding the future, I want to train myself as a well rounded software engineer. And by this I mean I'm aiming to gain knowledge about the whole ecosystem of things that lays around the creation of web-based software: front-end and back-end development, testing, infrastructure, cloud technologies, CI/CD, systems design and so on.

I feel that having at least a superficial knowledge of the core concepts in each of these fields is important and valuable, even though if end up specializing in a certain field later on. So this is what I'm directing my attention towards at the moment... and the rest is just to keep going.

Reflecting on the steps I took in the last few years, from the position I'm in now, I kind of appreciate how the experiences I had led me to where I am now.

Working in the social sciences environment for several years allowed me to gain the social skills I lacked when I was an adolescent. Also, working in toxic environments forged my character and gave me the ability to appreciate good teams and leaders.

It's likely that if I had never gone through those unpleasant experiences I would've never gotten into coding.

Life is really weird... I don't like to pretend I know how it works. I don't think anyone does. But in these past years I learned for myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to if I put enough time and effort into it.

I also learned that I should never settle for a situation I'm not comfortable in. What I like to do for a living is learning, thinking, and using my brain to solve problems.

Tips and Thoughts

So now that we're done with the telenovela, I'm going to present you with the main concepts and thoughts that have helped me get to where I am now.

Again, keep in mind this is not direct advice. Some of these things might not apply to you, but the idea is to share them so you can analyze and make decisions for yourself.

Learn How to Learn

If you'd like to become a developer, become comfortable learning things constantly. As I mentioned, I think this is a core part of the job for most of us.

Get used to the struggle of not understanding things at first, asking questions, doing research, making little or no progress at all, giving it another try, googling, watching videos, reading articles... and slowly but surely getting to what you want.

If you struggle and at times feel you're just not capable of understanding anything, that's ok! We all feel that way. The important thing is to be consistent, don't give up, be curious and keep going. You'll eventually wrap your head around things – just don't expect it to be easy or quick.

I think the best way to learn how to learn is just to keep trying. It's like a muscle: if you push it it will get stronger.

The cool thing is that things get easier as you advance. The more concepts and ideas you understand, the more connection points you'll have for the next topic you get into, which will accelerate your learning curve and help you move faster.

Try to Find a Path

The best thing about learning how to code is that there's so much information out there. The worst thing about it is also that there's so much information out there.

At the beginning everything sounds foreign and hard, so I think getting some kind of structure is of great help.

There're many sources for you to choose from. Free and with a cost, live or asynchronous, to learn alone or in a group... It's up to you and what you find works for you.

I'd say it's a good idea to start with something free to test if you like it. Then try different sources and work with the one or two you're more comfortable with.

Also, during the first steps, I feel like having the companionship of a tutor or a community is key to continue your learning path.

So much info can be overwhelming and it can be hard to know what to do next. A community and people to ask questions from can help diminish this level of uncertainty at the beginning.

Live classes solved this problem for me, but there are tons of ways to get in touch with people who are learning to code, so find one that suits yourself.

Also, after a while and once you have a clear understanding of your environment and what do you want to do, live classes can start to get less efficient and asynchronous learning becomes the best thing to do.

So getting to know useful and trustworthy sources of knowledge is key. And I don't have a recipe for this – for me it was just a matter of countless hours of exploring blogs, YouTube channels, and websites. And of course still all the time I'm finding great resources...

And about that, here I've put together some of the coolest resources I've found recently. Maybe it could be a good starting point for somebody. I'd also like to receive recommendations if you have any. 😉

Do You Need a College Degree to Work in Technology?

Absolutely not. I was able to get a good developer job without a related college degree.

Also, if you're just looking to switch jobs and get into tech, I'd recommend going to a bootcamp or completing some free online courses. It will probably be much quicker and cheaper for you than learning through college.

What I do think is that if you can afford going to college (both money and time wise), a degree won't hurt at all. And through college you can learn a series of general foundational concepts not often available in a bootcamp or programming courses (though this information is also available in other media and for free as well).

In my country, college education is relatively cheap and there are quality free options as well. So college was a reasonable choice for me. But this may vary from country to country and from person to person.

What Kind of Developer Do You Want to Become?

Once you start to comprehend the technology world, you'll see that the software engineer profession has many different paths and nuances. To name a few:

• Front end developers: Build the visual side of websites

• Mobile developers: Build mobile apps

• Back end developers: Work with all the software that is not directly exposed to the end user, like databases, authentication, and so on.

• Testing / QA: These people write programs to test that the software developed works as expected.

And many other paths like infrastructure, data analytics, robotics, and so on.

At first you won't be able to tell the difference between the one and the other, and that's ok. A good idea is to do a little research to understand all the possibilities that exist within the software engineering world, and see what you like most.

Also keep in mind there're different environments you can work in. From huge worldwide corporations to tiny startups, to freelance work, to starting your own company... Anything is possible.

Different fields and different environments make different experiences, and some might be better suited for what you like and what you're interested in. And also they'll require you to learn different things to get to work in those places.

How to Pick a Tech Stack

This is closely related to the kind of job and the environment you'd like to get. Though all knowledge is useful, some technologies are more related to one field and one type of environment in particular. So choosing carefully what to learn will help you use your time more efficiently and get to your goal quicker.

If I had to give a general path that applies to most people, I'd say get to know basic HTML, CSS and core programming concepts with JavaScript (variables, functions, loops, conditionals, data structures, and so on).

There're are lots of online resources where you can get this knowledge, and having these concepts under your belt will help you to some degree no matter what path you choose later.

I also feel that it's the easiest way to get into software since you start from a visual perspective that will allow you to build at least a very simple website in a few weeks.

Once you're there, I'd recommend that you analyze the different possible career paths and decide what you like the most or find the most interesting.

Watch videos, read articles, talk to people... Get a feeling of what each kind of job is about and what technologies are used in each of them. Then based on that, keep learning.

I find it's also important to choose based on what's available for you. For me, the bootcamp I was learning in had React and Node courses available, so that kind of laid the path for me. Maybe if they had Angular and Python courses I would've learned those technologies instead.

I don't really think it makes that much of a difference as long as the technologies serve your purposes. In the long run, technologies are only tools. And you can use many different tools to arrive to the same results.

Also keep in mind no choice is definitive. I mean, if you get into something and find that you don't like it, you can always get back and learn something else. It's useful to have some kind of plan and learning path, but it's not something rigid that can't be changed ever again.

Just to give you a superficial idea, the path I followed (and I'm still following) looks like this:

• HTML

• CSS

• Git and GitHub

• Basic terminal usage

• JavaScript

• React

• Node, Express, MongoDB and PostgreSQL

• Algorithms and data structures

• Testing: Jest, react testing library and Cypress

• TypeScript

• Intermediate terminal usage and scripting (Bash)

• React Native

• Firebase / AWS

• GraphQL

• Python

• Docker

Don't Jump Around Too Much

The idea of having a learning path is to provide structure and meaning to knowledge you'll acquire, so you can get to your goals quicker.

As I mentioned before, there's a huge amount of information out there and that's awesome if you know what you're looking for. But if you're not certain about what you need to learn, you might get lost between all the different possibilities and end up knowing just a tiny bit of a lot of things – and that's not really useful.

At least at the beginning, I'd recommend that you dedicate at least a few weeks to each new tool or concept you're learning. Make sure the knowledge sinks in and build a project or two with the tool you're learning, and then hop on to the next thing.

If possible, with each new thing you learn, try to add it to the same project or build a new one with all the tools you know up to that point.

For example, if you learned React before and now you're learning about back-end with Node, a good idea would be to build a front-end for that back-end too. Practice and repetition will make you better.

I also wouldn't recommend learning more than one thing at the same time. For example, let's say you're building your first React project and you're using TypeScript for the first time as well. That could be problematic, because when you get an error you might not be able to distinguish if it's a React or a TypeScript thing. You could also confuse concepts that belong to one technology with the other.

Don't Be Too Comfortable or Get Ahead of Yourself

Following the previous thought, I think it's important to push yourself and try to learn new things all the time. But it's also important to know where you are and control your rhythm. By this I mean, know when you need to move to the next thing and know when you need to stick to what you're learning at the moment.

This is a hard thing to know, and there's no way to be absolutely sure. I'd say you don't need to become an absolute expert, but at least build two decent projects with each technology you learn.

Make sure you understand the basic concepts behind it, understand the most common errors and problems you can face using it, compare your code to other people's code, and so on. If you feel you understand and can relate to most concepts regarding to that particular technology, then you're probably ready to learn something else.

Regarding what to learn next, that depends on your learning path and the things you've learned previously. I'd say a good sign is when you're able to connect some of the previous knowledge you have to the new things you're learning.

For example, if you learned HTML and now you're getting into CSS, you'll be able to understand how CSS helps you configure how HTML elements look and behave. If you learned JavaScript before, you'll be able to understand how TypeScript helps you control types and so on.

On the other hand, if you're trying to learn React without having a clue about JavaScript, you're very likely to mix concepts and confuse what technology is responsible for each thing (for example, I've seen many people think map, filter and reduce functions are a React thing, while they're all ES6 JavaScript features).

Consuming the right amount of information is important. Too little and you won't make progress, too much and you'll get confused and not make progress either.

How to Know When You're Job Ready

Short answer is you'll never know. You'll need to try yourself and (probably) fail to see what you still need to get better at.

There's not an exact recipe to get a job. Companies require different skills and have different levels of demand for their candidates.

I'd say a good place to start would be to go through job postings and see what kind of knowledge is required for the types of jobs you like. Once you're more or less comfortable with most of the things they require, I'd say start applying.

Waiting too long to apply for jobs can also hurt you. Even though doing badly at an interview sucks (I know, trust me...), it will really help you realize what knowledge you lack, and in that way accelerate your learning process.

You can read through this interviewing guide I wrote to help you prepare as much as you're able.

Sometimes Not Coding is the Best Way to Learn About Code

I feel that when you start out, building things is the best way to learn about programming. It gives you practical knowledge and the feeling of progress (which is key to get over the frustration any learning process involves).

But once you get comfortable with the practical side of things, I think it's also important to get a theoretical foundation. Learning how tools work, how the internet works, how computers work, the history of computer science, algorithms and data structures, and so on. I don't mean becoming an expert, but at least superficial knowledge of these topics is useful.

Regarding how to get this, you can go with videos, articles, books, courses... Again, there're countless resources to pick from.

But something I found really useful is to actually create content. Writing stuff, sharing knowledge, helping others – it all makes you think about code and programming from a different angle and have a deeper understanding of topics.

This is one of the main reasons why I like writing articles. And what I find the most interesting about it is that when I get back to actually coding, I feel that I'm a better programmer than I was before. I guess sometimes not coding is the best way to get good at it.

Diversify Your Learning Sources

I think a good way to wrap your head around complex topics is hearing different "voices" explain the same thing. Different people will use different analogies, vocabulary and approaches to explain. And eventually you'll find one that works for you.

Same goes to different formats like videos, articles, courses, and so on. Each time you're learning a new thing, try to combine different learning sources together so you can get a good general idea of it.

Keep in Mind that Nobody Knows Everything

Looking from the outside, it may seem that people working in the industry know so much more than you. But they don't know everything.

Senior developers normally have deep knowledge in some particular stack, but they don't know everything about everything, so much less should you if you're just starting out your learning path.

For me, being curious, eager to learn, and consistent in your learning efforts is the most important.

There're Good and Bad Things Too

For me, technology is the best possible environment to work in right now. Jobs are interesting and well paid, and the job market demand for developers is high (and it will probably keep growing in the future).

It's also one of the few sectors in which you can have a good job without a college degree.

I love it, and getting into technology has made a very positive change in my life. But I also think It's important to reflect about some of the negative things around it. For example:

Working remotely has challenges

Working remotely is great in many senses. For me, it has given me much more control over my time. It has allowed me to save tons of commuting hours and invest those hours into studying, spending more time with my pets and family, or just sleeping more. On the other hand, I recognize it has also separated me a lot from people and society in general which sometimes leads me to feelings of isolation, monotony, and social anxiety.

Working in tech can be stressful

Working in a project-based environment (which is the most common thing in technology) is awesome. You get to do different things every once in a while, facing different challenges, learning new things and getting the feeling of progress and accomplishment. But on the other hand, the pressure of dealing with deadlines and needing to solve technical problems so things can get done can be hard to deal with, especially at the beginning and on occasions where you don't have help from others.

While most people are nice...some really aren't

Though most people I've met in tech are nice, curious, and really eager to learn and share knowledge, there're also some egotistic, arrogant, and selfish people too. There're good and bad people in all paths of life.

Technology has a huge impact on our lives

To a bigger or lesser degree, by working in technology we're designing and making decisions that shape an important part of the world's reality and people's lives.

Think about it – technology is everyday becoming more and more intrinsically connected to everything we do as humans. From deciding what or where to eat, to traveling, to meeting new people and building relationships, to buying things, studying, managing money, looking for jobs or something so basic and central like getting to know the world around us. Googling has become the most primary action for most of us when we want to get information about anything.

Technology is absolutely everywhere around us. And as developers, this is great for us because it gives us a huge platform to impact people's lives in a positive way.

But that platform can also impact people's lives in a negative way too. As humans we've become so dependable on technology that decisions made by tech companies and engineers can have the same or more impact on society than those made by politicians.

We're all more addicted to our cellphones than we'd like to admit. Social networks have been used by companies to have a very detailed understanding of our expectations, preferences, fears and emotions. And from that knowledge, get us to buy things we don't need to impress people we don't like (yeah), or even worse, manipulate people's political opinions.

Technology is a very powerful tool, and that tool can be used both for good and for bad. The purpose and impact of it is up to us to decide, both as users and as developers.

Wrapping up

Well, I've talked about a lot of things here. I hope some of these concepts helped you picture how it may be to work in the technology industry yourself. Or at least cause you just to think and reflect about a thing or two.

If you read through all of this, I'd love to hear about your feedback or your own story in tech. You can hit me up on LinkedIn or Twitter if you'd like. 😉

Here's a little goodbye song for you (I'm making this a thing now 🤷‍♂️). See you in the next one.✌️

Here is the story of how I learned how to code using freeCodeCamp and the lessons I learned along the way.

My life pre-pandemic

The Southeast Symphony

In my previous career, I led a very active life of teaching, composing, and performing in recording sessions, operas, musicals, orchestras, and wind ensembles all throughout Southern California.

My main instrument was the oboe, which I studied in college at the Eastman School of Music (Bachelor's degree) and the University of Michigan (Masters degree). Here is clip of me performing a concerto with the Los Angeles Winds.

I also had an entrepreneurial spirit and ran my own sheet music company called JDW Sheet Music for 8 years. I was very happy with the career I had built, but March of 2020 changed everything for me.

At first, I thought the pandemic was only going to last for a few months and I would be able to return to my music career. But to my surprise, the pandemic opened me up to the world of software development.

The project that inspired me to learn how to code

Black Excellence Music Project

In June of 2020, racial tensions in the United States were at an all time high because of the murder of George Floyd. There were sweeping protests across the states and discussions of lack of diversity in many industries including in the classical world.

Many friends and colleagues of mine were reaching out about resources to learn more about black classical and jazz artists from the past and present. I quickly realized there was no central website where people could find all of this information.

That is when the idea of the Black Excellence Music Project was born. I wanted to create a site that was educational and filled with hundreds of artist profiles and games.

So I decided to learn how to code – but had no idea where to start.

Hello freeCodeCamp

freeCodeCamp homepage

In the beginning of my coding journey, I bounced around to different online resources to start learning HTML and CSS. While I enjoyed learning with these classes, I really wanted to find a resource that I could stick with and follow a particular path.

In July of 2020, I discovered freeCodeCamp and decided to give the curriculum a try. I really enjoyed the interactive learning environment and learned a lot by building the certification projects.

I spent the next few months working my way through the Responsive Web Design course and JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures course.

While I was learning, I wanted to join a community and connect with other self taught developers like myself. So I decided to join the freeCodeCamp forum and hopefully learn from other developers.

Little did I know, my participation on the forum was going to lead to new career opportunities.

How I met Quincy Larson

my freeCodeCamp profile

When I first joined the freeCodeCamp forum, I never planned to be that active. But the energy was so welcoming and informative that I found myself answering a lot of questions and offering words of encouragement.

After a month of being active on the forum, I received a message from the man himself, Quincy Larson.

We set up a google meet and ended up talking about our previous careers prior to tech. He then suggested I become a writer for the freeCodeCamp News publication.

I was shocked but excited for the opportunity, so I decided to fill out the application and was accepted as a volunteer author.

I spent a few months writing topics I was familiar with like HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

And just when I didn't think things could get any better, another opportunity came knocking at the door.

Looking for a Junior Developer

Around the same time Quincy reached out to me in October 2020, I received an email from a guy looking for a junior developer to do some small tasks for his software company.

At first, I wasn't sure if that was legit or some sort of scam. So I decided to do some research and found out this was legit.

The meeting ended up going well and the type of work I would be doing sounded interesting. This wasn't a full time job, but it was enough to gain me some experience while still learning how to code.

Before I said yes to the job, I did ask him one question, "Why did you pick me?"

At this point, I knew a little bit of HTML, CSS, Vanilla JavaScript and had just started learning React. But there were plenty of more qualified junior developers that knew more than me, so why was I chosen?

He explained that he found me on the forum and liked the answers I was providing other users. He understood that I was very early on in my career but figured I could learn well and pick things up quickly.

2020 had ended on a strong note and I was ready for the challenges ahead with this new part time developer job.

My first experience of imposter syndrome

When I got started with this new part time job, there were plenty of times where I felt out of my element. The first moment was probably when I had to setup the project on my local machine.

Up until this point, I had never worked with a real world application. I had only built small projects for classes or deployed personal projects using GitHub Pages.

But I had never dealt with setting up a project that included a database and backend system. My boss was walking me through the setup and giving me list of commands to run in the terminal, but I barely understood any of it.

In that moment, I started to doubt if I was really cut out for this and maybe it was a mistake to hire me. But he reassured that I was doing fine and it was completely normal to struggle with this stuff.

Over the course of 2021, there were plenty of moments where I felt like maybe I wasn't able to do the task assigned to me. But I keep trying to reassure myself that this was a learning opportunity and I was meant to grow from it.

That first gig was very valuable, because I started to learn how to work in a real codebase and was learning how to refine my code from a senior developer. I now consider him a mentor and good friend.

2021 was looking like a promising year in tech and during the summer, Quincy reached out to me again and offered me a position to write as part of the freeCodeCamp team.

With my confidence at an all time high, I decided to pursue a new career opportunity in late 2021.

Hello This Dot Labs

This Dot Labs homepage

I was first introduced to This Dot Labs in early 2021 when their Twitter account started to follow me when I was posting about my Black Excellence Music Project.

They left a comment on one of my posts about joining their next Women in Tech meetup and so I signed up to check it out. I fell in love with the atmosphere of the meeting and met some incredible female software engineers.

I continued to attend their monthly meetups and started becoming more active with the other events they hosted. I also started to reach out to other current and former members of the company to set up short coffee chats to learn more about them.

For the next few months, I continued to build up relationships and my technical skills. In December of 2021, I decided that the time was now to hit apply.

The interview process

The interview process for This Dot Labs consisted of a set of behavior questions, take home project, and final technical interview.

The take home project was similar to the projects you can find in freeCodeCamp's Coding Interview Prep section. In the final technical interview they asked me questions about my previous developer work experience and my personal projects.

They wanted to know about the features of the Black Excellence Music Project, why I choose React for the project and future improvements. I felt like I developed a good rapport with the interviewers and made sure to answer all of the questions as honestly and in as much detail as possible.

When I received the email that I had gotten the job, I was excited. I knew this would be a good learning opportunity for me and a great next step in my career.

My first couple of weeks on the new job

My This Dot Labs team profile

My first day as a junior developer at This Dot Labs was on Valentines Day 2022. The morning was filled with onboarding meetings to help me get introduced to my manager, the team, and the project.

It was a little overwhelming at first, because I had some trouble getting the backend setup with the new project and there was a flood of new information to digest. But I tried to do my best with asking questions and connecting with my new teammates.

The first few weeks were filled with meetings, code reviews and completing my first few tickets. I had moments of imposter syndrome because I was much slower than the rest of my team who are more senior than I am.

But my team was very supportive and reassuring that I was progressing well. I started to find a groove and gained more confidence in my skills.

Lessons I learned along the way

This last year and a half has been one crazy, unexpected, fun, and sometimes frustrating experience. But I did learn a lot of good lessons along the way.

Learn the fundamentals well and don't rush through things

I came from a non technical background, and learning how to code didn't always come naturally to me. There were plenty of moments where I struggled with lessons or class projects and started to doubt if I could learn how to code.

But I kept going and decided to take things slow. I knew there was no benefit from skipping the fundamentals and rushing through the learning process.

My advice to newcomers is to build a good foundation in the fundamentals and build a lot of projects along the way.

I built tons of small projects just for learning purposes. Building projects allows you to better understand how the technologies work and builds up your technical and debugging skills.

Build a substantial unique project you can talk about in interviews

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is displaying class projects on their résumés and portfolios. The problem with this approach is that hiring managers and recruiters have seen those same projects dozens of times.

Class projects are great for learning purposes and serve as good practice when you are first learning. But it is important to also build projects that take some time and have more substance to them than small toy apps.

Remember that interviewers will ask you about your projects and the features you added. If it is a small class project that took an hour or two to build then there won't be a whole lot to talk about.

My advice would be to build something inspired by your previous career or personal hobbies. Or maybe even build something that helps you automate some tasks at work or something that benefits the community you are in.

Learn in public

Learning in public can be a great way to connect with other developers and possibly lead to unexpected job opportunities. I would suggest joining Twitter and posting periodically about your progress.

You can post about classes you are going through or projects you are currently building. The 100 days of code challenge is a popular way to do that.

Remember that consistency is key and posting good content over a period of time will help you build out a following. You also never know who will be reading your posts.

Join a community and connect with other developers

No matter where you are at in the your learning journey, it is extremely important to join a community of developers to learn from and connect with. I have learned a lot from the communities I am a part of and met great people along the way.

When you are connected in a community, they can help you through the difficult learning moments and help you find good job opportunities. Hopefully, you can lift others up and help them along the way, too.

There are plenty of tech communities to join including meetups, discords, chats, Slack groups, Twitter and more. Try to find a group that is supportive of beginners and allows you to participate in ways you feel comfortable in.

Learn how the job process works

In the beginning of my journey, I made sure to study how the job process actually works. I read dozens of forum posts in the career advice section from those currently going through the job hunt.

I learned the dos and don'ts from others and learned what worked for landing that first junior developer job.

I have heard a lot of people complain that the process should just be as simple as filling out applications and they shouldn't have to do extra stuff like building an online presence or network.

In a perfect world, that would be the case. But the software hiring process does not work that way.

My advice is to learn how to write good résumés, learn how to network, learn how to write a good LinkedIn profile and how to find good job leads.

Here are some helpful resources to look into:

• How to Build Your Developer Résumé Without Job Experience
• How to Get Your First Dev Job – Insights from Reviewing Career Switchers' Résumés
• How to Write a Developer Resume that Recruiters Will Read
• Why Your Resume Is Being Rejected - and How to Fix It
• HOW TO USE LINKEDIN AS A DEVELOPER to get a job in tech! How to network!
• How To Get A Job As A Software Engineer
• Interview Secrets
• Blogging For Developers! Sponsored by Hashnode!

I hope you enjoyed this article and best of luck on your programming journey. You can also connect with me over Twitter.

The Software industry is obsessed with the idea of 10x engineers. These are engineers who are supposedly 10 times better at their job than their peers. But how does anyone become so talented?

"The best programmers are not marginally better than merely good ones. They are an order-of-magnitude better, measured by whatever standard: conceptual creativity, speed, ingenuity of design, or problem-solving ability." – Randall E. Stross

Here are four actionable steps I have used myself, or seen others use to succeed in improving their skills.

If you are new to programming, I think this is a great thing to read first.

Teach and Write as Much as Possible

“What many people underestimate is that being a good writer, whether that is through emails or through documents, allows you to be more impactful. I see many engineers ignore that skill.

You might be proud about your code. You should also be equally proud of the craft of writing… Writing is a highly underestimated skill for engineers.” – Urs Hölzle (Google’s first VP of Engineering)

You are the person who's the most responsible for your skills and development. Being a better developer is largely up to you. It's your job to improve your weaknesses and hone your craft. Being a better developer is an ongoing process that never stops, and writing helps you learn more.

By writing, you force the boundaries of your comfort zone. You learn about new topics to discuss, and you "put yourself out there". You start a discourse where when you're wrong, people are very happy to correct you and offer feedback.

The best way to become a better engineer is to teach 10 people what you know, and empower them in their development skills.

Put your expertise online and open source what you know. Your technical writing acts as portable capital as you move job to job, to show the depth and breadth of your knowledge. Writing not only showcases your skills, but develops them, too.

Read A Lot

Mark Twain said that the person who can read good books but chooses not to do so has no advantage over the person who actually can't read a book.

Reading is such a powerful tool. Read a big well documented open source codebase, read technical books, read your colleague's code and read technical documentation.

Find the brightest minds on Twitter, engineers with decades of experience and people who create the specs you love. Be a fly on the wall for their conversations.

As a starting challenge, change your watch preferences on a codebase you are most familiar with (a work repo, or an open source one). Then review and read every change (or as many as you're comfortable with) that goes into master/main.

If there is syntax/code you don't understand or can't work out, ask the person who did it. Learn from everyone. It will help the coder clarify what the code is doing (if you can't work it out, it mustn't be very clear!) and will help you have more context on the changes for the ecosystem you work in.

Work on Passion projects and/or Contribute to OSS

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." – Aristotle

One of the largest jumps in my skills and confidence came when I made my first major program that visualised path finding algorithms. I started with Djikstra and did A* too.

It forced me to:

• plan something out start to end
• give estimates
• hold myself accountable
• work on new API's I was unfamiliar with
• plan out my own architecture
• consider how to implement clean design patterns

If you aren't sure where to start, that's ok. Here's a link to lots of public API's you can dev against, or some project ideas I collated here.

If you haven't got a personal website, start there!

Even just publishing my personal project was an amazing educational experience in itself. You end up learning the entire SDLC start to end, and fill in the gaps in your knowledge.

For me it was deployments and CI builds that I didn't know a lot about (I use Netlify). Working out things like:

• How do you want to test your project?
• How will you release it?
• Do you want automated builds?

• Do you want to buy a domain for it?

  You begin to self-educate in an intensely practical way, as you have an end goal in sight – getting the thing online!

Everyone's passion projects look different. Plough away on some open source project for a few months, and see how much you grow. When you begin to interact with people from different countries, who have their own formed opinions and who don't know you, you can't help but learn from your mistakes.

You get the added benefit of identifying one smart person you get on well with, from whom you can glean valuable insight based on their years of coding and expertise.

If this works well for you – that is, having someone with whom to discuss your tech progress – you can apply for a mentor (for free) here.

You don't even have to code an entire program or app, but just work on something that you enjoy. Solve Leetcode problems or Codewars katas. Write a compiler and a language. Or read through almost 400 ideas here.

The biggest jumps in growth came when I had a few small projects I was trying to implement. Having lots to do (that I enjoyed!) forced me to adapt to become more time-efficient and made me code quicker.

Make Sure to Exercise and Get Plenty of Sleep

"It is a shame for a [person] to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which [their] body is capable." – Socrates

Exercise helps your memory and your thinking, directly and indirectly. The direct benefits of exercise are many, but among other things it:

• allows your body to reduce insulin resistance and inflammation
• stimulates chemicals in your brain to affect the health of brain cells
• encourages the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and
• even increases the quantity and survival rate of new brain cells.

Indirectly, it can help you improve your mood and sleep and reduce stress and anxiety (which, research indicates, can impair cognitive function).

Studies have also suggested that the prefrontal cortex (clarity of thinking) and the medial temporal cortex (memory) have greater volume in people who exercise versus people who don’t.

Just as it's important to look after your mental health, you need to look after your physical health as well. IQ drops off as we age, and one theory is that the amount of oxygen our brain receives slowly declines if we get old without staying in good cardiovascular health.

Conclusion

My final bit of advice that ties all of this together is to try and consistently challenge yourself.

There is a middle ground while you're working normally referred to as flow. It happens when you're feeling fully energized and "in the zone".

If you start something too difficult you won't complete it due to feeling overwhelmed. If you start something too easy, you won't complete it due to boredom.

You need to do your best to balance something being difficult enough to challenge you to learn new things and make you grow your skills versus being bored to death doing something well below your skill level.

This is hard to accomplish when you first begin, because everything just feels too difficult. If you find yourself here, I'd recommend starting the freeCodeCamp curriculum at the very beginning and working your way through the certifications.

Keep a notebook of ways you can grow and what you would have done differently when you make mistakes. Be kind to yourself, and keep moving forward learning all the way.

I tweet my articles here if you would like to read more of my writing.

Being a great developer is not just about writing great code. There are certain habits I’ve discovered that are beneficial to your work and your life as well.

Habits are basically the parts of our lives that make up our daily routines. Once established, they are the most powerful tools we have to change our lives.

In this article I share the five essential habits that I believe will most benefit your work as a developer. But these habits won't just help your coding skills – they will also improve your life and make you happier and healthier.

At the end there's an extra tip for you as a little nugget. So make sure to read to the end.

Habit #1 – Eat Healthy Food

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@danielcgold?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Dan Gold on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/healthy-food?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utmcontent=creditCopyText)

Programming can be a very intensive task, especially for your brain. Your body can only work with the nutrients you are eating. If the input is bad, you can’t expect a great output, right?

A race car, for example, doesn’t take in water. It’s fueled up the gas that helps that car work as efficiently as possible. The same goes for yourself. If you want to perform better and work more efficiently, you have to put the right things in your body.

What is healthy food?

But what does it actually mean to eat “healthier”? I’ve learned a lot about good nutrition over the last two years, and I've tried out many methods myself. When I started eating right, I felt a huge improvement in my life and my work as a programmer.

I’m not a nutritionist, but you can consider the following advice as tips from my own experience and knowledge.

• Decrease your sugar intake
• Drink water instead of soda
• Eat just a small amount of sweets per day
• When eating fruits, focus more on low-sugar fruits like berries, kiwi, apricot or coconut (and many more)
• Take sweetener alternatives like Erythrit
• Follow a balanced diet
• Eat whole grains like brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, bulgur, millet and oats (complex carbohydrates)
• Get plenty of legumes like lentils, kidney beans, green peas, chickpeas and soybeans
• Go for healthy nuts like almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews and peanuts
• Eat lots of vegetables (preferably cruciferous vegetables) like broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, cauliflower and turnips
• Eat seeds like chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds (they're great on top of your dishes)
• Get your “healthy” fats from fish, algae, and the nuts/seeds mentioned above
• Minimize your meat intake to around 70g per day (I’d suggest to do your own further research on it because I don’t eat meat)
• Eat the most carbohydrates in the morning
• Your lightest meal should be at least three hours before you go to sleep

There are many different diets out there and most of them are completely useless in my opinion, since they just seem to try to pull money out of your pocket.

You don’t have to turn vegan like I did, but from my research and talks to doctors, following a mediterranean diet is what’s recommended most of the time. You can read more about it in this article.

If you really want to get serious about it, I’d suggest that you book an appointment with a nutritionist or any other professional in that field. They can help you set up your meal plans and advise you on how to make healthy choices.

Habit #2 – Do Plenty of Physical Activity and Stretching

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@aloragriffiths?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Alora Griffiths on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/sport?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utmcontent=creditCopyText)

We all know it. As programmers we might sit for 8 to 10 hours a day which causes our backs to ache and generally can make us feel unbalanced.

Physical activity like running, working out with weights, or doing some form of sports will not only improve our physical health but our mental health as well.

Why is physical activity important?

Being physically active is one of the most important factors that helps me perform on a high level as a programmer. It helps relieve stress, clears my mind, and strengthens my body.

Physical activity also helps protect you against many chronic diseases and improves your brain function – which is of course very important as a programmer.

Another great benefit is that it can help you control your weight. So when following a healthier diet and being physically active on a regular basis, you less likely to worry about your weight.

I love to run in the morning on an empty stomach because it gets my blood running and sets my energy for the day. It can be hard, especially when I don’t feel like it – but once I'm done, I know that I’ve already conquered the hardest part of the day right at the beginning.

This forms a strong mindset and loads me with energy. It’s also very beneficial because your body takes the energy it needs from your fat reserves which leads to fat burning.

Why stretching matters, too

Doing regular physical activity is great, but it's only half of the picture. The other half is all about stretching your body.

Stretching helps you improve your flexibility and posture. It also helps ease your pain after sitting all day in front of a computer. Varying your working position from sitting to standing is also a great way to move your body in different ways.

Stretching can also be very beneficial to other areas of your life. It releases tension and therefore reduces your stress levels. It also helps you calm your mind and increase your energy.

Don’t skip the stretching in the morning or in the evening. Your body and your mind will thank you. This video used to help me out a lot.

Habit #3 – Develop Proper Stress Management Techniques

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@oneshotespresso?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Hans Vivek on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/meditation?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utmcontent=creditCopyText)

Our lives as developers can be very hectic and stressful. So it’s very important that we integrate at least one way of relieving stress into our routines.

As we’ve seen above, being physically active and stretching daily can help us relieve a lot of stress. But there are more ways you should consider.

Good stress vs bad stress

But is stress bad in general? Basically it’s a warning system which produces the fight-or-flight response. There are both beneficial and harmful parts about it.

In small doses, stress can help you meet daily challenges and motivate yourself to reach your goals. It can also boost your memory and can help you to accomplish tasks more efficiently.

Too much stress, on the other hand, can cause serious health issues. It can weaken your immune system and can cause high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety.

Some of the most important signals of too much stress are an inability to concentrate, body aches, headaches, appetite changes and getting sick more often. Another very common signal is if you can’t sleep properly anymore and can't turn your mind off.

In my opinion, this bad stress isn’t something you have, it’s something you create for yourself. It’s always a sign that you are thinking about the future and feel anxious about it. Maybe you can’t meet a deadline or you’re thinking about what your boss will do when you’re doing a “bad” job. You feel your heart beating and it begins to take over you.

How to manage your stress

Breathing exercises are one of the best ways to calm your mind, to relieve stress, and help you to be more aware of yourself.

In stressful situations we begin to breath faster which will cause stress in our body. There’s also a thing called screen apnea which means we tend to stop breathing when looking at our screens. You can imagine that this can't be healthy at all!

With breathing exercises you can train yourself to breathe slowly even in stressful situations. Compare it with a cup of tea. Every day you’re filling up the cup with stressful or hectic situations. With relaxing breathing exercises like meditation, tai-chi, qi-gong or diaphragmatic breathing you empty the cup again.

Imagine what happens with the cup and with yourself when you don’t empty it every day and pour more and more tea into it.

If you don’t have any experience with meditation and the like, I can highly recommend that you start with an app like “headspace” or “calm”. They offer guided meditations that are very friendly for beginners. You can also visit a tai-chi group in your area or join a meditation group.

These practices don’t only help you relieve stress, they also train you to be more in the moment and to control your thoughts. You will learn to let the thoughts come and go. And it'll feel like 500 pounds has fallen off your shoulders. You'll also improve your ability to concentrate even better at your job.

Habit #4 – Maintain a Beginner’s Mindset

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@brett_jordan?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Brett Jordan on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/start?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utmcontent=creditCopyText)

Do you remember the first time you wrote code or explored the universe of computer science? Can you still feel that excitement that kicked in?

Think back to the beginning

I can still remember how I felt and what it did to me when I discovered coding. It was like tapping into a top secret. Computer Science and especially programming was like magic for me. Those people who were able to write code were like superheroes from my perspective.

Once I took my first steps in writing code myself, I remember feeling like “Holy crap, this will be my thing”. I wanted to learn it all, even though I knew that wasn't possible.

I knew that I was still at the beginning of my journey and I was really open to learning a lot of different things. It was okay for me to not be good at it, but I knew the more I sat down and learned, the better I would become.

I accepted my beginner level and the more I learned, the more I recognized how much I wanted to learn.

Be a beginner again

That’s what I consider to be a beginner's mindset. Looking through the eyes of a beginner who seeks out new stuff to learn and accepts that there is still a ton out there to learn. They still have this excitement to explore more and more.

Maintaining this mindset and recognizing that mistakes are opportunities to learn new skills is key to progress as a developer. Don’t shy away from new challenges, even if you have twenty years of experience.

Habit #5 – Get Enough Sleep and Take Breaks

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@adigold1?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Adi Goldstein on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/sleeping-man?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utmcontent=creditCopyText)

Taking breaks and making sure to get enough sleep are probably two of the most important factors to help you perform consistently at a high level.

Like batteries, our body and mind need to rest properly to recharge. Since programming can be intense and mentally taxing, taking breaks and sleeping enough is even more important.

Of course, I’m not a doctor or an expert in the medical field. But I love to share with you what I've found and what I've experienced while experimenting with my sleep routine. If you’ve got serious issues with your sleep and health, think about consulting an expert.

The negative effects of not enough sleep

There are many negative effects on our bodies when we don’t sleep enough. It can lead to memory issues because during sleep our brain forms connections that help us process and remember new information.

One of our most important skills is also in danger when we don't sleep enough. We can develop trouble thinking and concentrating. When we don’t get enough rest our problem-solving skills and concentration are negatively affected. So pulling all-nighter after all-nighter might seem efficient first, but can really damage your long term programming skills.

There are many other negative effects like mood changes, weakened immunity, high blood pressure, risk for diabetes, weight gain, risk of heart disease and a low sex drive. Sleep is as essential as water and air for our bodies.

How much sleep is enough?

But what exactly does enough sleep mean? There are different opinions about that topic and I’d suggest finding your own sweet spot. You can test different amounts like six, seven, or eight hours and track your energy levels during your day.

My own sweet spot is in between seven and eight hours. Sleeping less than seven hours sometimes is okay for me but over a longer time I feel that my energy levels go down. On the other side when I sleep more than eight hours it’s also not beneficial for my energy levels after some time.

There are some tricks to help you establish a healthy sleep routine, like avoiding daytime naps, not drinking caffeine a few hours prior to bedtime, going to bed and waking up at the same time (even on weekends!), doing relaxing activities an hour before going to bed like mediations, and not using electronic devices before sleep.

Why taking breaks is important

The same goes for taking breaks during your work time. I normally take a quick break once I get the feeling that I can’t concentrate properly anymore.

The break doesn’t have to be huge. Throwing some darts on my dart board, going for a quick walk with the dog, running for 30 minutes or just standing up, having a good stretch, and making new coffee or tea are some chances to get a little break.

Most of the time I find the solutions for problems I was thinking about for one hour straight during those breaks. Taking me out of that “black hole” does wonders.

Some productivity systems like the pomodoro technique can also help you to establish a routine of taking breaks. You can set a timer for twenty minutes where you’re doing concentrated work, and after that you take a five minute break. That’s one pomodoro. After three or four pomodoros you take a longer break of thirty minutes.

But you can just set up a timer to remind you every hour to take a break of around ten minutes, for example. As always, try different things out and stick to what works best for you.

How to Form Habits

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@iaman_upadhyay?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Aman Upadhyay on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/motivation?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utmcontent=creditCopyText)

If you want to learn more about building habits that last forever, I highly encourage you to read “Atomic Habits” from James Clear. If you’ve already read it and are still struggling with building your habits, read it again. He basically structures the process of successfully building habits into four laws.

Habit forming law #1 – Make it obvious

The first law is to make it obvious. Point out triggers that remind or force you to do the new habit.

For example if you want to work out in the morning, pack your bag the evening before and place it along with your outfit at your door. The first thing that you see in the morning is your stuff for working out.

Habit forming law #2 – Make it attractive

The second law is to make it attractive. Combine a habit you HAVE to do (your new habit, like running) with a habit that you LIKE to do (an already existing habit, like listening to your favorite music).

Another way is to search for an environment where your new habit is normal. This could be a local running club for example.

Habit forming law #3 – Make it easy

The third law is to make it easy. We often tend to expect too much of ourselves, especially at the beginning. There is no such thing as an overnight sensation when building habits – they are all formed over time.

The first 60 days are the most important when you're trying to form a habit, and it is established by doing it consistently. So, make it as easy as possible for you.

Cut all the obstacles that may get in your way of doing the habit. For example, if you want to cook your own healthy food, make sure that your kitchen is clean. Because cleaning it up before cooking your food can get in your way, drain your motivation, and lead to you not cooking at all.

A key factor for making it as easy as possible is to follow the two-minute-rule. Do actions that don’t take longer than two minutes.

For example you want to read more and your ultimate goal is to read one book a week, start with one page a day. Remember to first establish the habit and then optimize it. This is essential for getting used to the new habit.

Habit forming law #4 – Make it rewarding

The fourth law is about making it rewarding. After you’ve done your new habit, reward and cheer yourself on. A very common practice is to have a list or calendar and every time you’ve done the thing, you cross another day off.

You can also transfer this process into a habit tracker where you really can see your progress. You won't want to end the streak of consistently doing it. Like in law #3, remember to focus on consistency over quality. What’s been rewarded will be repeated and what’s punished will be avoided.

How to get rid of bad habits

If you want to get rid of bad habits, you can reverse those laws. Let’s say you want to cut down your time watching TV. Make it harder for yourself to turn it on by unplugging it, hiding your remote control in your basement, or by putting the tv completely away.

Or when you slip up and perform a bad habit, burn $50 or anything else that really punishes you.

Are there any habits you definitely have to get better at? Or are there habits I forgot to mention?

Just message me on my instagram account @jeanmarc.dev._ I’m very excited to receive your answers!

In this post, I'll talk about my experience serving in the military during 2020. It's a chapter in my developer journey that started way back with freeCodeCamp.

I spent 2020 as an (involuntary) military conscript in my country's armed forces. 14 months if you count training bootcamp.

The laws of the land here say that if you are a male citizen older than 17 years, with at least one other male sibling, you must enlist in the armed forces. There are a few exceptions, and you can delay conscription as long as you are enrolled in an educational program or are living abroad.

I happened to have been both living and studying abroad. However, a series of events led me to return to my home country after my studies and present myself to the army at the age of 27.

By that time, I had worked as a software developer for a couple of years. My greatest fear was losing all my technical knowledge and learning momentum I had gained over the years which would set me back in my career.

This is the story of how I overcame that challenge, and ended up taking advantage of the situation and becoming a better programmer.

Surprise – Time to Enlist

On a cold October evening in 2019, I remember receiving that fateful call from my local police station's military office. It was around 8 pm a few minutes after getting off a work call on Slack.

"Is this Adham Mostafa El Banhawy?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is the army conscription office. You have been enlisted for military service. Show up at the police station tomorrow morning to complete the necessary paperwork."

"Wh- is there anything I should bring with me?"

"Just your ID."

*click*

Following that call, I sat still at my desk for what seemed like forever. I'd been doing the conscription paperwork for almost a year, and every time there was a new class, my enrollment would be postponed. I had many factors that should've deemed me unfit for service, and people who were similar to me in the past were exempted before.

However, it wasn't the fact that I was enrolled that bothered me. I was prepared for that possibility mentally and physically. What really bothered me was the timing of that call.

As I sat silently at my desk, I remembered a heated debate I had had with my father the night before in that same room where I was now sitting. We were arguing, quite loudly, about the then dismal state of political affairs in our country.

I could not remember any specifics, but I did remember two worrisome facts. I remember criticizing the ruling regime, and I remember there was at least one open window in the room which was only about a meter a way from the street. That was extremely reckless of me.

Never mind. There was nothing I could do about it but comply. The day after was going to be the first day of a really long and treacherous journey I had to take.

I decided to get one last good night's sleep as a civilian.

How I kept a level head

My first month or so in the army I spent in a bootcamp. Even though it was a military base in the capitol city, it was an incredibly isolated and barren piece of land with strict anti-technology rules.

No phones or electronics of any kind were allowed. No books or notebooks. No personal belongings in general were allowed in.

I did sneak in a notebook and a pen, though. It may not seem like much, but they were actually very useful. I could write down important names, tasks, reminders, and sometimes try to solve issues that popped up using that information.

So in terms of maintaining a sharp mind amidst the lack of technology, I used a pen and paper to continue problem solving. Only this time I was solving problems of a social and military nature.

Seeking Out a Screen

Once I reached my main unit's base, I had one clear goal in mind: find out where computers were used on base and become a technical worker there. This was my best and only hope of doing any kind of programming that year.

It wasn't an easy task. I had to change my mentality and way of thinking because reaching a specific position or place in the army usually doesn't depend on merit alone. Rather, you need to ingratiate yourself with the right people and sweet talk your way in. It's not my style, but I had to practice that social aspect to get where I wanted to be.

And I did. Within a week of arriving, I grabbed an opportunity to talk with the base leader and I convinced him to let me work in the operations office that had the working computer.

Hello Work

Once I was in, I was quickly acquainted with a low spec PC running an outdated version of Windows 7, with 2 GBs of RAM, and no connection to the internet (prohibited).

My main tasks were typing up word documents and letters, sometimes doing powerpoint presentations, and occasionally fixing the damn printer despite my constant insistence that I had no idea how printers worked!

Ok, so I didn't have much in terms of computing power or ability to be creative at work. The first few months were physically excruciating because they entailed almost daily fitness testing, hard manual labor, and guard duties with an average of 4 hours of sleep per night.

Even when I got a rare hour our two of free time at the office alone with the PC, I was usually too exhausted and sometimes fell asleep while sitting at my desk.

But when I did force myself to focus, I read some ebooks about programming that I snuck in on a USB and hid well on the machine.

When I was really itching for some actual coding, I opened up powershell and learned how to program in that language using its integrated offline documentation on Windows. Even wrote a few scripts to help with work tasks.

My next goal was clear: now that I had secured access to a computer, I had to make myself essential in the office I was in. I wanted to be the go-to man for getting work done on the computer.

This was the advice given to me early on by my predecessor who was my office mentor and who had been the go-to man for the work due to his experience.

I had to find a way to use this computer to code without raising any alarms or suspicions (people can get really paranoid in the army, especially since I had access to sensitive info). Then I could spend the last few months of my service coding and preparing myself for coding interviews.

I'm the Captain now

The office I worked in had three ranks – an officer, 4 sergeants, and 3-5 privates. The officer had his living quarters only a few yards away from office so he rarely showed up.

He would phone in his commands to the sergeants, and the sergeants, depending on their work ethic, would then order the privates to do most of the tasks related to his commands.

We also had routine tasks we did on a daily basis. Mostly bureaucratic stuff that was designed to keep military folks working in offices busy.

Although the sergeants' laziness was annoying and frustrating at times, it meant that they relied heavily on me and other privates to keep the work flowing. They would depend on us so completely at times that they came to the office only a few hours per day, sometimes not at all. They knew that we'd call them if they got summoned or some serious task came up.

This meant that the office's chain of command went down to the privates based on seniority level. Due to some personnel reshuffling between bases, and my predecessor finishing his service 6 months after I joined, I eventually ended up being the most senior private and therefore the one with the most privilege and authority.

I was also accountable for most of the work on the computer. The officers would start phoning and summoning me instead of the sergeants because I proved that I was a capable guy. I was, in effect, the person running the office.

Preparing for Coding Interviews

6 months in, as an older member of the base, I knew how to get out of tricky situations that involved hard manual labor (I used my office's urgent tasks as an excuse to get out of a 2-3 hour pipe-cleaning activity, for example).

I am quite a diplomatic person, so I made friends with most of the privates and officers. We'd do each other favors which led to less night shift duties, more hours of sleep, and more free time. This meant I had more time to work on my coding skills.

I decided to learn Vue.js by creating an offline website for the office. The site would help onboard newcomers and explain our routine tasks. It would also show those tasks on a calendar with notifications for upcoming tasks.

I downloaded Vue on my USB along with its offline documentation and Node.js, then transferred them to the army PC. By building the website from scratch and without using any external libraries but Vue itself, I learned a lot about the framework as I went.

I liked it so much I built a browser game similar to Tic-Tac-Toe and played with the other privates for fun.

However, it was time to get serious as I had only four months left. Once I got out of the army, I would need to get a job right away, and it needed to be a good one, too. My household was accumulating huge debts since I, the only working family member, was now earning just enough money to buy two family dinners per month. So I couldn't help pay the bills anymore.

I signed up for a Udacity scholarship for the Full Stack Advanced Web Development track offered via my government's website – and thankfully got accepted.

This was a great way to refresh my knowledge of full stack development and enhance it. It was a serious commitment that required me to go through the course materials and do multiple graded projects that really tested my learning.

Thanks to my position at my office, I was able to commit to the program by staying up late at night working on the projects. I connected the old PC to my smartphone's internet so I could use online IDEs and look up stuff.

This was probably a serious offense from the army's point of view, but I think it was worth the risk. I was able to finish the program on time in three months, and along the way I learned some new technologies, brushed up on important concepts, and solved coding challenges.

Applying to Jobs

I remember when I had 45 days left until I finished my service. I felt ready to start applying for jobs and take on interviews. So I started working on my résumé and applying to jobs I saw online.

I used LinkedIn primarily for my job search. For the first time ever I was eligible to apply to enterprise companies. Let me explain this bit real quick:

In my country, according to the labor law, a company cannot officially hire a person and provide them with tax-deductible benefits if that person has not completed their military service and is not exempt from it.

This meant that, up to that point, no matter how qualified I was, I could only work for smaller business/startups/individuals in an unofficial capacity as an underpaid freelancer (without any benefits or health insurance).

So now I could apply to any job to my heart's content, and could find positions that matched my expertise. I'd say I applied to about 4-6 jobs (I am super picky).

Getting the interviews

Vodafone

With 30 days to go, I got my first interview request. This was from Vodafone, a giant mobile network operator, asking me to interview for a senior front end developer role. Cool, cool, cool – I had been contacted by their recruiter earlier on LinkedIn so it was no surprise, except for the "senior" bit.

I remember that the first behavioral interview phone call with one of their recruiters was incredibly awkward for me. I was about to finish a watch shift and hand off my body armor and weaponry to the next soldier, and the phone call came in just before that happened.

I did try to politely ask for a better time to hold that call or just call back within the hour, but somehow the recruiter convinced me that she was in a hurry and it would be quick.

The purpose of the call was to test my bilingual speaking ability and gauge my experience. The problem was I had to talk to the lady, in English, while handing off my military equipment to my non-English speaking peer which does look suspicious (we have strict policies about talking to foreigners). But it was a calculated risk, since I knew the guy and he didn't care and was not likely to rat me out.

Anyways, I ended up getting a coding assignment via email which was basically a few screenshots of a Pokémon listing application. I was asked to try to implement the UI in the pictures, with certain functionality like favoriting and un-favoriting a Pokémon. I was also asked to use React, Redux, TypeScript, and write unit tests in Jest.

I was given three days to submit the project.

One screen to list Pokémon info retrieved from an exported JSON data

Another screen to view favorite Pokémon

Bear in mind that I did not want to ask for an extension or a better time to do the project because I did not want to reveal that I was doing my military service.

Due to the reasons I mentioned earlier, any company was less likely to consider me for a job because of my unfinished military service status, no matter how long I had left. So I had to take the challenge and do that project in the time provided.

At least it wasn't a technical interview over zoom which would have been impossible for me.

There was no way I could build this web app using my phone or even offline on the PC. I needed packages, and I needed to read docs.

So, using my relatively senior position in my office, I spent those three days pretending to work and study late into the night at the office. I would hook up my phone to the PC and use my phone's data to access the internet and code on an online IDE.

If anyone happened to walk in on me during my all-nighters, all they would see is me staring at an ebook I alt-tabbed into in a foreign language on a strange subject. My phone and cable connection would be well hidden under paperwork and sometimes under my own cap.

At one point, I was slow to react and a fellow soldier saw me working on my coding assignment but he just assumed I was coding another game or program for fun.

Despite the hurdles and the lack of sleep during those 3 days, I was able to get most of the project done. I had a functional frontend working that was responsive, cleanly organized and coded, and was pixel-perfect compared to the screenshots I received. I only skimped on the testing part even though its importance was stressed in the assignment instructions.

Still, I believe I did a good job prioritizing and was ready to discuss my choices and reasoning in the technical interview.

I really enjoyed this format of candidate assessment as it made me practice and show off my frontend skills. It also served as a clue to the the kinds of projects and tech stack (at least frontend-wise) I'd be working on.

Nevertheless, my follow-up interview with that team would be about a month later after finishing my military service.

IBM

The other company I heard back from was IBM. This one was a pleasant surprise. I had applied to one of their job postings on LinkedIn which, in my opinion, had a really vague generic job description. But it really boiled down to an Application Developer (the job title) with working knowledge of cloud development.

I had that cloud knowledge, although it was mostly self-taught and based on hobby projects. However, I did not have any enterprise experience at that point. I had never worked on a large team, and the biggest development team I collaborated with was 4-5 members strong.

I think my CV did not adequately reflect that so I made sure to point it out in any upcoming interview.

Nevertheless, I was very excited to try my luck with IBM. To my disappointment, the first step of the interview process was to pass an online IQ assessment. I've done and passed those before, but I hate them. They do a very good job of triggering my anxiety and making me feel dumb.

Luckily, I had my smartphone which I used to download apps that let you practice IQ-related assessments in a gamified manner. Lumosity is a good one that I used, among others.

I spent almost a week practicing whenever I was able, and it was more nerve-wrecking than any face-to-face technical interview I could imagine.

I think I feared it so much because I believed that this step of the interview was purely automated. I thought it would boil down to a test score number that you needed to pass to get to progress to the actual interview. And the worst part was that you'd never know how well you did or what range they were looking for!

Anyways, I eventually overcame my anxiety and took the test on my phone (I made sure I was in a private place on base to avoid distractions).

I would not hear from IBM again until two months later, thankfully after I was out of the army.

Catching Up with the Industry

During my remaining few weeks of military service, I shifted my priorities. Instead of taking courses, reading technical books, and applying for jobs, I started focusing on preparing for interviews and reading online technical blogs to catch up with industry trends.

I had a lot of time on my hands since my duties were easier to bear and I could delegate to other privates I trained under my command.

My aim at that point was to just familiarize myself with industry buzzwords, new technologies and stacks, and understand how, when, and more importantly why they were being used.

freeCodeCamp News was an amazing resource I used to browse a lot. I also loved browsing articles and following notable companies' blogs on Medium like Netflix and Slack.

Another resource I used a lot was youtube. Again freeCodeCamp has an amazing YouTube channel covering tons of topics and talks that I watched regularly. I also discovered IBM Cloud's channel which to this day is my go-to resource for understanding cloud technologies and concepts.

However, I tried to keep watching videos to a minimum and prioritized reading to avoid consuming all my mobile data and depleting my phone's charge (recharging phones is a hassle if you're not an officer in the army).

Gaining Valuable Social and Work Skills

At this point I wanted to highlight a personal insight. It may sound like serving in the army is a huge and unfair challenge that really messes up any career you'd hope to have as a developer.

And there might be the misconception out there that fresh veterans, no matter how young or old, who are trying to enter the developer job market might be rusty, less knowledgeable, and less up-to-date with current trends compared to other candidates.

In my case that wasn't true, simply because I was lucky enough to have fairly frequent access to a screen. Others can and do spend years in barren and isolated environments with no access to computers or phones. But even then, don't assume they didn't have access to offline knowledge like books or actual engineers they served with!

In fact let me make my case that veterans are amongst the most qualified candidates you can hire and work with. The following are the top engineering skills you can expect from most veterans:

Good communication

I am a firm believer that the most important skill a developer can have in our industry is good communication. Communication plays a key role in the success of any project, from the requirements gathering stage to the delivery and maintenance of a project.

The better you are at understanding a project's requirements and at asking the right questions while communicating accurate statuses, the more likely it is that you'll grow in your role and work on successful projects.

Veterans have been conditioned to follow orders in a quick manner while still being forced to weigh and evaluate every word of each order. We ask only good questions that add essential information required to complete the task.

In my experience, stupid questions in the military are a taboo that are met with an angry and humiliating backlash. Only the brave soldiers attempt to ask the right questions in vague situations, and any military is full of brave soldiers.

Good Social Skills

I touched a bit on adopting new social skills, like appealing to superiors to get certain privileges. But that's not the social skills I want you to have in mind when thinking of veterans.

What I didn't mention is how tightly knit an army base and unit can be despite vast differences that do exist in both personalities and backgrounds.

I have learned to form strong bonds with people who think so differently from how I think, and who have completely different values than I have. This is because we had to live with each other and watch each others' backs. Sometimes our lives literally depended on the trust we formed.

That is not to say there weren't bad personalities and conflicts that we had to deal with. But at the end of the day, we depended on each other for survival. We did not have to like each other, but we did have to count on each one doing their job right.

You can expect a veteran to try to cultivate strong relationships built on trust and to be able to handle conflict well.

Creative Problem Solving

Military personnel (at least in my area) are usually undersupplied, and do not have access to a lot of resources. The only things they have an abundance of are laborious chores and problems to solve.

In my experience, more often than not, we received seemingly unrealistic commands from officers that just seemed cruel and undoable in a reasonable timeframe.

These kinds of environments really force soldiers to work and collaborate together to find the most efficient way to execute a task.

Without much management, you can expect soldiers to start working together in an efficient manner. And they'll usually find creative solutions as quickly as possible (born from a need to get it over with and get some much needed rest in the army).

You can expect a veteran developer to think outside the box and take on seemingly impossible challenges without much complaint. You'll find only determination and hard work.

Wrapping Up

I finally finished my military service and handed over my duffle-bag on November 30th, 2020. I did my follow-up technical interviews with both Vodafone and IBM in the following month.

By the start of the new year I had competing offers from both companies, and ended up accepting the one from IBM. I now happily work there as a cloud developer.

While a lot of people view military service as a waste of time and a hurdle to aspiring developers, I think it proved it to be the opposite for me. If you shift your mindset and learn to adapt, you can really turn this challenge or any similar challenge into a learning opportunity.

If you are facing a similar challenge that's stopping you from working as a developer even though you want to, my advice would be to not give up. Find a way to turn your situation to your advantage.

Are you working a boring job with spreadsheets? Learn how to write spreadsheet scripts. Are you only using Word? Build a program that creates Word files and templates. Are you working manual labor in a warehouse or a farm? Listen to technology podcasts. Are there no developer jobs in your area? Make your own! Freelance or build your own digital product.

Before you go...

Thank you for reading this far! I write posts about JavaScript, cloud development, and my personal educational and professional experiences as a self-taught developer. So feel free to follow me on twitter @adham_benhawy where I tweet about them too!

If you've never deployed a website before, it can be quite confusing figuring out how to get your website online. Things like getting a domain name, uploading the necessary files and choosing where to host your site can be overwhelming.

I remembered how difficult I found it to setup my website the first time and I wanted to help other people avoid the mistakes I made, so I sent out this tweet:

I got more responses than I expected, so I ended up scheduling 9 sessions of 2 hours each for every weekend in February.

The idea was, at the end of February, I should have completed my portfolio design since I assumed helping other people would ensure I stayed on track with my plan. That plan didn't work out, but I did learn a lot in the process.

At the end of February, I successfully helped 6 developers (ranging from entry to mid level, and a 1:2 female-to-male ratio from 3 different countries) set up their portfolio website in one form or the other. I'll be documenting the main lessons from each session here.

In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about setting up your portfolio site – from buying a domain name to deploying the site online. So let's get started.

1) How to Get a Domain Name

A domain name is the location of your site online. It's like having a username for the world wide web which visitors type into the URL bar to go to your site.

A domain name consists of a name (like google) and an extension (like .com) and it points to a specific IP address for the site you're deploying.

Purchasing a domain name from a registry allows you determine what location that domain points to. There are multiple registries where you can purchase a domain from, so you should do your research and decide which one works for you.

Here are some domain registries I'd recommend based on their features:

1. NameCheap – This is one of the more popular platforms, so it comes with a lot of customer support and hassle-free setup. They also offer free domain privacy. I'd recommend using this if you want to purchase a domain quickly.
2. Bluehost – Bluehost offers great hosting choices and comes with an inbuilt WordPress platform. I've personally used Bluehost for some client sites in the past and I really like the clean interface and onboarding guide it provides. I'd recommend using Bluehost for hosting WordPress sites.
3. NameSilo – A major benefit of NameSilo is that they offer free add-ons such as WHOIS Privacy (keeping your registration details safe) and Email Forwarding (sending emails from me@mysite.com to your actual email address). I'd recommend using this if you need a lot of extra add-ons on your domain.
4. Netim – I'd recommend using Netim for purchasing geographical domains such as .eu or .me. A fun option is to purchase a domain that ends with the last characters in your name e.g. www.jemi.ma.

Watch out for hidden fees when purchasing a domain. Lots of registries tend to offer very cheap or even free domain names but there are usually extra charges in the renewal method. Look out for the add-ons which you might not need.

A couple of the developers in the pair programming sessions had paid for .com domain names but the majority didn't own a domain name and weren't interested in purchasing one, at least for the time being.

The benefits of having a custom domain name are:

• it improves your SEO rankings
• it looks more professional when you're sending a link to a prospective employer or client.

Domain providers charge for domain names annually, and a .com domain might cost you $10 to $30 dollars per year, depending on any extra additions.

If you aren't comfortable with paying for a domain name yet, you can opt for a free domain option. We'll explore free domain options in the next section.

2) How to Choose a Hosting Platform

When you build a website, you can access it on your machine by going to localhost or index.html. However, if you want other people to be able to access your website on the internet, you need to upload it to a hosting platform.

A hosting platform is the localhost of the internet – it's a server that can be accessed by everyone.

Most domain registries also offer hosting options but it's not necessary to have your domain and hosting from the same place, as most registries charge an extra fee for hosting. Once you've purchased a domain name, you can use any hosting platform you'd like.

There's a number of hosting platforms that offer free hosting and domain names (with the platform domain attached) and you can choose any platform depending on how you'd like to structure your portfolio.

Let's explore the following options.

How to host a portfolio site without writing code

Platform: webflow.com

Webflow is a drag-and-drop site that allows you create great looking websites by writing little to no code.

With Webflow, you can create amazing layouts and animations by using the HTML and CSS functions on their dashboard, and it comes with an inbuilt CMS so you don't have to worry about updating content or storing images.

Webflow offers a free domain option with a webflow.io extension, for example myportfolio.webflow.io. With this option, you can create a static site with 2 pages. They also have a showcase of projects you can clone from and an online forum where you can get most of your questions answered.

I'd recommend Webflow to designers and developers who have knowledge of CSS layouts and animations and want to quickly setup their site.

How to host a static portfolio built with HTML and CSS

Platform: GitHub Pages

GitHub Pages is a feature from the GitHub platform that allows you display the code from your repository on a github.io site – so the URL would look like my-portfolio.github.io

GitHub pages are best suited for static websites (that is, a site built with HTML and CSS with fixed content and no server interaction or build process needed). It's also very simple to set up and can take as little as 10 minutes to get your site up and running.

To create a GitHub Page, your repository should include an index.html file in the root folder. Then, go to the Settings page of your repository and select your master branch as the source in the Github Pages section.

This was the method most of the developers used during the pair programming sessions as it took the least amount of time and had little to no complications. I'd recommend Github Pages for beginner developers who want to deploy their static sites quickly.

How to host a site that uses a framework like React or Vue

Platform: Netlify

If you're building your website with a front-end framework which requires a build process, Netlify is your best bet. It's perfect for dynamic sites (that is, a site that generates content from a server or has functionality that requires scripting – like sending messages through a contact form) and it also works with static sites.

Netlify has great documentation that provides information on any questions you might have related to using the site. It also has key features for improving your site like Netlify Forms which allow you set up a contact form on your site with no server-side code needed.

I currently use Netlify for hosting my site and it's been my favorite platform so far. I'd recommend it for developers who want to get their site (static or dynamic) up and running without any hassle in setting up a build process.

How to host a site with a backend server

Platform: Heroku

If your portfolio site requires data from a backend server (like getting a list of your projects from a RESTful app), then you'll also need to deploy that server so the frontend can access it.

Heroku is a platform that lets you deploy backend apps from eight supported languages (including Node.js and Python). It also allows you deploy static and dynamic front end sites so you can create two projects – one for your frontend code and the other for the backend app.

You can visit the Heroku Dev Center for more information on getting started with Heroku.

I haven't personally used the Heroku platform for deploying backend apps before, but one of the programmers in the pair programming session did so I thought I'd include it as well. I'd recommend it for full-stack developers who want to display their frontend and backend skills on their portfolio.

3) How to Deploy Your Site

Deploying a site means placing the code you've written on the hosting platform. In older platforms, you'd have to upload the code and all resources to a cPanel (which is basically File Explorer for hosting platforms).

Source: What Is cPanel Used For And Why Do I Need It? - A2Hosting

Nowadays, websites have become a lot more complicated than just .html files so they require different deployment methods.

If you have a React app, for example, the project will need to be built (like how you run npm start on your laptop to view the app) every time it's deployed to the domain.

Depending on the hosting platform you've chosen, the method of deployment is different. You can set up continuous deployment from a Github repository on Netlify (documentation here) and Heroku (documentation here). This means every time you push a new change to your repository, the change is reflected in your site.

If you're choosing to use a custom domain name, you'll need to link that domain name to your site. For example, on Netlify, your app is created with a netlify.app extension by default so it looks like myportfolio.netlify.app, but you can set a custom domain name. You can also set a custom domain name on Heroku.

Linking a custom domain on these platforms means you'll need to update the DNS (Domain Name System) records from your domain provider. DNS is what allows users access your site with your domain name, for example portfolio.com instead of an IP address like 127.0.0.1. You can read more on DNS here.

Source: Add an A record - GoDaddy

4. How to Choose a Design for Your Site

Another topic we covered during the sessions was choosing a design. Some of the developers already had their sites built, but some had no idea what sort of layout to go for.

When it comes to choosing a portfolio design, I recommend viewing other developers' portfolios for inspiration and ideas on how to structure your site. This articles shows 15 Web Developer Portfolios or, if you need some more inspiration, try 63 Examples.

You can also read this article on 5 Projects To Include in Your Front End Portfolio for project ideas.

It's important to determine the purpose of your portfolio and make sure that purpose is evident in every part of your site.

For example, if you're trying to use your portfolio to get a job, make sure you highlight your skills and experience on the main page and include call-to-actions to allow people view your résumé or send you a message.

If your portfolio is meant to get you clients for freelance purposes, then focus on previous projects you've built and reviews from other clients.

Source: https://www.bmediagroup.com/news/employ-adam/

Conclusion

Let's summarise what we've covered in this article. To deploy your site online, you'll have to:

1. Purchase a domain from a domain provider.
2. Choose a hosting platform, depending on how you want to build your site.
3. Link your domain to your hosting platform by updating your DNS records on your domain provider.
4. Set up deployment of your site from your hosting platform according to their documentation.

I wrote this article and offered the pair programming sessions because I remember how complicated it was to deploy my first website. I also remember how I made a lot of mistakes I could have avoided (like paying 10 times the original fee on renewal of one of my domains thanks to a bunch of add-ons I didn't need) so I hope you found it helpful.

If you did, or you have any other questions, you can let me know on Twitter or send me a message on my website.

However, a common problem you might have when building a portfolio is knowing what to include in it.

Is the simple web page you built for a course good enough to put on your website? Do you have to only include projects you were paid for, or can you include even the smallest of things? Is there a 'right' number of projects to have?

The purpose of this article is to provide some guidelines to how to populate your frontend developer portfolio, by way of example projects.

Here's a quick summary of the projects we'll be covering in this article:

1. A portfolio website
2. A clone website
3. A CRUD web application
4. An API-connected website
5. A 'perfect score' website

Note: this doesn't mean you have to build all these projects. This list is just to provide you with ideas on the sort of projects you can build.

Also, these projects are geared towards entry-level developers who've covered the basics of frontend development and are looking for slightly more advanced projects.

1. Build a Portfolio Website

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@goshua13?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit">Joshua Aragon / <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utmcampaign=api-credit)

So long as you've built your portfolio website by yourself, it's perfectly fine to include it in your projects list. If you tend to change your portfolio design regularly, you can also include previous versions.

When including a project in your portfolio, you're not only showing off your skills, but you're also explaining the mindset behind the design. And this is something that potential employers are usually interested in.

For frontend developers, explaining how you arrived at your chosen layout is just as important as having an aesthetically appealing design.

You can go further and describe the steps you took to ensure your website followed the best developer practices. For example, share how you focused on improving the SEO and performance of your site.

Resources and examples: This article by Laurence Bradford provides more information on the structure of a portfolio and includes examples of awesome web developer portfolios you can use as inspiration.

Recommended technology: For beginners, I'd recommend using HTML, CSS and vanilla JavaScript to build a portfolio, especially if it's the first time.

2. Build a Clone Website

Being able to accurately convert a design to a fully functional webpage is a skill every frontend developer should have.

To do this, you need to have a keen eye for layout and colours. You'll also need experienced-based knowledge such as knowing the best CSS display property to match a layout or being able to render an animation according to specification.

In most organisations, frontend developers are responsible for translating mockups and prototypes to webpages, so it's beneficial if your portfolio displays your 'design-to-code' skills. Building a clone website is a good way to do that.

There are two ways to go about building a clone website:

First, you can recreate an existing website. A common challenge for junior developers is cloning the Google homepage.

This method is particularly useful for understanding real-life applications of style choices in popular websites. You can inspect elements in the page and try to understand the methods used for the box-model, positioning, and display.

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@solenfeyissa?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit">Solen Feyissa / <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utmcampaign=api-credit)

Second, you can recreate a design from scratch. For a more challenging project, you can look up designs on Dribble or Behance and attempt to translate the design to code.

To make this method more beginner-friendly, try recreating a simple page or feature such as a login form or weather app.

Recommended technology: Cloning the design of a website doesn't require any functionality, so HTML and CSS only would work fine. You can also use this time to familiarize yourself with a CSS framework or preprocessor such as SASS.

Note: all designs uploaded to these platforms are the copyrighted property of their owners, so you're not allowed to use them for commercial purposes. However, if you send them an email or leave a comment asking for permission to recreate the design for non-commercial purposes, the designer might be open to letting you recreate their designs for free.

It's also important to specify on your portfolio that the project is a cloned work or recreation of someone else's design.

3. A CRUD web application

Carrying out CRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete) operations is a very common feature for most websites (like blogs, e-commerce, dashboards, and so on) so it's something you need to be accustomed to building as a front-end developer.

A basic form of a CRUD application is a To-Do List or a Notes webpage. Having one of these projects on your website shows your skill with manipulating data structures. It's also a good opportunity to display your work with a frontend framework.

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@jessbaileydesigns?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit">Jess Bailey / <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utmcampaign=api-credit)

Tania Rascia's article on working with local storage is a helpful introduction to learning how to create CRUD web applications with vanilla JavaScript. Or, if you want a more framework-specific article, check out the same author's article on Building A Crud App with React Hooks

Recommended technology: CRUD apps require use of reusable components so it's a good idea to build them using a framework such as React or Vue, depending on your familiarity.

Example site: React CRUD App with Hooks

4. An API-connected website

A lot of large scale projects require some sort of communication with a backend server and displaying data fetched from that server. This requires the use of an Application Programming Interface (API) in most cases.

An API is... I like to think of it as a digital librarian. Imagine having books stored in a library and you need to use these books for a report.

So, you go to the librarian and ask to check out a book. You need to tell the librarian certain keywords (let's say the name of the book and the name of the author) and have the right authorization (in this case, a library card) to get this book.

Now replace 'library' with 'server', 'books' with 'data', 'report' with 'website' and 'librarian' with 'API'.

_Photo by [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@ismailenesayhan?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit">İsmail Enes Ayhan / <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utmcampaign=api-credit)

APIs allow frontend developers to collect, modify and delete data from a backend database. Building a site that consumes an API to display data is a great project to include on your portfolio.

Example sites: You can choose to create a data display site (for example, a website that connects to a weather API and displays the current weather) or, for a more challenging project, you can set up a RESTful API and carry out the operations on your website.

5. A 'perfect score' website

A perfect score website is a website that scores 100% across all categories on the Chrome Lighthouse audit report. Building a website that meets all the required features shows your skill at following best practices and ensuring high quality projects.

You can read up on how to optimize your website for performance and accessibility to get a perfect Lighthouse score in this article How I Built My Perfect Score Portfolio Website.

Conclusion

So there you have it: 5 projects you can include in your frontend end portfolio. Also, these don't all have to be separate projects. You could create a perfect score cloned website or a CRUD application that uses an API to call data from a JSON file.

Now you can go forth and build. Happy coding :)

If you found this article helpful or if you have any questions, you can let me know on Twitter.

Many people dream about working abroad in their industry. But they're often not sure how to do it easily, or how to attract the interest of companies who are hiring.

I was looking for a position as a Software Engineer, and I had about three calls a day from potential companies during my hiring process. Fortunately, I ended up with a lot of options to choose from.

So let me tell you a story so you can learn from the success I've had and the mistakes I've made.

In this article, I'm going to share tips regarding why and how you can take next steps in your career, especially if you are not tied to a specific location.

Strong companies with great products or services have a lot of strong candidates to choose from. But I'll show you how to establish yourself as a strong candidate as well.

Why do you want to go abroad?

If you are not sure how to answer to this question, or if your WHY is not strong enough, you will probably quit a few weeks or months after being hired.

Take your time to consider this deeply. There are multiple reasons why you might want to move and work abroad.

• You might find more work opportunities
• You might want to work in a country with less strife
• You might be able to get a higher salary in a different location
• You might feel like you'd fit in better there
• Or you might like to travel in and around that country

The reasons are many – just make sure you know yours.

It is also very helpful to know why you want to work for a specific company. Does their why match your why? Do your research to find out for sure (more about that below).

The easy way or the right way

The easy way

First, let's have a look at how to make this process easier for you. If you studied abroad, worked in a “work and travel” program, or something else similar, it should be way easier to get used to a job abroad.

You will have had deeper experience speaking other languages, traveling, meeting people of various cultures, establishing a social life from zero, and learning about different laws.

It should be even easier if you're applying for a job in the same country where you studied – or anywhere with a similar culture. It was also very helpful for me to complete the whole process with someone who similarly applied for an IT job abroad.

The right way

But in the end, it really depends on what you are looking for and why you want to go abroad.

Maybe you are looking for a big challenge instead of a safe journey. So think more about what fits your requirements and then figure out how to make it easier without sacrificing your needs. I think this is the right way to handle it.

As for me, I wanted to work directly with highly skilled and fast-learning people of different nationalities and ways of thinking. For that reason, I was focused on the diversity aspect more than on any similarities.

Evaluate Yourself

First things first: you need to analyze the skills required for your desired position, whether you want to work abroad or not.

Are you looking for a position that has requirements a bit out of your reach? Work on those skills for a year or two and give it a try again when you are more prepared.

Is it a position requiring high-level expertise in a certain area, a job that's not so often on the market? Make sure your skills match those requirements closely.

During the first few months you will have multiple opportunities to prove your qualifications for that position and agree on a way forward with the company.

Set ambitious goals for yourself

This is just a matter of where you are now and where you would like to get. If you want to be a part of a stronger team with higher standards than you have at the moment, then it’s good to increase your knowledge and skills before you start interviewing.

Keep in mind that some hiring processes can take 5–8 rounds and they test you from many different perspectives. So don’t forget to analyze the hiring process of each specific company.

This part can take months. During that time you can take some online courses from places like Udemy, Harvard University or Coursera.

Then you can continue with learning challenges on sites like Topcoder and HackerRank.

Finally, you can start preparing yourself with common interview questions on sites such as The Balance Careers, FlexJobs and HubSpot.

Establish your rate or ideal salary

One of the easiest ways to get a more objective review of yourself is to ask a senior ex-colleague to evaluate your performance.

It is also a good idea to test yourself using websites such as Devskiller and Codility. In that case, you might find out that you perform better than you expected and are able to score a better contract and salary during interviews.

Speaking of interviews, you will be probably asked about your salary expectations. This can be a tricky one to answer.

Many potential employees search the internet for the average salary using keywords such as “average salary of a developer in Prague”. Then they check Glassdoor, PayScale, Jobindex or Reddit, and, based on their years of experience, they try to find their value on an imaginary scale, where the lowest represents junior and the highest represents a principal developer.

It is better than nothing, but it doesn’t necessarily match your real value. Most times, you have to come up with that on your own.

Do Your Research

Quality of Life

Consider your priorities according to how long you expect to stay. I would set them differently in the case of a half-year contract versus long-term employment.

I was looking for opportunities in countries based on the following factors and values:

1. Intuition
2. Profit
3. Quality of life
4. Work culture
5. Economic growth (GDP)
6. Technological level
7. Traveling and nature

It takes time to analyze countries in relation to your career. However, if you are considering working abroad for a couple of years, then a few days or weeks of research can give you an incomparably higher value for long-term happiness.

To help myself figure out where would be best for me, I gathered data and put it in a spreadsheet.

The best-rated locations (Tab. 1) are based on my subjective preferences, so I would recommend making your own spreadsheet since your needs and preferences will likely be quite different.

Tab. 1 Results of analysis for developers

You can find some indexes such as quality of life or costs at Numbeo, Expatistan, WorldData, and more. The indexes must be on the same scale, for example, 1–100. Then you can multiply each index based on your priority, for example, 1–3.

You should have your salary expectations prepared for all countries you plan to apply to, in local currency (both monthly and yearly), for recruiters and companies.

Both gross and net salary need to be then converted in domestic currency to calculate the profit indexes for your spreadsheet about countries comparison (Tab. 1).

Profit can be calculated by the expected net salary per month of your desired position divided by total costs per month in a specific country. Indexes of profit can be created by a comparative method.

Barriers to Entry

It is also very important to check what barriers to entry might exist. You should also know the local laws. I would like to highlight some of these areas that might be surprising.

1. Visa requirements
2. Sponsorship requirements
3. Language barrier
4. Invalid driver's license
5. Pension missed due to short stay
6. Unpaid vacation days for the first year
7. Problems with opening a bank account
8. Higher costs of healthcare for new citizens
9. Amount of taxes and the difficulty of submitting a tax return

As for these highlights, I would like to mention some specific use cases.

For example, imagine you are hired by a German company. You might have to rely on English (based on requirements), but all of your co-workers speak German, even if it is against the company’s policy. This is related to the national diversity of the company.

When I lived in America, Finland, or Norway, it always took a couple of months to get a Social Security number. Having this document can often make your life easier. For example, Nabobil in Norway is an application that lets you rent cars more comfortably and cheaply.

Also, even if you are using Revolut or a similar application for money exchange, it can still cost a lot over a short period.

And perhaps tax returns seem unimportant compared to other issues. But if you've ever spent an entire week in the Netherlands working on taxes, then you know how expensive that can be in terms of a half-year contract.

Company Research

Compare your priorities to those of the company. Is it a fast-growing team? What's the average salary? Do you think you'd fit into the company culture?

All of the above and more are worth considering, but you should decide which ones are important to you and your goals.

For example, I asked myself the following questions:

• How I can help at this company? What are their expectations?
• How fast I can learn there? What is the seniority level of people whom
  I will be working directly with?
• What projects I will be working on? What technologies are they using for what issues?
• What is their average estimation of project development in terms of time? How accurate are these project estimations? How many users use the application?

You can also use multiple strategies to apply for jobs. For example, you can submit applications to a large number of companies to increase your options. In such a case it is a good idea to track your applications (Tab. 2).

Tab. 2 Companies in an interview process

I used to note basic information since I was dealing with a lot of different companies.

But perhaps you are quite picky and you don’t want to apply to a long list of companies.

In that case, first try to gain enough experience in your current position and show evidence of your results. If you don't stand out, large and desirable companies most likely won’t notice your application.

The Interview Process

Many people compare going on job interviews to dating. If you go on a first date after a couple of years away from the dating scene, you probably won’t be very confident. You'll be tense, and the whole date will be unpleasant.

It's the same with job interviews. Schedule your first interviews with companies where you would like to work – and then schedule those where you would love to work.

Also, your interview experience partly depends on the position for which you apply. For salespeople, it might be as big of a deal, since they've developed soft skills over time. It's just about presenting themselves like they've done multiple times before.

But what about developers who feel confident presenting their coding skills, but not at presenting themselves during the personal interview?

It would be unfortunate to realize that you spent half a year improving your technical knowledge, but forgot to practice answering questions such as: “Tell me about yourself.”

In the case of huge companies, it's a great sign if you get to the end of the hiring process – those last rounds of interviews which are mostly conducted in person at the office.

Even if you do not pass the interview, you might manage to set up multiple interviews during a single business trip. At the interviews for other companies, you would usually have to proceed with other steps before the physical interview, but now you can make a good first impression and raise your chances against the other candidates by visiting them.

Dealing with Recruiters

Some recruiters try to force developers to be hired for positions unrelated to their field and needs. They might just spam you just based on your social media profile headings, unfortunately.

But there are also those who actually read your expectations in your cover letter and offer something relevant.

Even if you don't get a job or choose a particular company, it is useful to keep contact with your recruiter. Especially if you decide to change jobs in the future or look for something abroad, you can contact multiple HR specialists and get additional help.

Most likely it won’t cost you anything, and as such you have nothing to lose. Just keep this in mind before deciding not to respond to relevant professional offers.

Getting a Competitive offer

Even if you get a final offer from one company, you still have the prospect of getting more offers from other companies. Have you heard the term competitive offer? In terms of the hiring process, it works as follows:

You complete your interview for a position with another company, where you get a higher salary offer. But it is not your favorite company. So you send the original email with the offer to the company of your choice to see if you can leverage a better salary (or whatever it is you want).

Sometimes this can result in better benefits or more money, and you usually have nothing to lose by sharing this request.

Conclusion

You don't need to commit to working abroad for the rest of your life. Just try it out, and if it doesn't work you can always take a step back. That's why the trial period at work exists.

I've heard many stories, such as "I was scared when I was younger and now I have too many commitments" – so don't miss out.

Now let's summarize the process one more time to see that it's not rocket science.

1. Decide why you want to work abroad
2. Consider the requirements in relation to countries based on length of stay and prioritize them.
3. Find the places where you want to go by comparing the requirements and do deeper research with a focus on laws and restrictions.
4. Prepare for interviews by boosting your soft skills and hard skills.
5. Research companies and apply.
6. Send competitive offers and get what you deserve!

Just keep in mind that this process can take months. During that time you can take some online courses from places like Udemy, Harvard University or Coursera to add to your skillset.

If you need some advice on boosting your learning skills, you can check out my other article about How to Succeed in Your Studies.

If you liked this article, you can check out my other stories here.

Cover photo by Nomadic Julien on Unsplash.

What being a Senior Developer is not

Before we start, let's get this out of the way. Contradictory to what you'll see on 95%+ of the job postings online, a Senior Developer is not strictly correlated to only the number of years on your resume.

It's true, more often than not, that many years on the job typically bring with them a lot of experience. And with some companies you can get by with just that. But it's not the only quality that rightfully proves that someone is at a Senior level.

This is a common problem in the software world and can lead to high expectations with low delivery. It can also lead to conflict within the team when your new 15 year 10x Senior Developer refuses to work with others.

So what can we do to prepare ourselves for that role?

What makes a Senior Developer?

Looking back through my career at the developers on my team that I've admired and respected the most, it's really come down to four qualities:

• Experience
• Leadership
• Mentorship
• Technical Ability

It's not good enough to look at any one of these as the sole representation of how someone will perform on a team. Each developer is unique and may be stronger with one quality than another. But it's important to see how those qualities come together to determine how someone will help your team grow.

Let's break these each down a little bit.

Experience

Experience is typically thought of as years on the job, and while it's not completely inaccurate, it doesn't tell the whole story.

Just as every developer is unique, so is their experience. While one developer might have spent five years in an intensive position where they worked to solve hard technical challenges every day. And another might have been kicking their feet up at a local shop where their only responsibility was to update the website every week.

And that's not necessarily a bad thing! We each have our own journey and need to balance our lives to fit it. But it's not realistic to say those 5 years were the same.

Then what does experience really mean?

Recognizing patterns from previous work

Every developer has a story (whether they remember it or not) of a random error they stumbled into through their development experience. This could be something dealing with Javascript, webpack, or even your operating system, and it just doesn't make any sense!

But whether through a peer or by searching on Google, you figure it out. And three months later when you're working on another project and run into the same thing, you don't even have to Google it, or you already know what to Google. You already know what the issue is and can get past it quickly and move on.

This is the kind of experience that makes a difference. Being able to recognize patterns whether because of an error or because it was super successful is what helps each of us grow. These are the experiences that help a team grow when others are stuck and you can get them out of a bind.

Recognizing what you don't know

It's also important to understand what you don't know. I think part of what contributes to my own personal struggle with imposter syndrome is that the more I learn the more I realize I don't know.

But this shouldn't be looked upon as a bad or scary thing. This should be inspirational. That means that your craft that you've been working on has that much more cool stuff to explore!

It's important to realize how this impacts your work and the rest of the team. For example, it doesn't help anybody if you act like you know everything and commit to huge amounts of work. When you commit to that work and actually don't understand it, it could knock your sprint off track which can frustrate the entire team (and the client).

Whether it's when you're planning or during development, don't be afraid to ask for help. Come up for air and throw your hands up! Just because you're the only Senior Developer, doesn't mean you can't learn something from a Junior team member.

Try to take a good look at where you've been, what you understand, and where you could benefit to dig in more.

Leadership

As a senior member of a team, I would expect a developer to have a natural tendency to lead. While this doesn't mean you have to be an actual Tech Lead on a project or make any of the final decisions, this does mean that you should have a basic level of being able to help push the project forward

Understanding the bigger picture

If you've worked on projects with team members, you should know that each project or feature typically comes with a bunch of stories to work through to get it done. Each story should be a focused piece that helps accomplish a larger goal.

Where this becomes challenging is if no one on the team understands how each of these stories help to accomplish that bigger goal. As a Senior Developer, you should be able to see how each piece fits into the puzzle and why the story is written with the specific acceptance criteria. And if you don't know, you'll know how to get the answers and make sure it's communicated to the team.

If you're unsure of the direction, try to take a step back. Try to see where it fits in. Help to lead the project team to that ultimate goal.

Helping direct less experienced team members

This comes naturally in the ability to help guide those on our team who are more junior or less experienced. It's common for developers to lose focus on the big picture. But as we just discussed, a Senior Developer should be able to continuously have a good idea of the overall project and where the different stories fit into the bigger epic.

Help guide others on your team to get them on the right path. While it would be beneficial for everyone to understand how everything fits in to the bigger picture, sometimes it makes more sense to help an individual focus on how their specific task fits in.

Try to recognize this struggle when working with others whether by encouraging them to ask more questions or helping to guide them if they're not quite on the right path as you're reviewing their code.

Mentorship

It's often more convenient to be heads down on your work and not have to worry about what anybody else is doing, but is that really benefiting anyone?

Helping to build up other team members

You might be the so-called 10x developer, but doing everything yourself and not helping others can only slow down the overall team. Often you'll be stuck picking up the pieces that you could have easily caught if you spent an extra second pairing up with someone else on your team.

It's also bad for morale. No one wants to feel alone on a project and even more so as a junior. Software is a big scary world, a little guidance can go a long way to helping others to become more productive and subsequently encouraging a happier, less stressful environment.

It's easy to forget that we were all a junior team member at one time. While you might take things for granted, the concepts might be really challenging for others to grasp.

Keep in mind that we're all in this together. Celebrate the wins whether big or small. If somebody's struggling, reach out to help.

Knowledge sharing

Sharing knowledge is something many teams struggle with. While we're all usually hopeful that there's a way to accomplish it, most of the time it just goes unsolved. So what can we do?

Take it upon yourself to share what you know. Did you just rework the core business logic? Offer 30 minutes to walk everyone through the code. Pair up and screen share with your code reviewer if they're having a hard time understanding it.

This is something we can encourage everyone to do. You'll naturally learn more by presenting your work by reinforcing what you just worked on. This is helpful whether you're a Senior or it's your first time opening up a code editor.

Technical Ability

I intentionally wanted to leave this until the end. This is because, while it's important, there are more aspects to your journey to becoming a Senior Developer than just being really, really good at something.

Ability to get moving quickly

As a Senior Developer, I would expect another Senior Developer to become productive in something quicker than a Junior Developer. If they're an expert with Javascript, I would expect them to understand the core principles and patterns of the language.

But back to the idea of recognizing what you don't know, it's not reasonable to expect all Senior Developers to know everything. I wouldn't consider an expert in Ruby any less of a Senior Developer because they don't know Javascript, but I would expect them to understand how to apply what they know when building in and learning another language.

Promoting software patterns

More often than not, the code pattern you just came up with isn't new. And that's okay! The goal of building great software isn't necessarily to be unique with every solution.

And because of that, we can learn from past work by seeing what's succeeded and what's maybe not gone over so well to find patterns that work for you and your team.

Patterns like MVC (Model View Controller) didn't become popular without reason. Developers learned from the past and have learned from their peers who have solved big software challenges. With that knowledge, they can apply the solutions to their own work. It's not about reinventing the wheel, it's about solving challenges and making a good product.

We all have our own unique journeys ahead

No matter what anyone tells you, we all have our own unique code journeys. This is meant to encourage you and inspire you to become a better overall developer and understand how your work impacts the rest of the team.

While you certainly might succeed without taking these things into consideration, you could be missing out on core traits that could make people not want to work with you from a human being perspective.

Whatever your journey, keep these things in mind as you grow into becoming a better developer!

What do you think makes a good Senior Developer?

Do you think I'm spot on or way off? Share with me on Twitter!

With not even a dollar to my name, it still didn’t feel like rock bottom.

When you tell someone you’re working for a startup, they’ll either think you’re gonna be really rich or crazy broke.

I remember telling my parents and friends about my decision to join Christina’s,

“I really like the company’s mission and they’re growing really fast. If they continue at this speed, I should be coming back with more than enough to start my own business once my stocks are fully vested”.

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

Just like an investor would do their due diligence before investing, so did I before I committed to Christina’s. When the co-founder & CEO, Thu, reached out to me, I had him on hold for almost a month while I investigated. I looked into the company, the mission, the team, and especially, him.

He’s the kind of guy who shares his thoughts earnestly, finds silver linings in his mistakes and failures, takes on random 30-day challenges, writes love letters to a girl he’s never met before, advocates for a culture that empowers people to do what they love, and reads books like Leaders Eat Last and then actually does something about it. Like making sure everyone in the company gets paid first before the leadership team does.

At the same time, he was a starry-eyed visionary that believed in not only changing the world but also how people viewed it. During this time, I had a competing job offer in New York but it was his persistence and vision that got me to pack my bags, say goodbye to my family and friends, and move across the world to Saigon.

What was the vision? To make Vietnam a model for other developing countries. He got me, then and there. He knew I wanted to be a part of something bigger, and he was right.

A part of me knew that working for a startup can either return 10x or nothing at all. The other part of me knew that even if all hell broke loose, I would have been met with a great adventure and even crazier story to tell.

After all, I’m only 26. I’m not supposed to know everything, but after this, I can say I know a hell of a lot more than I did about people, work, and life than I did before. It was a trade-off that I could afford to make at this stage in life.

June 2017

After wrapping up my goodbyes, I moved to Saigon, Vietnam to become Christina’s second product designer. There were less than 100 people working in the company at the time. Everyone knew each other’s name and during our bi-monthly town hall, we had enough time for every new member to strut to the front of the room and introduce themselves.

December 2017

It’s almost Christmas and we’ve received news of a potential big investment. I won’t disclose who or how much the investment would have been due to the Confidentiality Agreement but it was more than enough to get everyone worked up.

January 2018

We saw an increase in positive cash flow and were growing by 3x. From less than 100 members to now over 300, our family was growing bigger. It was now common to not know everyone’s name. Adjustments had to be made to our town hall format since we no longer had time for individual member introductions.

With talks of the big investment underway and months of positive cash flow, the company announced a 20% salary increase company-wide. Our Tết (Vietnamese New Year) bonus was also paid out early and the company could now afford to provide every full-time member with additional benefits & private health insurance. It was the most exciting time of our lives, and the company’s.

August 2018

8 months later and we barely missed the iceberg. Something happened and we struggled through our first month of financial setbacks. The company was unable to pay the team’s salary on time and it was delayed for several weeks.

After all the salaries were disbursed, we were optimistic that it wouldn’t happen again. Certainly, someone would have looked into the issue and fixed it. Besides, if we’d gotten through it once, surely we could get through it again.

January 2019

The next six months flew by with no visible issue and the company continued to grow as we took in more investments while waiting in anticipation of the even bigger investment.

By now, we’d grown 4x with over 450+ team members spanning across 8 locations in Vietnam. More promotions were announced including my promotion to Head of Product. Cutting it close with the Tết bonus this time, talks of slowing down started to surface.

April 2019

3 months later and our death sentence arrived in the form of an investment that never materialized.

With news of the investment falling through, the company was now in fight or flight mode as we scurried to figure out a plan to stay afloat and pay our team in the coming months.

New ideas to save the company sprung up and died out as quickly as they came up. More cost controls and salary delays were announced. Those who were in a position to loan money or part of their salary to the company did so and were promised a 10% interest in return.

July 2019

With the company’s four business lines not generating enough revenue to cover our accrued costs, intense pressure was placed on our technology team to launch our products and generate at least $50,000 USD in monthly revenue within the first 6 months.

It was an unrealistic goal given the state of our products, but I volunteered to head the initiative. Still, no salary had been paid. No salary was reduced and the leadership team was adamant about not laying off anyone.

August 2019

We managed to launch our technology, but not the way we wanted to. We went to market with bootstrap marketing and zero advertising budget.

It was like a plane taking off with no runway. We were hoping that we could get off the ground without crashing and burning. And we did, kind of. Our product showed signs of life and market-fit but we ran out of fuel, and time.

It was also around this time that I sent in my two months’ notice. It was time to look forward.

October 2019, The Final Dance

During my farewell lunch, my CTO, a quiet and incredibly talented engineer, said three words to me that silenced my inner critic and guilt:

“Thanks for everything.”

Looking at him, I knew he meant every word.

I came to Saigon as a wide-eyed and ambitious self-taught product designer looking to gain experience, get my hands dirty and make a name for myself.

In that, I found myself building out an entire product team with our own set of processes and principles that allowed us to redesign our technology and assist the company in scaling operationally. Our team was looked up to by everyone in the company. We were the team that got it together and we wore that badge with pride.

Takeaways

There were many nights where I laid in bed unable to sleep as I played through the events that unfolded while rotating through a cycle of emotions. Guilt. Shame. Embarrassment. Sadness. Repeat.

But not once have I ever felt angry at the company and trust me, there were many, many reasons to be.

I could have been angry at the reckless decisions that were made, the inability to keep our finances in check, or even the lack of communication and unity displayed by the leadership team when everyone was looking to them the most.

Even then, I couldn’t allow myself to invite that anger in. I knew if I did, it would have chewed me up and spit me out into the dark, covered in nothing but self-pity and insecurities.

I did question my calm demeanor those nights and wondered if I’d grown thicker skin over the years or had simply lost my sanity. I mean, where were the tears?

Looking back, I realized that after cycling through all those emotions, I always came back to feeling resolved. Resolved in knowing that I did what I could and gave my best.

In my high school business class, we were taught to have an emergency fund of at least $1,000 to prepare us for unexpected costs and rainy days. Little did I know that it was hardly enough to prepare me for 4 continuous months of unpaid salary.

The question that I continued to turn over and over in my head was how I was supposed to look my parents in the face and tell them that after so many years of working abroad, I was coming home with nothing except credit card debt?

And I don’t know yet, I’m still figuring that out. I’m still figuring out a lot of things. All I know is that it starts with an honest and vulnerable conversation and, no matter how I look at it, I can only feel blessed to be so young and boundless. I can only imagine how much more difficult this would have been if I had other people to take care of besides myself.

For someone who plans to become an entrepreneur themselves one day, the lessons and skills I’ve gained through this experience have been nothing short of invaluable. I’ve worn so many hats and witnessed so many red flags that came with growing a startup.

I’ve toyed with the idea that maybe this was how the captain of the unsinkable Titanic felt before they hit the iceberg, especially after being warned that they were sailing too fast in such icy conditions.

When did we start seeing the ice? Could we have switched course or slowed down enough to dodge the icebergs?

At the same time, I also saw firsthand all the things we did get right. Like scaling a company 4x with a 450+ team that were willing to give up their paychecks and loan money to the company for many consecutive months – all because they believed in the mission and culture we had worked so hard to build. I know I did.

You can start a business overnight, but to build a strong and resilient culture with hundreds of people believing in one collective goal, that took something else.

I can only hope that the experiences I’ve learned will be of use for when I have my own business where I will be faced with making decisions that won’t just affect me, but my team and their loved ones as well.

Edit: Epilogue

The initial draft of this article was written during my one-way flight back to the States. At the time, I had a million questions in my mind and less than a dollar in my checking account.

Several months later, I’ve moved on to land a job at my dream company (Evernote), I've co-founded an exciting new venture (Noted), and even more importantly, engaged my parents in that overdue vulnerable and honest conversation.

I confided in them about my setbacks, the lessons I learned, and how excited I am for the future. My mom cried, my dad beamed with pride as he looked away and asked what I wanted for dinner.

In my initial draft of this article, I concluded by saying there was no happily-ever-after ending to this story. It was never my intent to make this story inspirational either. My only goal was to wrap up this bittersweet journey by sharing my story, and writing was the only way I knew how to do that.

But after having lived it out and arriving at this point of clarity, I can say beyond a doubt:

There wasn’t meant to be a happily-ever-after ending to this story.

It wasn’t meant to be inspirational either.

Yes, I was left with nothing.

But at the same time, I was left with everything: myself, the lessons I’ve learned from this bittersweet adventure, and my dreams.

And to me, that was everything I could possibly need.

Besides, I’ve always been a believer that everything in life happens for a reason… as long as we give it one.

Let that reason be to learn, to grow, and to continue evolving into that person we want to become someday.

And remember,

“Tough times don’t last, tough people do. ”

— Robert Schuller

Seven years ago, universities like MIT and Stanford first opened up free online courses to the public. Today, more than 900 schools around the world have created thousands of free online courses, popularly known as Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs.

I’ve compiled this list of 650 such free online courses that you can start this summer. For this, I leveraged Class Central’s database of over 11,000 online courses. I’ve also included each course’s average rating.

_[Class Central’](https://www.classcentral.com/" rel="noopener" target="blank" title=")s home page.

I’ve sorted these courses into the following categories based on their difficulty level:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Courses that are being offered for the first time are marked as [NEW].

Many of these courses are completely self-paced. The rest will start at various times. You can find complete lists of the technology-related courses starting later in 2019 on Class Central’s Computer Science, Data Science, and Programming subject pages.

I understand this a long list and might be daunting for learners new to programming. In that case, you might find David Venturi’s recommendations for the best Data Science online courses useful — even if you’re not looking to learn Data Science. I hope to create more of these guides in the future.

And finally if you have trouble figuring out how to signup for Coursera courses for free, don’t worry — I’ve written an article on how to do that, too.

Beginner (154)

• An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★★(2909)
• Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(99)
• Learn to Program: The Fundamentals from University of Toronto ★★★★★(86)
• Intro to Computer Science from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(61)
• CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University ★★★★★(53)
• Ruby on Rails: An Introduction from Johns Hopkins University ★★★☆☆(50)
• Introduction to HTML5 from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(37)
• Internet History, Technology, and Security from University of Michigan ★★★★★(35)
• Introduction to Linux from Linux Foundation ★★★★☆(34)
• How to Use Git and GitHub
• Intro to HTML and CSS
• Introduction to VBA/Excel Programming from Cal Poly Pomona ★★★★☆(21)
• Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course) from Hebrew University of Jerusalem ★★★★★(14)
• Programming Basics from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay ★★☆☆☆(13)
• Computer Science 101 from Stanford University ★★★★☆(11)
• Introduction to CSS3 from University of Michigan ★★★★★(11)
• Creative Programming for Digital Media & Mobile Apps from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(10)
• HTML5 Coding Essentials and Best Practices from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★★☆(9)
• Introduction to Computer Networking from Stanford University ★★★★★(8)
• Introduction to the Internet of Things and Embedded Systems from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(8)
• Usable Security from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★☆☆(8)
• Introduction to Bootstrap — A Tutorial from Microsoft ★★★☆☆(8)
• Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming from University of Edinburgh ★★★★☆(7)
• HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(6)
• Learn to Program: Crafting Quality Code from University of Toronto ★★★★★(6)
• Intro to Relational Databases
• Paradigms of Computer Programming — Abstraction and Concurrency from Université catholique de Louvain ★★★★☆(4)
• Paradigms of Computer Programming — Fundamentals from Université catholique de Louvain ★★★★★(4)
• Introduction to jQuery from Microsoft ★★★★☆(4)
• Programming in Scratch from Harvey Mudd College ★★★★★(4)
• How To Create a Website in a Weekend! (Project-Centered Course) from State University of New York ★★★★★(3)
• Introduction to Programming for the Visual Arts with p5.js from University of California, Los Angeles ★★★★☆(3)
• HTML5 and CSS Fundamentals from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★★☆(3)
• Linux Command Line Basics
• The Beauty and Joy of Computing — AP® CS Principles Part 1 from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(2)
• Object-Oriented Programming from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay ★★★★☆(2)
• The Computing Technology Inside Your Smartphone from Cornell University ★★★★★(2)
• Introduction to HTML and JavaScript from Microsoft ★★★★★(2)
• Think. Create. Code from University of Adelaide ★★★★★(2)
• CS For All: Introduction to Computer Science and Python Programming from Harvey Mudd College ★★★★★(2)
• Networks: Friends, Money, and Bytes from Princeton University ★★★☆☆(1)
• Programando con Java para aplicaciones Android from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★★(1)
• Android Basics: Make Your First App from Google ★★★★★(1)
• Computing: Art, Magic, Science from ETH Zurich ★★★★☆(1)
• MyCS: Computer Science for Beginners from Harvey Mudd College ★★★☆☆(1)
• CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals from Harvard University
• CS50’s Mobile App Development with React Native from Harvard University
• CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript from Harvard University
• CS50’s Understanding Technology from Harvard University
• CS50’s Introduction to Game Development from Harvard University
• Principles of Computing from Stanford University
• Hacker Tools from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• The Beauty and Joy of Computing — AP® CS Principles Part 2 from University of California, Berkeley
• Computational Thinking for Problem Solving from University of Pennsylvania
• The Unix Workbench from Johns Hopkins University
• Introduction to Structured Query Language (SQL) from University of Michigan
• JavaScript, jQuery, and JSON from University of Michigan
• Building Database Applications in PHP from University of Michigan
• Interacting with the System and Managing Memory from Duke University
• Programming Fundamentals from Duke University
• Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose from Princeton University
• Introduction to Computing using Python from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Introduction to Cybersecurity from University of Washington
• Python Programming Essentials from Rice University
• Building Interactive 3D Characters and Social VR from University of London International Programmes
• Introduction to Virtual Reality from University of London International Programmes
• Introduction to Computer Programming from University of London International Programmes
• How Computers Work from University of London International Programmes
• Software Engineering: Introduction from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Simple Data from The University of British Columbia
• Introduction to Web Development from University of California, Davis
• Введение в базы данных from St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University
• Web Development and Design using Wordpress from California Institute of the Arts
• Web Design: Strategy and Information Architecture from California Institute of the Arts
• Cyber Security Economics from Delft University of Technology
• Scratch: Programmeren voor kinderen (8+) from Delft University of Technology
• Excel/VBA for Creative Problem Solving, Part 3 (Projects) from University of Colorado Boulder
• Тонкости верстки from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Основы проектирования приложений интернета вещей from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Web Coding Fundamentals: HTML, CSS and Javascript from National University of Singapore
• Android App Development for Beginners from Galileo University
• Monetize your Android Applications from Galileo University
• Java Fundamentals for Android Development from Galileo University
• AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Classes and Objects from Purdue University
• AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Loops and Data Structures from Purdue University
• AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Polymorphism and Advanced Data Structures from Purdue University
• Deep Learning for Business from Yonsei University
• Introduction to TCP/IP from Yonsei University
• Cyber Security Basics: A Hands-on Approach from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Problem Solving, Programming, and Video Games from University of Alberta
• Introduzione a LaTeX from University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
• Blockchain 360: A State of the Art for Professionals from EIT Digital
• Technical Support Fundamentals from Google
• Web Accessibility from Google
• Mobile Web Development from Google
• Object Oriented Programming in Java from Microsoft
• Learn to Program in Java from Microsoft
• Writing Professional Code from Microsoft
• Introduction to NodeJS from Microsoft
• CSS Basics from Microsoft
• Logic and Computational Thinking from Microsoft
• Introduction to Design Thinking from Microsoft
• Introduction to ReactJS from Microsoft
• How Entrepreneurs in Emerging Markets can master the Blockchain Technology from University of Cape Town
• C Programming: Advanced Data Types from Dartmouth
• Linux Basics: The Command Line Interface from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Modular Programming and Memory Management from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Pointers and Memory Management from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Getting Started from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Language Foundations from Institut Mines-Télécom
• C Programming: Using Linux Tools and Libraries from Dartmouth
• Proactive Computer Security from University of Colorado System
• TCP/IP and Advanced Topics from University of Colorado System
• Software Design Methods and Tools from University of Colorado System
• Introduction to Cybersecurity for Business from University of Colorado System
• Software Design as an Abstraction from University of Colorado System
• Computing: Art, Magic, Science — Part II from ETH Zurich
• Software Design as an Element of the Software Development Lifecycle from University of Colorado System
• Introduction to Open Source Networking Technologies from Linux Foundation
• Blockchain: Understanding Its Uses and Implications from Linux Foundation
• Mobile Computing with App Inventor — CS Principles from The University of Warwick
• Introducción a la programación en C: Instrucciones de control y ficheros de texto from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
• Introduction to the Internet of Things (IoT) from Curtin University
• Software Engineering Essentials from Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich)
• Базы данных (Databases) from Saint Petersburg State University
• Introduction to Cyber Attacks from New York University (NYU)
• Cyber Attack Countermeasures from New York University (NYU)
• Arduino Programming, from novice to ninja from Institut Mines-Télécom
• Web Security Fundamentals from KU Leuven University
• Video Game Design and Balance from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Introdução à Ciência da Computação com Python Parte 2 from Universidade de São Paulo
• Introdução à Ciência da Computação com Python Parte 1 from Universidade de São Paulo
• Programación Orientada a Objetos from MéxicoX
• Computing Form and Shape: Python Programming with the Rhinoscript Library from Rhode Island School of Design
• Introduction to MongoDB from MongoDB University
• Diseñando páginas web con Bootstrap 4 from Universidad Austral
• Object-oriented Programming in Python: Create Your Own Adventure Game from Raspberry Pi Foundation
• Internet Connection: How to Get Online? from Cisco
• Home Networking Basics from Cisco
• Introduction to Virtual Reality
• Swift for Beginners
• Web Applications for Everybody
• Version Control with Git from Atlassian
• Android for Beginners
• GitHub & Collaboration
• HTTP & Web Servers
• Version Control with Git
• Network Protocols and Architecture from Cisco
• Elements of AI from University of Helsinki
• Introduction to Cisco Networking from Cisco
• Basics of Network Security from Coventry University
• ES6 — JavaScript Improved
• Data Communications and Network Services from Cisco
• Learn Swift Programming Syntax

Intermediate (362)

• Machine Learning from Stanford University ★★★★★(261)
• Functional Programming Principles in Scala from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne ★★★★★(58)
• Algorithms, Part I from Princeton University ★★★★☆(48)
• Cryptography I from Stanford University ★★★★★(45)
• Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems: Part 1 from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★☆(38)
• CS188.1x: Artificial Intelligence from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(30)
• Principles of Computing (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★★(26)
• [New] Основы программирования мобильных приложений для Android from ITMO University
• Software Security from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★★(22)
• Algorithms, Part II from Princeton University ★★★★★(21)
• Responsive Website Basics: Code with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(21)
• Agile Development Using Ruby on Rails — The Basics from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(19)
• Cloud Computing Concepts, Part 1 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★☆☆(19)
• Automata Theory from Stanford University ★★★★☆(17)
• C++ For C Programmers, Part A from University of California, Santa Cruz ★★★☆☆(16)
• Principles of Computing (Part 2) from Rice University ★★★★☆(15)
• Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems: Part 2 from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★☆(15)
• The Nature of Code from Processing Foundation ★★★★★(15)
• Algorithmic Thinking (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★☆(14)
• Design of Computer Programs from Stanford University ★★★★☆(13)
• Intro to Machine Learning from Stanford University ★★★★☆(12)
• Algorithmic Toolbox from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(12)
• Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne ★★★★☆(12)
• Responsive Web Design from University of London International Programmes ★★★☆☆(11)
• Introduction to Game Development from Michigan State University ★★★★☆(11)
• Introduction to Functional Programming from Delft University of Technology ★★★★☆(11)
• Interactivity with JavaScript from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(10)
• Introduction to Software Product Management from University of Alberta ★★★★☆(10)
• Android Development for Beginners from Google ★★★★☆(10)
• The Arduino Platform and C Programming from University of California, Irvine ★★★☆☆(9)
• Algorithmic Thinking (Part 2) from Rice University ★★★★☆(9)
• Programming Languages from University of Virginia ★★★☆☆(9)
• Software Processes and Agile Practices from University of Alberta ★★★★☆(9)
• Image and Video Processing: From Mars to Hollywood with a Stop at the Hospital from Duke University ★★★★☆(8)
• Text Retrieval and Search Engines from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★☆☆(8)
• Cryptography from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★☆(8)
• Advanced Styling with Responsive Design from University of Michigan ★★★★☆(7)
• Cloud Computing Applications, Part 1: Cloud Systems and Infrastructure from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★☆☆(7)
• Software Testing from University of Utah ★★★★☆(7)
• Internet of Things: How did we get here? from University of California, San Diego ★★☆☆☆(6)
• Introduction To Swift Programming from University of Toronto ★☆☆☆☆(6)
• Learning from Data (Introductory Machine Learning course) from California Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(6)
• Client Needs and Software Requirements from University of Alberta ★★★★☆(6)
• Responsive Web Design Fundamentals from Google ★★★★☆(6)
• Intro to AJAX
• Agile Development Using Ruby on Rails — Advanced from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(5)
• Ruby on Rails Web Services and Integration with MongoDB from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(5)
• Cloud Computing Concepts: Part 2 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★★(5)
• Computer Graphics from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(5)
• Data Structures and Performance from University of California, San Diego ★★★★★(5)
• Web Application Development with JavaScript and MongoDB from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(5)
• Introduction to Meteor.js Development from University of London International Programmes ★★★★★(5)
• How to Code: Systematic Program Design — Part 1 from The University of British Columbia ★★★★☆(5)
• Developing Android Apps from Google ★★★★☆(5)
• Julia Scientific Programming from University of Cape Town ★★★★★(5)
• Data Wrangling with MongoDB from MongoDB University ★★★★☆(5)
• Intro to DevOps from Nutanix ★★★☆☆(5)
• Intro to iOS App Development with Swift
• Parallel Programming Concepts
• Interfacing with the Arduino from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(4)
• Algorithms on Strings from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(4)
• Computer Architecture from Princeton University ★★★★★(4)
• Analysis of Algorithms from Princeton University ★★★★★(4)
• Software Development Process from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★☆☆(4)
• Computer Networking from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(4)
• Cloud Networking from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★☆(4)
• Website Performance Optimization from Google ★★★★☆(4)
• HTML5 Game Development from Google ★★★☆☆(4)
• Practical Numerical Methods with Python from George Washington University ★★★★☆(4)
• Database Management Essentials from University of Colorado System ★★★★☆(4)
• Interactive Computer Graphics from The University of Tokyo ★★☆☆☆(4)
• Software Debugging from Saarland University ★★★★★(4)
• Software Construction in Java from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(3)
• Foundations of Objective-C App Development from University of California, Irvine ★★★☆☆(3)
• The Raspberry Pi Platform and Python Programming for the Raspberry Pi from University of California, Irvine ★★★★☆(3)
• Data Structures from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(3)
• Networks Illustrated: Principles without Calculus from Princeton University ★★★★☆(3)
• VLSI CAD Part I: Logic from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★★(3)
• Internet of Things: Setting Up Your DragonBoard™ Development Platform from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(3)
• Mastering the Software Engineering Interview from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(3)
• DevOps for Developers: How to Get Started from Microsoft ★★★★☆(3)
• Querying Data with Transact-SQL from Microsoft ★★★★☆(3)
• Autonomous Mobile Robots from ETH Zurich ★★★☆☆(3)
• Intro to Algorithms
• Compilers from Stanford University ★★★★☆(2)
• Mobile Application Experiences Part 1: From a Domain to an App Idea from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(2)
• Rails with Active Record and Action Pack from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★☆(2)
• Algorithms on Graphs from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(2)
• Advanced Data Structures in Java from University of California, San Diego ★★★★☆(2)
• Internet of Things: Communication Technologies from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(2)
• App Design and Development for iOS from University of Toronto ★★★☆☆(2)
• iOS App Development Basics from University of Toronto ★★★★☆(2)
• Game Development for Modern Platforms from Michigan State University ★★★★★(2)
• Introduction to Mobile Application Development using Android from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ★★★★☆(2)
• Agile Planning for Software Products from University of Alberta ★★★☆☆(2)
• Browser Rendering Optimization from Google ★★★★☆(2)
• UX Design for Mobile Developers from Google ★★★★★(2)
• Developing International Software, Part 1 from Microsoft ★★★★☆(2)
• Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Power BI from Microsoft ★★★★★(2)
• Agile Software Development from ETH Zurich ★★★★★(2)
• Build Your First Android App (Project-Centered Course) from École Centrale Paris ★★★☆☆(2)
• Approximation Algorithms Part I from École normale supérieure ★★★★★(2)
• Configuring Linux Web Servers
• JavaScript Testing
• Full Stack Foundations
• Single Page Web Applications with AngularJS from Johns Hopkins University ★★★★★(1)
• Best Practices for iOS User Interface Design from University of California, Irvine ★★★★★(1)
• Interfacing with the Raspberry Pi from University of California, Irvine ★☆☆☆☆(1)
• Machine Learning: Unsupervised Learning from Brown University ★★★★☆(1)
• Advanced Algorithms and Complexity from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(1)
• Software Architecture & Design from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples from University of London International Programmes ★★★★★(1)
• Managing an Agile Team from University of Virginia ★★☆☆☆(1)
• MATLAB and Octave for Beginners from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne ★☆☆☆☆(1)
• Web Application Development: Basic Concepts from University of New Mexico ★★★★☆(1)
• Android: Introducción a la Programación from Universitat Politècnica de València ★★★★☆(1)
• Algorithms from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay ★★★★★(1)
• JavaScript Promises from Google ★★★★★(1)
• Android Basics: Multiscreen Apps from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Developing Scalable Apps in Java from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Developing Scalable Apps in Python from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Gradle for Android and Java from Google ★★★★★(1)
• Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Principles of Machine Learning from Microsoft ★★★★★(1)
• 用Python玩转数据 Data Processing Using Python from Nanjing University ★★★★★(1)
• Cybersecurity and Mobility from University System of Georgia ★☆☆☆☆(1)
• A developer’s guide to the Internet of Things (IoT) from IBM ★★★★☆(1)
• Technical Interview from Pramp ★★★★★(1)
• HTML5 Apps and Games from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★☆☆(1)
• Networking for Web Developers
• Intro to Theoretical Computer Science
• Using Python for Research from Harvard University
• Algorithms: Design and Analysis from Stanford University
• Graph Search, Shortest Paths, and Data Structures from Stanford University
• Shortest Paths Revisited, NP-Complete Problems and What To Do About Them from Stanford University
• Probabilistic Graphical Models 3: Learning from Stanford University
• Greedy Algorithms, Minimum Spanning Trees, and Dynamic Programming from Stanford University
• Divide and Conquer, Sorting and Searching, and Randomized Algorithms from Stanford University
• Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 2 from Stanford University
• Language, Proof and Logic from Stanford University
• Advanced Software Construction in Java from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Mobile Application Experiences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Mobile Application Experiences Part 3: Building Mobile Apps from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Computation Structures 2: Computer Architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Foundations of Data Science: Prediction and Machine Learning from University of California, Berkeley
• Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies from University of California, Berkeley
• Blockchain Technology from University of California, Berkeley
• Algorithm Design and Analysis from University of Pennsylvania
• Data Structures and Software Design from University of Pennsylvania
• Introduction to Neurohacking In R from Johns Hopkins University
• Toward the Future of iOS Development with Swift from University of California, Irvine
• Games, Sensors and Media from University of California, Irvine
• Networking and Security in iOS Applications from University of California, Irvine
• Building Web Applications in PHP from University of Michigan
• Introduction to Machine Learning from Duke University
• Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines from Princeton University
• Introduction to Graduate Algorithms from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Software Analysis & Testing from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Database Systems Concepts & Design from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Database Systems Concepts and Design from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Animation and CGI Motion from Columbia University
• Data Analytics Foundations for Accountancy II from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• How Virtual Reality Works from University of California, San Diego
• Creating Virtual Reality (VR) Apps from University of California, San Diego
• Algorithmic Design and Techniques from University of California, San Diego
• Data Structures: An Active Learning Approach from University of California, San Diego
• Minecraft, Coding and Teaching from University of California, San Diego
• Internet of Things: Sensing and Actuation From Devices from University of California, San Diego
• Machine Learning Fundamentals from University of California, San Diego
• String Processing and Pattern Matching Algorithms from University of California, San Diego
• Data Structures Fundamentals from University of California, San Diego
• Graph Algorithms from University of California, San Diego
• Programming Languages, Part B from University of Washington
• Programming Languages, Part C from University of Washington
• Finding Your Cybersecurity Career Path from University of Washington
• Building a Cybersecurity Toolkit from University of Washington
• Cybersecurity: The CISO’s View from University of Washington
• Mathematics for Computer Science from University of London International Programmes
• 3D Models for Virtual Reality from University of London International Programmes
• Decentralized Applications (Dapps) from University at Buffalo
• Blockchain Basics from University at Buffalo
• Blockchain Platforms from University at Buffalo
• Smart Contracts from University at Buffalo
• 算法设计与分析 Design and Analysis of Algorithms from Peking University
• 面向对象技术高级课程（The Advanced Object-Oriented Technology） from Peking University
• How to Code: Systematic Program Design — Part 2 from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Systematic Program Design — Part 3 from The University of British Columbia
• Software Construction: Object-Oriented Design from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Complex Data from The University of British Columbia
• Software Construction: Data Abstraction from The University of British Columbia
• Running Product Design Sprints from University of Virginia
• Testing with Agile from University of Virginia
• NoSQL Database Systems from Arizona State University
• Moving to the Cloud from University of Melbourne
• SQL for Data Science from University of California, Davis
• LAFF — On Programming for Correctness from The University of Texas at Austin
• Документы и презентации в LaTeX (Introduction to LaTeX) from Higher School of Economics
• Lean Software Development from University of Minnesota
• Agile Software Development from University of Minnesota
• Software Development Processes and Methodologies from University of Minnesota
• Android App Components — Services, Local IPC, and Content Providers from Vanderbilt University
• Engineering Maintainable Android Apps from Vanderbilt University
• Android App Components — Intents, Activities, and Broadcast Receivers from Vanderbilt University
• Front-End JavaScript Frameworks: Angular from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Multiplatform Mobile App Development with Web Technologies: Ionic and Cordova from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Developing Android Apps with App Inventor from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Front-End Web UI Frameworks and Tools: Bootstrap 4 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Server-side Development with NodeJS, Express and MongoDB from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Front-End Web Development with React from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Multiplatform Mobile App Development with NativeScript from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Multiplatform Mobile App Development with React Native from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Global Software Development from Delft University of Technology
• Automated Software Testing: Advanced Skills for Java Developers from Delft University of Technology
• Automated Software Testing: Practical Skills for Java Developers from Delft University of Technology
• Разработка веб-сервисов на Golang, часть 2 from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Building Arduino robots and devices from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Введение в iOS-разработку from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Основы HTML и CSS from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Быстрый старт в разработке Android-приложений from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Relational database systems from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• NoSQL systems from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Fundamentos de Android from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Foundations of Data Structures from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Implementation of Data Structures from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Professional Android App Development from Galileo University
• Сетевое администрирование: от теории к практике from Tsinghua University
• Enterprise Software Lifecycle Management from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
• Использование механизмов операционных систем в разработке программного обеспечения from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
• Introduction to Java Programming: Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• The Software Architect Code: Building the Digital World from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Object-Oriented Design from University of Alberta
• Software Architecture from University of Alberta
• Reviews & Metrics for Software Improvements from University of Alberta
• Service-Oriented Architecture from University of Alberta
• Design Patterns from University of Alberta
• Software Architecture for the Internet of Things from EIT Digital
• Introduction to Architecting Smart IoT Devices from EIT Digital
• Web Connectivity and Security in Embedded Systems from EIT Digital
• Architecting Smart IoT Devices from EIT Digital
• Intro to Data Structures and Algorithms from Google
• Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals for AWS Professionals from Google Cloud
• Android Performance from Google
• Advanced Android App Development from Google
• Material Design for Android Developers from Google
• Firebase Essentials For Android from Google
• Offline Web Applications from Google
• Android Basics: User Input from Google
• Developing Android Apps with Kotlin from Google
• Scalable Microservices with Kubernetes from Google
• Google Maps APIs from Google
• Client-Server Communication from Google
• VR Software Development from Google
• Intro to Progressive Web Apps from Google
• Android Basics: Networking from Google
• Android Basics: Button Clicks from Google
• Android Basics: User Interface from Google
• AngularJS: Advanced Framework Techniques from Microsoft
• AngularJS: Framework Fundamentals from Microsoft
• Creating Programmatic SQL Database Objects from Microsoft
• Developing Intelligent Apps and Bots from Microsoft
• Optimizing Performance for SQL Based Applications from Microsoft
• Introduction to TypeScript 2 from Microsoft
• Algorithms and Data Structures in C# from Microsoft
• Building Functional Prototypes using Node.js from Microsoft
• Introduction to C# from Microsoft
• Implementing In-Memory SQL Database Objects from Microsoft
• Application Design Considerations: An Inclusive Approach from Microsoft
• Designing Data Platform Solutions from Microsoft
• Building Interactive Prototypes using JavaScript from Microsoft
• Developing SQL Databases from Microsoft
• Advanced CSS Concepts from Microsoft
• Algorithms and Data Structures from Microsoft
• Applied Machine Learning from Microsoft
• Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: Nand to Tetris Part II (project-centered course) from Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Programmation iOS (partie II) from Sorbonne Universités
• Programmation iOS (partie I) from Sorbonne Universités
• Introduction to Data Structures from University of Adelaide
• Fundamentals of Machine Learning from Santa Fe Institute
• Introduction to Computation Theory from Santa Fe Institute
• Cloud Computing Security from University of Colorado System
• Software Requirements Prioritization: Risk Analysis from University of Colorado System
• SRS Documents: Requirements and Diagrammatic Notations from University of Colorado System
• Linux Server Management and Security from University of Colorado System
• Requirements Elicitation: Artifact and Stakeholder Analysis from University of Colorado System
• Requirements Gathering for Secure Software Development from University of Colorado System
• Requirements Specifications: Goals and Conflict Analysis from University of Colorado System
• Basic Cryptography and Programming with Crypto API from University of Colorado System
• Detecting and Mitigating Cyber Threats and Attacks from University of Colorado System
• Intermediate Object-Oriented Programming for Unity Games from University of Colorado System
• Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Local Area Networks from University of Colorado System
• Design and Analyze Secure Networked Systems from University of Colorado System
• Introduction to Web Cartography: Part 1 from ETH Zurich
• Introduction to C# Programming and Unity from University of Colorado System
• Hacking and Patching from University of Colorado System
• Fundamentals of Network Communication from University of Colorado System
• More C# Programming and Unity from University of Colorado System
• Packet Switching Networks and Algorithms from University of Colorado System
• Asymmetric Cryptography and Key Management from University of Colorado System
• Symmetric Cryptography from University of Colorado System
• Software Design Threats and Mitigations from University of Colorado System
• Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection — It’s Not About the Terrorists from University of Colorado System
• Data Structures and Design Patterns for Game Developers from University of Colorado System
• 2D Game Development with libGDX from Amazon
• Introduction to DevOps: Transforming and Improving Operations from Linux Foundation
• Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies from Linux Foundation
• Machine Learning for Musicians and Artists from Goldsmiths, University of London
• Cybersecurity and the X-Factor from University System of Georgia
• Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things from University System of Georgia
• Cybersecurity and Privacy in the IoT from Curtin University
• Orientação a Objetos com Java from Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica
• IoT System Architecture: Design and Evaluation from Waseda University
• Mobile Design and Usability for Android from Facebook
• Web App Development with the Power of Node.js from Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich)
• Mobile Design and Usability for iOS from Facebook
• A Developer’s guide to Node-RED from IBM
• Getting started with Augmented Reality from Institut Mines-Télécom
• Teamwork & Collaboration from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Advanced Algorithmics and Graph Theory with Python from Institut Mines-Télécom
• Gameplay Programming for Video Game Designers from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Overview of Advanced Methods of Reinforcement Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Cybersecurity Fundamentals from Rochester Institute of Technology
• UML Class Diagrams for Software Engineering from KU Leuven University
• Fundamentals of Machine Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Real-Time Cyber Threat Detection and Mitigation from New York University (NYU)
• Guided Tour of Machine Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Introdução ao Teste de Software from Universidade de São Paulo
• Programming for Everyone — An Introduction to Visual Programming Languages from Weizmann Institute of Science
• How to Win Coding Competitions: Secrets of Champions from ITMO University
• Concurrency from AdaCore University
• Cloud Computing Infrastructure from University System of Maryland
• Desarrollo de Aplicaciones Mobile Multiplataforma con Nativescript, Angular y Redux from Universidad Austral
• Cloud Computing Management from University System of Maryland
• Software Testing Management from University System of Maryland
• Software Testing Fundamentals from University System of Maryland
• Cloud Computing for Enterprises from University System of Maryland
• Formal Software Verification from University System of Maryland
• Intro to TensorFlow for Deep Learning
• iOS Persistence and Core Data
• Learn Backbone.js
• Diseño de Sistemas de información gerencial para Internet con MySQL / PHP y Joomla from Universidad del Rosario
• How to create in Android
• How to Make an iOS App
• iOS Networking with Swift
• UIKit Fundamentals
• An Introduction to Practical Deep Learning from Intel
• Fundamentals of Containers, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift from Red Hat
• Designing RESTful APIs
• Hacker101 from HackerOne
• Introduction: Elements of Microgame Design from Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Fundamentals of Red Hat Enterprise Linux from Red Hat
• Dynamic Web Applications with Sinatra
• Deploying Applications with Heroku
• Android Basics: Data Storage
• VR Platforms & Applications
• VR Design
• VR Scenes and Objects
• Fundamentals of Parallelism on Intel Architecture from Intel
• Developing Android Apps
• Swift for Developers
• Building iOS Interfaces
• iOS Design Patterns
• SQL for Data Analysis

Advanced (134)

• Machine Learning Foundations: A Case Study Approach from University of Washington ★★★★☆(38)
• Machine Learning: Regression from University of Washington ★★★★★(18)
• Machine Learning for Data Science and Analytics from Columbia University ★★★☆☆(15)
• Probabilistic Graphical Models 1: Representation from Stanford University ★★★★☆(14)
• Intro to Deep Learning from Google ★★☆☆☆(13)
• Creative Applications of Deep Learning with TensorFlow
• Machine Learning With Big Data from University of California, San Diego ★★☆☆☆(12)
• Machine Learning for Trading from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★☆☆(11)
• Hardware Security from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★☆☆(11)
• Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies from Princeton University ★★★★☆(10)
• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence from Stanford University ★★★★★(9)
• Computational Neuroscience from University of Washington ★★★★☆(8)
• Reinforcement Learning from Brown University ★★☆☆☆(6)
• Machine Learning: Classification from University of Washington ★★★★★(6)
• Intro to Parallel Programming from Nvidia ★★★★☆(6)
• Advanced Operating Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(5)
• Enabling Technologies for Data Science and Analytics: The Internet of Things from Columbia University ★☆☆☆☆(5)
• Interactive 3D Graphics from Autodesk ★★★★★(5)
• Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(4)
• Applied Cryptography from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(4)
• Parallel programming from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne ★★★★☆(4)
• Introduction to Computer Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University ★★★★★(4)
• Probabilistic Graphical Models 2: Inference from Stanford University ★★★★☆(3)
• Practical Predictive Analytics: Models and Methods from University of Washington ★★☆☆☆(3)
• Machine Learning: Clustering & Retrieval from University of Washington ★★★★★(3)
• Regression Modeling in Practice from Wesleyan University ★★★★☆(3)
• Quantitative Formal Modeling and Worst-Case Performance Analysis from EIT Digital ★★★☆☆(3)
• Nearest Neighbor Collaborative Filtering from University of Minnesota ★★☆☆☆(2)
• High Performance Computer Architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Computational Photography from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(1)
• Computability, Complexity & Algorithms from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Introduction to Operating Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Columbia University ★☆☆☆☆(1)
• Cloud Computing Applications, Part 2: Big Data and Applications in the Cloud from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★☆(1)
• Relational Database Support for Data Warehouses from University of Colorado System ★★☆☆☆(1)
• Practical Deep Learning For Coders, Part 1 from fast.ai ★★★★★(1)
• Neural Networks and Deep Learning from deeplearning.ai
• Structuring Machine Learning Projects from deeplearning.ai
• Sequence Models from deeplearning.ai
• Improving Deep Neural Networks: Hyperparameter tuning, Regularization and Optimization from deeplearning.ai
• Real-Time Audio Signal Processing in Faust from Stanford University
• 6.S191: Introduction to Deep Learning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 6.S094: Deep Learning for Self-Driving Cars from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Computation Structures 3: Computer Organization from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Applied Machine Learning in Python from University of Michigan
• Artificial Intelligence from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Cyber-Physical Systems Design & Analysis from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Compilers: Theory and Practice from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Cyber-Physical Systems Security from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology
• GT — Refresher — Advanced OS from Georgia Institute of Technology
• High Performance Computing from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Intro to Information Security from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Knowledge-Based AI: Cognitive Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Network Security from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Machine Learning from Columbia University
• NP-Complete Problems from University of California, San Diego
• Distributed Programming in Java from Rice University
• Concurrent Programming in Java from Rice University
• Parallel Programming in Java from Rice University
• Making Your First Virtual Reality Game from University of London International Programmes
• Information Security: Context and Introduction from University of London International Programmes
• State Estimation and Localization for Self-Driving Cars from University of Toronto
• Advanced Modeling for Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne
• Basic Modeling for Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne
• Solving Algorithms for Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne
• MATLAB et Octave pour débutants from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Nature, in Code: Biology in JavaScript from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Менеджмент информационной безопасности from Higher School of Economics
• Introduction to Deep Learning from Higher School of Economics
• Addressing Large Hadron Collider Challenges by Machine Learning from Higher School of Economics
• Методы и средства защиты информации from Higher School of Economics
• Introduction to Formal Concept Analysis from Higher School of Economics
• Обработка изображений from Higher School of Economics
• Bayesian Methods for Machine Learning from Higher School of Economics
• Practical Reinforcement Learning from Higher School of Economics
• Deep Learning in Computer Vision from Higher School of Economics
• Recommender Systems: Evaluation and Metrics from University of Minnesota
• Introduction to Recommender Systems: Non-Personalized and Content-Based from University of Minnesota
• Matrix Factorization and Advanced Techniques from University of Minnesota
• Modeling and Debugging Embedded Systems from University of Colorado Boulder
• Embedded Software and Hardware Architecture from University of Colorado Boulder
• Sesenta años de inteligencia artificial from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Razonamiento artificial from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• 機器學習基石下 (Machine Learning Foundations) — -Algorithmic Foundations from National Taiwan University
• 人工智慧：搜尋方法與邏輯推論 (Artificial Intelligence — Search & Logic) from National Taiwan University
• 大数据机器学习|Big Data Machine Learning from Tsinghua University
• Discrete Mathematics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Introducción a la visión por computador: desarrollo de aplicaciones con OpenCV from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• System Validation (2): Model process behaviour from EIT Digital
• Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems from EIT Digital
• System Validation (3): Requirements by modal formulas from EIT Digital
• System Validation: Automata and behavioural equivalences from EIT Digital
• System Validation (4): Modelling Software, Protocols, and other behaviour from EIT Digital
• Approximation Algorithms from EIT Digital
• Machine Learning Crash Course with TensorFlow APIs from Google
• Learn TensorFlow and deep learning, without a Ph.D. from Google
• Deep Learning Explained from Microsoft
• Infrastructure as Code from Microsoft
• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Microsoft
• DevOps Practices and Principles from Microsoft
• DevOps Testing from Microsoft
• DevOps for Databases from Microsoft
• Sparse Representations in Signal and Image Processing: Fundamentals from Technion — Israel Institute of Technology
• Sparse Representations in Image Processing: From Theory to Practice from Technion — Israel Institute of Technology
• Cyber-Physical Systems: Modeling and Simulation from University of California, Santa Cruz
• Statistical Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University
• Cryptographic Hash and Integrity Protection from University of Colorado System
• Classical Cryptosystems and Core Concepts from University of Colorado System
• Cryptography and Information Theory from University of Colorado System
• Introduction to Cloud Foundry and Cloud Native Software Architecture from Linux Foundation
• Blockchain for Business — An Introduction to Hyperledger Technologies from Linux Foundation
• Introduction to OpenStack from Linux Foundation
• Approximation Algorithms Part II from École normale supérieure
• Mathematics for Machine Learning: PCA from Imperial College London
• Reliable Distributed Algorithms, Part 2 from KTH Royal Institute of Technology
• Computer System Design: Advanced Concepts of Modern Microprocessors from Chalmers University of Technology
• Deep Learning with Tensorflow from IBM
• Deep Learning with Python and PyTorch from IBM
• Reinforcement Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Deep Learning for Natural Language Processing from University of Oxford
• Cutting Edge Deep Learning For Coders, Part 2 from fast.ai
• Introduction to Machine Learning for Coders! from fast.ai
• Cloud Computing Security from University System of Maryland
• Systems and Application Security from (ISC)²
• Security Operations and Administration from (ISC)²
• Identifying, Monitoring, and Analyzing Risk and Incident Response and Recovery from (ISC)²
• Networks and Communications Security from (ISC)²
• Access Controls from (ISC)²
• Continuous Integration and Deployment
• Deep Learning Summer School
• Big Data Applications: Machine Learning at Scale from Yandex
• Introduction to TensorFlow for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning from deeplearning.ai

It’s a rare occasion that companies provide leadership training before you become a manager. A few days or weeks after what was probably one of the happiest days in your recent memory, the day you were offered a position outside of the individual contributor track, you find yourself with a million questions. You feel that you were tricked into signing something without reading the fine print.

That feeling you’re experiencing isn’t new, it’s just that you’ve all but forgotten it. It’s not knowing what you’re supposed to do. It’s being clueless. Because if you think years of writing software trained you to become a manager, research states the contrary. But it’s not the end of the world. Even though your company most likely doesn’t understand the need for formal management training, there is a plethora of information available to you that will make your job easier, and maybe even enjoyable.

When I became a manager I did what I typically do when faced with a challenge I know almost nothing about: I started reading. I’ve read a lot of books, some were good, a few of them were amazing. All of them shaped the way I do my job, and so I thought I would share them for other aspiring or active managers out there.

I’ve curated this list based on several factors:

• The books should cover a broad set of engineering management and leadership topics. It’s easy to find overlapping books. It is much harder to find a diversity of information when you’re very new to leadership.
• They should be written in different eras. The software industry is constantly evolving. It doesn’t make sense to only read about what was happening in the 1980s or 90s.
• Reading order matters a lot. Some books are more specialized than others. The information provided can be thought of as layers that stack on top of each other. If you’re inexperienced, you may start in the middle or the end, and that will basically ruin other books for you.
• Finally, I put a hard limit of 7, just because I think this list is enough to build a foundation layer on top of which you can continue reading and maybe even doing your own research further on.

But enough introduction, let’s see the list :)

Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams, by Tom DeMarco & Tim Lister

This should be mandatory reading for everyone. Period. No, not just everyone in software, everyone working in a private company should read this book. It’s amazing to me how pretty much all of the problems that people deal with it on a daily basis have already been solved. In the 1980s. If you read just one book from this list, let it be this one.

High Output Management, by Andrew S. Grove

Soon after you make the switch from the individual contributor track to the leadership track you will ask yourself a basic question.

How do I measure my own success?

You used to be able to answer that easily. Now that you’re writing code less and less, and dealing with team dynamics and people problems, how will you or your boss measure your progress and success? This book provides a now universally accepted answer: you are measured through the success of the people reporting to you. That is to say, if your team is successful, then you’re successful. I’m over-simplifying of course but that was my biggest take away from this book.

There are more insightful bits of information such as a walk-through of a production pipeline, how to run meetings, or how to conduct one on ones. This is a classic book that everyone should read even if they’re not interested in leadership roles. It’s that good.

I will say though that this book was written a long time ago. The impression I got was that leaders from that age were more authoritative than what you see in companies these days. This is not a critique, it’s a fair warning. You may read a few chapters and conclude that there’s no way anyone could get away with doing that in a company. There’s a certain nuance to the leadership style described in this book and it is important to understand it.

Influence: Science and Practice, by Robert B. Cialdini

An engineering manager’s job is to ensure their team has everything it needs to succeed. This means managing the interaction between multiple groups of people towards an agreeable outcome.

If you’ve ever tried to convince a friend to move from WhatsApp to Telegram and failed, you’ve made an attempt at exerting influence. You’ll need to do that basically every day, and in my experience, this is a very hard skill to learn. It takes a lot of practice, and there’s really no sandbox mode in which you can fail and it’ll be OK. You will try to talk to someone at some point into doing something, and you will fail, and you or your team will suffer for it.

This book is the definitive guide on how to approach the problem scientifically. A lot of managers seem to think they don’t need to learn how to influence others, particularly their direct reports, as rank is the ultimate influencer. Thinking that will keep you from ever becoming a great leader, in my opinion. Yes, you will probably overrule someone at some point and it will feel terrific while you do it. But if that person ends up hating you for it, you’ve just lost their trust and you will see the consequences of that later on.

Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules, by Steve McConnell

This is another classic textbook that I wish everyone in software would read. If you’re currently in a company who’s agile and are struggling with unproductive meetings, poor quality code, team members that can’t get along with each other, or stakeholders who push you to leave the office late at night, you will find at least one solution within this book. It’s also a good leadership book as it describes, in what is probably my favorite chapter, a list of things you definitely should not do if you want to have a great team. I still refer to that chapter from time to time, it’s just really good and insightful.

Managing Humans, by Michael Lopp

I loved this book for its humor and insights into some of the biggest tech companies’ cultures. It doesn’t feel like a textbook compared to the others on this list, but that’s what makes it a great fit.

You need to understand that leaders are still human, they’re going to screw up, and the end result may be tragic or hilarious. Or both. That’s a very important lesson to learn, one that took me the longest time, to be honest.

It’s very easy to get caught up in theory while trying to learn how to be a leader. But reality often is so insane that no book can offer you the solution you need. You will end up in situations where you will do everything by the book, and people will still be unhappy. And that’s OK. The stories from Managing Humans will help you understand that.

The Manager’s Path, by Camille Fournier

What makes this book awesome is that it offers a clear and simple description of your responsibilities and goals at every step in the leadership ladder. Most companies don’t even have that information for their own leadership track.

It starts by describing what an entry-level leader should focus on, such as mentoring junior developers. It moves on to engineering managers, senior managers, and even covers what a VP of software should do. I personally have always wondered what a day in a VP’s shoes looks like, and if you have as well, this book is for you.

Beyond just taming your curiosity of what the upper echelons look like, I love this book because it is so realistic. There’s no utopian view of teams and processes here. It’s all ground in the experience of the author. That makes the information within highly applicable in your work environment.

The one minute manager, by Kenneth H. Blanchard

I initially didn’t want to read this after I found it, but I’m glad I changed my mind about it. It’s basically a short story about a manager who is very good at his job, particularly in one area.

I won’t spoil it for you. The information you get out of this story isn’t particularly innovative. There are other books that dive into its topic in more detail. But there’s something really satisfying about it that I can’t really explain. It’s like a GitHub gist that solves a problem in under 100 lines of code.

You can be dismissive of it — there’s no way it could be that simple, right? Or you can read through it carefully and appreciate its simplicity, knowing that it’s not a generalized solution, but still good enough that it’s worth having in your toolbox. It is entirely possible you’ll read this book and think I’m exaggerating, but hey, it’s my list ;)

Radical Candor, by Kim Scott

I can count to 7 just fine, but I really wanted to offer this book as sort of a special addition to my list. I wouldn’t say it’s mandatory reading. Once you’ve gone through all the books above, you should pick this up for a very striking alternative view.

Basically, Radical Candor is a framework on how to relate to people. It’s not really related to software development. You can apply this anywhere, with your friends, with your family, it’s frankly very abstract in that regard.

The author, Kim Scott, has worked both at Google and Apple. She recalls some of her experiences while working there. I found those chapters to be extremely enjoyable, but do take them with a grain of salt. Some of the more recent reports in the media directly contradict some stories from this book. This is why I’m hesitant to recommend it to everyone.

The framework itself makes sense but it’s so hard to actually put in practice. I know that’s not the author’s fault. I wish the world would work in the way she describes, but I don’t think it ever will. Nonetheless striving to achieve even 50% of Radical Candor will make you a better leader. If you have the stomach for 100% then I’d like to meet you in person.

Is that it?

This list is a solid foundation for newbie managers or people who are thinking of becoming team leads or managers. There is so much more to learn. I would’ve appreciated a simple and short list like this myself when I made the step towards leadership. Hopefully you do as well.

Seven years ago, universities like MIT and Stanford first opened up free online courses to the public. Today, more than 850 schools around the world have created thousands of free online courses, popularly known as Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs.

I’ve compiled this list of 550 such free online courses that you can start in March. For this, I leveraged Class Central’s database of over 11,000 online courses. I’ve also included each course’s average rating.

_[Class Central](https://www.class-central.com/" rel="noopener" target="blank" title=")’s home page.

I’ve sorted these courses into the following categories based on their difficulty level:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Courses that are being offered for the first time are marked as [NEW].

Many of these courses are completely self-paced. The rest will start at various times later in March. You can find complete lists of the technology-related courses starting later in 2019 on Class Central’s Computer Science, Data Science, and Programming subject pages.

I understand this a long list and might be daunting for learners new to programming. In that case, you might find David Venturi’s recommendations for the best Data Science online courses useful — even if you’re not looking to learn Data Science. I hope to create more of these guides in the future.

And finally if you have trouble figuring out how to signup for Coursera courses for free, don’t worry — I’ve written an article on how to do that, too.

Beginner (153)

• An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★★(2909)
• Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(99)
• Learn to Program: The Fundamentals from University of Toronto ★★★★★(86)
• Intro to Computer Science from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(61)
• CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University ★★★★★(53)
• An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 2) from Rice University ★★★★★(45)
• Introduction to Linux from Linux Foundation ★★★★☆(34)
• How to Use Git and GitHub
• [New] Hacker Tools from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] Основы проектирования приложений интернета вещей from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• [New] Introducción a la programación con Python from Universidad Austral
• Intro to HTML and CSS
• Introduction to VBA/Excel Programming from Cal Poly Pomona ★★★★☆(21)
• Introduction to Cyber Security from The Open University ★★★★☆(18)
• JavaScript Basics
• Programming Basics from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay ★★☆☆☆(13)
• Computer Science 101 from Stanford University ★★★★☆(11)
• Creative Programming for Digital Media & Mobile Apps from University of London International Programmes ★★★★☆(10)
• Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS from Duke University ★★★★☆(9)
• HTML5 Coding Essentials and Best Practices from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★★☆(9)
• Programming Foundations with Python
• Introduction to Computer Networking from Stanford University ★★★★★(8)
• Usable Security from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★☆☆(8)
• Introduction to Bootstrap — A Tutorial from Microsoft ★★★☆☆(8)
• Learn to Program: Crafting Quality Code from University of Toronto ★★★★★(6)
• Intro to Relational Databases
• Paradigms of Computer Programming — Fundamentals from Université catholique de Louvain ★★★★★(4)
• Paradigms of Computer Programming — Abstraction and Concurrency from Université catholique de Louvain ★★★★☆(4)
• Introduction to jQuery from Microsoft ★★★★☆(4)
• Programming in Scratch from Harvey Mudd College ★★★★★(4)
• Introduction to Java Programming — Part 1 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ★★★★☆(3)
• Introduction to Java Programming: Starting to code in Java from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid ★★★★☆(3)
• Introduction to Programming for the Visual Arts with p5.js from University of California, Los Angeles ★★★★☆(3)
• HTML5 and CSS Fundamentals from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★★☆(3)
• Linux Command Line Basics
• The Beauty and Joy of Computing — AP® CS Principles Part 1 from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(2)
• Object-Oriented Programming from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay ★★★★☆(2)
• The Computing Technology Inside Your Smartphone from Cornell University ★★★★★(2)
• Introduction to HTML and JavaScript from Microsoft ★★★★★(2)
• Think. Create. Code from University of Adelaide ★★★★★(2)
• CS For All: Introduction to Computer Science and Python Programming from Harvey Mudd College ★★★★★(2)
• Programando con Java para aplicaciones Android from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México ★★★★★(1)
• Android Basics: Make Your First App from Google ★★★★★(1)
• Computing: Art, Magic, Science from ETH Zurich ★★★★☆(1)
• MyCS: Computer Science for Beginners from Harvey Mudd College ★★★☆☆(1)
• CS50’s Introduction to Game Development from Harvard University
• CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals from Harvard University
• CS50’s Understanding Technology from Harvard University
• CS50’s AP® Computer Science Principles from Harvard University
• CS50’s Mobile App Development with React Native from Harvard University
• CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript from Harvard University
• Principles of Computing from Stanford University
• The Beauty and Joy of Computing — AP® CS Principles Part 2 from University of California, Berkeley
• Computational Thinking for Problem Solving from University of Pennsylvania
• Programming for the Web with JavaScript from University of Pennsylvania
• Python Basics from University of Michigan
• Python Functions, Files, and Dictionaries from University of Michigan
• Data Collection and Processing with Python from University of Michigan
• Programming Fundamentals from Duke University
• Interacting with the System and Managing Memory from Duke University
• Computing in Python III: Data Structures from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Computing in Python II: Control Structures from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Computing in Python IV: Objects & Algorithms from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Computing in Python I: Fundamentals and Procedural Programming from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Introduction to Computing using Python from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Introduction to Cybersecurity from University of Washington
• Python Data Representations from Rice University
• Python Programming Essentials from Rice University
• How Computers Work from University of London International Programmes
• Introduction to Computer Programming from University of London International Programmes
• Software Engineering: Introduction from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Simple Data from The University of British Columbia
• Introduction to Web Development from University of California, Davis
• Введение в базы данных from St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University
• Введение в программирование (C++) from Higher School of Economics
• Web Design: Strategy and Information Architecture from California Institute of the Arts
• Web Development and Design using Wordpress from California Institute of the Arts
• Introduction to Java Programming — Part 2 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Cyber Security Economics from Delft University of Technology
• Scratch: Programmeren voor kinderen (8+) from Delft University of Technology
• Excel/VBA for Creative Problem Solving, Part 3 (Projects) from University of Colorado Boulder
• Web Coding Fundamentals: HTML, CSS and Javascript from National University of Singapore
• Introducción a Java from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Java Fundamentals for Android Development from Galileo University
• Monetize your Android Applications from Galileo University
• Android App Development for Beginners from Galileo University
• AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Loops and Data Structures from Purdue University
• AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Classes and Objects from Purdue University
• AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Polymorphism and Advanced Data Structures from Purdue University
• Introduction to TCP/IP from Yonsei University
• Introduction to Java Programming: Writing Good Code from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Introducción a la programación en Java: empezando a programar from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Introducción a la programación en Java: estructuras de datos y algoritmos from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Cyber Security Basics: A Hands-on Approach from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Introduzione a LaTeX from University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
• Blockchain 360: A State of the Art for Professionals from EIT Digital
• Mobile Web Development from Google
• Technical Support Fundamentals from Google
• Web Accessibility from Google
• Logic and Computational Thinking from Microsoft
• CSS Basics from Microsoft
• Introduction to NodeJS from Microsoft
• Introduction to ReactJS from Microsoft
• Object Oriented Programming in Java from Microsoft
• Writing Professional Code from Microsoft
• Introduction to Python: Fundamentals from Microsoft
• Learn to Program in Java from Microsoft
• Introduction to Python: Absolute Beginner from Microsoft
• Introduction to Design Thinking from Microsoft
• How Entrepreneurs in Emerging Markets can master the Blockchain Technology from University of Cape Town
• C Programming: Modular Programming and Memory Management from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Pointers and Memory Management from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Getting Started from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Language Foundations from Institut Mines-Télécom
• C Programming: Advanced Data Types from Dartmouth
• Linux Basics: The Command Line Interface from Dartmouth
• C Programming: Using Linux Tools and Libraries from Dartmouth
• Computing: Art, Magic, Science — Part II from ETH Zurich
• Learn to Program Using Python from University of Texas Arlington
• Blockchain: Understanding Its Uses and Implications from Linux Foundation
• Introduction to Programming Using Python from University of Texas Arlington
• Introduction to Open Source Networking Technologies from Linux Foundation
• Introducción a la programación en C: Instrucciones de control y ficheros de texto from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
• Mobile Computing with App Inventor — CS Principles from The University of Warwick
• Introduction to the Internet of Things (IoT) from Curtin University
• Software Engineering Essentials from Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich)
• Web Security Fundamentals from KU Leuven University
• Arduino Programming, from novice to ninja from Institut Mines-Télécom
• Video Game Design and Balance from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Introducción a la programación en Python I: Aprendiendo a programar con Python from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
• Introdução à Ciência da Computação com Python Parte 1 from Universidade de São Paulo
• Introdução à Ciência da Computação com Python Parte 2 from Universidade de São Paulo
• Programación Orientada a Objetos from MéxicoX
• Cyber Security for Small and Medium Enterprises: Identifying Threats and Preventing Attacks from Deakin University
• Computing Form and Shape: Python Programming with the Rhinoscript Library from Rhode Island School of Design
• JavaScript Introduction from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
• JavaScript and the DOM
• Web Applications for Everybody
• Learn Swift Programming Syntax
• Elements of AI from University of Helsinki
• Version Control with Git from Atlassian
• Java Programming Basics
• Android for Beginners
• Python for Everybody — Exploring Information
• Introduction to Virtual Reality
• Swift for Beginners
• Intro to JavaScript
• HTTP & Web Servers
• Version Control with Git
• GitHub & Collaboration
• ES6 — JavaScript Improved
• Introduction to Python Programming
• Object-Oriented JavaScript

Intermediate (297)

• Algorithms, Part I from Princeton University ★★★★☆(48)
• Cryptography I from Stanford University ★★★★★(45)
• CS188.1x: Artificial Intelligence from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(30)
• Principles of Computing (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★★(26)
• [New] Cybersecurity and Privacy in the IoT from Curtin University
• [New] IoT System Architecture: Design and Evaluation from Waseda University
• [New] Desarrollo de Aplicaciones Mobile Multiplataforma con Nativescript, Angular y Redux from Universidad Austral
• Software Security from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★★(22)
• Algorithms, Part II from Princeton University ★★★★★(21)
• Agile Development Using Ruby on Rails — The Basics from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(19)
• Automata Theory from Stanford University ★★★★☆(17)
• Programming Languages, Part A from University of Washington ★★★★★(17)
• C++ For C Programmers, Part A from University of California, Santa Cruz ★★★☆☆(16)
• Principles of Computing (Part 2) from Rice University ★★★★☆(15)
• The Nature of Code from Processing Foundation ★★★★★(15)
• Algorithmic Thinking (Part 1) from Rice University ★★★★☆(14)
• Design of Computer Programs from Stanford University ★★★★☆(13)
• Intro to Machine Learning from Stanford University ★★★★☆(12)
• Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne ★★★★☆(12)
• Responsive Web Design from University of London International Programmes ★★★☆☆(11)
• Introduction to Game Development from Michigan State University ★★★★☆(11)
• Introduction to Functional Programming from Delft University of Technology ★★★★☆(11)
• Object-Oriented JavaScript from Hack Reactor ★★★★★(11)
• Android Development for Beginners from Google ★★★★☆(10)
• Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software from Duke University ★★★☆☆(9)
• Algorithmic Thinking (Part 2) from Rice University ★★★★☆(9)
• Programming Languages from University of Virginia ★★★☆☆(9)
• Image and Video Processing: From Mars to Hollywood with a Stop at the Hospital from Duke University ★★★★☆(8)
• Cryptography from University of Maryland, College Park ★★★★☆(8)
• Cloud Computing Applications, Part 1: Cloud Systems and Infrastructure from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★☆☆(7)
• Software Testing from University of Utah ★★★★☆(7)
• Internet of Things: How did we get here? from University of California, San Diego ★★☆☆☆(6)
• Introduction To Swift Programming from University of Toronto ★☆☆☆☆(6)
• Learning from Data (Introductory Machine Learning course) from California Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(6)
• Responsive Web Design Fundamentals from Google ★★★★☆(6)
• Intro to AJAX
• Computer Graphics from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★☆(5)
• Agile Development Using Ruby on Rails — Advanced from University of California, Berkeley ★★★★★(5)
• Cloud Computing Concepts: Part 2 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★★(5)
• Introduction to Meteor.js Development from University of London International Programmes ★★★★★(5)
• How to Code: Systematic Program Design — Part 1 from The University of British Columbia ★★★★☆(5)
• Developing Android Apps from Google ★★★★☆(5)
• Julia Scientific Programming from University of Cape Town ★★★★★(5)
• Data Wrangling with MongoDB from MongoDB University ★★★★☆(5)
• Intro to DevOps from Nutanix ★★★☆☆(5)
• Intro to iOS App Development with Swift
• Parallel Programming Concepts
• Computer Architecture from Princeton University ★★★★★(4)
• Computer Networking from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(4)
• Software Development Process from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★☆☆(4)
• Website Performance Optimization from Google ★★★★☆(4)
• HTML5 Game Development from Google ★★★☆☆(4)
• Introduction to C++ from Microsoft ★★★★☆(4)
• Practical Numerical Methods with Python from George Washington University ★★★★☆(4)
• Database Management Essentials from University of Colorado System ★★★★☆(4)
• Interactive Computer Graphics from The University of Tokyo ★★☆☆☆(4)
• Software Debugging from Saarland University ★★★★★(4)
• Software Construction in Java from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(3)
• Java Programming: Arrays, Lists, and Structured Data from Duke University ★★★★☆(3)
• VLSI CAD Part I: Logic from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ★★★★★(3)
• Internet of Things: Setting Up Your DragonBoard™ Development Platform from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(3)
• DevOps for Developers: How to Get Started from Microsoft ★★★★☆(3)
• Querying Data with Transact-SQL from Microsoft ★★★★☆(3)
• Autonomous Mobile Robots from ETH Zurich ★★★☆☆(3)
• Intro to Algorithms
• Intro to jQuery
• JavaScript Design Patterns
• Compilers from Stanford University ★★★★☆(2)
• Mobile Application Experiences Part 1: From a Domain to an App Idea from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(2)
• Internet of Things: Communication Technologies from University of California, San Diego ★★★☆☆(2)
• iOS App Development Basics from University of Toronto ★★★★☆(2)
• Introduction to Mobile Application Development using Android from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ★★★★☆(2)
• UX Design for Mobile Developers from Google ★★★★★(2)
• Browser Rendering Optimization from Google ★★★★☆(2)
• Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Power BI from Microsoft ★★★★★(2)
• Developing International Software, Part 1 from Microsoft ★★★★☆(2)
• Agile Software Development from ETH Zurich ★★★★★(2)
• JavaScript Testing
• Configuring Linux Web Servers
• Full Stack Foundations
• Machine Learning: Unsupervised Learning from Brown University ★★★★☆(1)
• Software Architecture & Design from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Responsive Website Tutorial and Examples from University of London International Programmes ★★★★★(1)
• MATLAB and Octave for Beginners from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne ★☆☆☆☆(1)
• Web Application Development: Basic Concepts from University of New Mexico ★★★★☆(1)
• Android: Introducción a la Programación from Universitat Politècnica de València ★★★★☆(1)
• Algorithms from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay ★★★★★(1)
• Developing Scalable Apps in Java from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Developing Scalable Apps in Python from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Android Basics: Multiscreen Apps from Google ★★★★☆(1)
• Gradle for Android and Java from Google ★★★★★(1)
• JavaScript Promises from Google ★★★★★(1)
• Principles of Machine Learning from Microsoft ★★★★★(1)
• A developer’s guide to the Internet of Things (IoT) from IBM ★★★★☆(1)
• HTML5 Apps and Games from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) ★★★☆☆(1)
• Technical Interview from Pramp ★★★★★(1)
• Intro to Theoretical Computer Science
• Networking for Web Developers
• Using Python for Research from Harvard University
• Algorithms: Design and Analysis from Stanford University
• Shortest Paths Revisited, NP-Complete Problems and What To Do About Them from Stanford University
• Language, Proof and Logic from Stanford University
• Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 2 from Stanford University
• Mobile Application Experiences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Advanced Software Construction in Java from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Computation Structures 2: Computer Architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Mobile Application Experiences Part 3: Building Mobile Apps from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Foundations of Data Science: Prediction and Machine Learning from University of California, Berkeley
• Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies from University of California, Berkeley
• Blockchain Technology from University of California, Berkeley
• Algorithm Design and Analysis from University of Pennsylvania
• Data Structures and Software Design from University of Pennsylvania
• Software Development Fundamentals from University of Pennsylvania
• Introduction to Neurohacking In R from Johns Hopkins University
• Understanding and Visualizing Data with Python from University of Michigan
• Writing, Running, and Fixing Code in C from Duke University
• Introduction to Machine Learning from Duke University
• Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines from Princeton University
• Software Analysis & Testing from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Database Systems Concepts and Design from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Database Systems Concepts & Design from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Introduction to Graduate Algorithms from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Animation and CGI Motion from Columbia University
• Minecraft, Coding and Teaching from University of California, San Diego
• Internet of Things: Sensing and Actuation From Devices from University of California, San Diego
• How Virtual Reality Works from University of California, San Diego
• Data Structures Fundamentals from University of California, San Diego
• Creating Virtual Reality (VR) Apps from University of California, San Diego
• Algorithmic Design and Techniques from University of California, San Diego
• Machine Learning Fundamentals from University of California, San Diego
• Graph Algorithms from University of California, San Diego
• String Processing and Pattern Matching Algorithms from University of California, San Diego
• Data Structures: An Active Learning Approach from University of California, San Diego
• Cybersecurity: The CISO’s View from University of Washington
• Building a Cybersecurity Toolkit from University of Washington
• Finding your Cybersecurity Career Path from University of Washington
• Programming Languages, Part C from University of Washington
• Mathematics for Computer Science from University of London International Programmes
• Smart Contracts from University at Buffalo
• Blockchain Basics from University at Buffalo
• Decentralized Applications (Dapps) from University at Buffalo
• Blockchain Platforms from University at Buffalo
• 面向对象技术高级课程（The Advanced Object-Oriented Technology） from Peking University
• 算法设计与分析 Design and Analysis of Algorithms from Peking University
• Software Construction: Object-Oriented Design from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Systematic Program Design — Part 3 from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Complex Data from The University of British Columbia
• How to Code: Systematic Program Design — Part 2 from The University of British Columbia
• Software Construction: Data Abstraction from The University of British Columbia
• Testing with Agile from University of Virginia
• Running Product Design Sprints from University of Virginia
• SQL for Data Science from University of California, Davis
• LAFF — On Programming for Correctness from The University of Texas at Austin
• Документы и презентации в LaTeX (Introduction to LaTeX) from Higher School of Economics
• Android App Components — Intents, Activities, and Broadcast Receivers from Vanderbilt University
• Java for Android from Vanderbilt University
• Android App Components — Services, Local IPC, and Content Providers from Vanderbilt University
• Multiplatform Mobile App Development with React Native from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Multiplatform Mobile App Development with Web Technologies: Ionic and Cordova from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Developing Android Apps with App Inventor from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Front-End Web Development with React from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Front-End JavaScript Frameworks: Angular from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Multiplatform Mobile App Development with NativeScript from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Server-side Development with NodeJS, Express and MongoDB from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Front-End Web UI Frameworks and Tools: Bootstrap 4 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Automated Software Testing: Practical Skills for Java Developers from Delft University of Technology
• Global Software Development from Delft University of Technology
• Automated Software Testing: Advanced Skills for Java Developers from Delft University of Technology
• Основы разработки на C++: жёлтый пояс from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Быстрый старт в разработке Android-приложений from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Building Arduino robots and devices from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Разработка веб-сервисов на Golang, часть 2 from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• Введение в iOS-разработку from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
• 用 Python 做商管程式設計（一）(Programming for Business Computing in Python (1)) from National Taiwan University
• Foundations of Data Structures from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Implementation of Data Structures from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Professional Android App Development from Galileo University
• Сетевое администрирование: от теории к практике from Tsinghua University
• Enterprise Software Lifecycle Management from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
• Использование механизмов операционных систем в разработке программного обеспечения from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
• The Software Architect Code: Building the Digital World from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Introduction to Java Programming: Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms from Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid
• Service-Oriented Architecture from University of Alberta
• Software Architecture from University of Alberta
• Design Patterns from University of Alberta
• Object-Oriented Design from University of Alberta
• Architecting Smart IoT Devices from EIT Digital
• Introduction to Architecting Smart IoT Devices from EIT Digital
• Web Connectivity and Security in Embedded Systems from EIT Digital
• Firebase Essentials For Android from Google
• Advanced Android App Development from Google
• Offline Web Applications from Google
• Android Performance from Google
• Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals for AWS Professionals from Google Cloud
• Material Design for Android Developers from Google
• Intro to Progressive Web Apps from Google
• Developing Android Apps with Kotlin from Google
• VR Software Development from Google
• Google Maps APIs from Google
• Android Basics: Networking from Google
• Client-Server Communication from Google
• Data Structures & Algorithms in Python from Google
• Scalable Microservices with Kubernetes from Google
• Android Basics: Button Clicks from Google
• Android Basics: User Interface from Google
• Android Basics: User Input from Google
• Optimizing Performance for SQL Based Applications from Microsoft
• Designing Data Platform Solutions from Microsoft
• Application Design Considerations: An Inclusive Approach from Microsoft
• Implementing In-Memory SQL Database Objects from Microsoft
• Advanced CSS Concepts from Microsoft
• Asynchronous Programming with Javascript from Microsoft
• Creating Programmatic SQL Database Objects from Microsoft
• AngularJS: Advanced Framework Techniques from Microsoft
• AngularJS: Framework Fundamentals from Microsoft
• Intermediate C++ from Microsoft
• Developing Intelligent Apps and Bots from Microsoft
• Developing SQL Databases from Microsoft
• Applied Machine Learning from Microsoft
• Building Functional Prototypes using Node.js from Microsoft
• Algorithms and Data Structures in C# from Microsoft
• Introduction to C# from Microsoft
• Algorithms and Data Structures from Microsoft
• Building Interactive Prototypes using JavaScript from Microsoft
• Introduction to TypeScript 2 from Microsoft
• Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: Nand to Tetris Part II (project-centered course) from Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Programmation iOS (partie II) from Sorbonne Universités
• Programmation iOS (partie I) from Sorbonne Universités
• Programmation Concurrente (avec Java) from Sorbonne Universités
• Introduction to Data Structures from University of Adelaide
• C++ For C Programmers, Part B from University of California, Santa Cruz
• Fundamentals of Machine Learning from Santa Fe Institute
• Introduction to Computation Theory from Santa Fe Institute
• Software Requirements Prioritization: Risk Analysis from University of Colorado System
• Cloud Computing Security from University of Colorado System
• Requirements Specifications: Goals and Conflict Analysis from University of Colorado System
• SRS Documents: Requirements and Diagrammatic Notations from University of Colorado System
• Requirements Gathering for Secure Software Development from University of Colorado System
• Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection — It’s Not About the Terrorists from University of Colorado System
• Requirements Elicitation: Artifact and Stakeholder Analysis from University of Colorado System
• Linux Server Management and Security from University of Colorado System
• Introduction to Web Cartography: Part 1 from ETH Zurich
• Introduction to DevOps: Transforming and Improving Operations from Linux Foundation
• 2D Game Development with libGDX from Amazon
• Machine Learning for Musicians and Artists from Goldsmiths, University of London
• Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies from Linux Foundation
• Introduction to Kubernetes from Linux Foundation
• Mobile Design and Usability for iOS from Facebook
• Web App Development with the Power of Node.js from Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich)
• Mobile Design and Usability for Android from Facebook
• Computer Forensics from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Guided Tour of Machine Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Advanced Algorithmics and Graph Theory with Python from Institut Mines-Télécom
• Network Security from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Cybersecurity Risk Management from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Fundamentals of Machine Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Overview of Advanced Methods of Reinforcement Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Cybersecurity Fundamentals from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Teamwork & Collaboration from Rochester Institute of Technology
• UML Class Diagrams for Software Engineering from KU Leuven University
• A Developer’s guide to Node-RED from IBM
• Gameplay Programming for Video Game Designers from Rochester Institute of Technology
• Introdução ao Teste de Software from Universidade de São Paulo
• Programming for Everyone — An Introduction to Visual Programming Languages from Weizmann Institute of Science
• Concurrency from AdaCore University
• How to Win Coding Competitions: Secrets of Champions from ITMO University
• Cloud Computing Management from University System of Maryland
• Cloud Computing Infrastructure from University System of Maryland
• Software Testing Management from University System of Maryland
• Cloud Computing for Enterprises from University System of Maryland
• Software Testing Fundamentals from University System of Maryland
• Formal Software Verification from University System of Maryland
• Hacker101 from HackerOne
• VR Scenes and Objects
• Dynamic Web Applications with Sinatra
• The MVC Pattern in Ruby
• Deploying Applications with Heroku
• Android Basics: Data Storage
• SQL for Data Analysis
• Learn Backbone.js
• Introduction: Elements of Microgame Design from Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• How to Make an iOS App
• An Introduction to Practical Deep Learning from Intel
• UIKit Fundamentals
• How to create in Android
• Designing RESTful APIs
• Swift for Developers
• Fundamentals of Containers, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift from Red Hat
• Building iOS Interfaces
• iOS Networking with Swift
• iOS Design Patterns
• Developing Android Apps
• VR Design
• iOS Persistence and Core Data
• Fundamentals of Red Hat Enterprise Linux from Red Hat
• C++ For Programmers
• VR Platforms & Applications

Advanced (99)

• [New] State Estimation and Localization for Self-Driving Cars from University of Toronto
• Machine Learning for Data Science and Analytics from Columbia University ★★★☆☆(15)
• Intro to Deep Learning from Google ★★☆☆☆(13)
• Creative Applications of Deep Learning with TensorFlow
• Machine Learning for Trading from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★☆☆(11)
• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence from Stanford University ★★★★★(9)
• Computational Neuroscience from University of Washington ★★★★☆(8)
• Reinforcement Learning from Brown University ★★☆☆☆(6)
• Intro to Parallel Programming from Nvidia ★★★★☆(6)
• Advanced Operating Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(5)
• Introduction to Computer Vision from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(5)
• Enabling Technologies for Data Science and Analytics: The Internet of Things from Columbia University ★☆☆☆☆(5)
• Interactive 3D Graphics from Autodesk ★★★★★(5)
• Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(4)
• Applied Cryptography from University of Virginia ★★★★☆(4)
• Introduction to Computer Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University ★★★★★(4)
• Probabilistic Graphical Models 2: Inference from Stanford University ★★★★☆(3)
• Regression Modeling in Practice from Wesleyan University ★★★★☆(3)
• Quantitative Formal Modeling and Worst-Case Performance Analysis from EIT Digital ★★★☆☆(3)
• Computability, Complexity & Algorithms from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Introduction to Operating Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Computational Photography from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★☆(1)
• High Performance Computer Architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Columbia University ★☆☆☆☆(1)
• Practical Deep Learning For Coders, Part 1 from fast.ai ★★★★★(1)
• Convolutional Neural Networks from deeplearning.ai
• Real-Time Audio Signal Processing in Faust from Stanford University
• 6.S191: Introduction to Deep Learning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 6.S094: Deep Learning for Self-Driving Cars from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Computation Structures 3: Computer Organization from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Applied Machine Learning in Python from University of Michigan
• Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Machine Learning from Georgia Institute of Technology
• High Performance Computing from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Compilers: Theory and Practice from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Network Security from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Cyber-Physical Systems Security from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Artificial Intelligence from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Intro to Information Security from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Knowledge-Based AI: Cognitive Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology
• GT — Refresher — Advanced OS from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Cyber-Physical Systems Design & Analysis from Georgia Institute of Technology
• Machine Learning from Columbia University
• Advanced Machine Learning from The Open University
• NP-Complete Problems from University of California, San Diego
• Information Security: Context and Introduction from University of London International Programmes
• Basic Modeling for Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne
• Advanced Modeling for Discrete Optimization from University of Melbourne
• Nature, in Code: Biology in JavaScript from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• MATLAB et Octave pour débutants from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Методы и средства защиты информации from Higher School of Economics
• Менеджмент информационной безопасности from Higher School of Economics
• Practical Reinforcement Learning from Higher School of Economics
• Обработка изображений from Higher School of Economics
• Addressing Large Hadron Collider Challenges by Machine Learning from Higher School of Economics
• Python and Statistics for Financial Analysis from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Embedded Software and Hardware Architecture from University of Colorado Boulder
• Modeling and Debugging Embedded Systems from University of Colorado Boulder
• Razonamiento artificial from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• 人工智慧：搜尋方法與邏輯推論 (Artificial Intelligence — Search & Logic) from National Taiwan University
• 大数据机器学习|Big Data Machine Learning from Tsinghua University
• System Validation (4): Modelling Software, Protocols, and other behaviour from EIT Digital
• Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems from EIT Digital
• System Validation (2): Model process behaviour from EIT Digital
• Approximation Algorithms from EIT Digital
• System Validation: Automata and behavioural equivalences from EIT Digital
• Learn TensorFlow and deep learning, without a Ph.D. from Google
• Machine Learning Crash Course with TensorFlow APIs from Google
• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Microsoft
• Advanced C++ from Microsoft
• Deep Learning Explained from Microsoft
• DevOps Practices and Principles from Microsoft
• Infrastructure as Code from Microsoft
• DevOps for Databases from Microsoft
• DevOps Testing from Microsoft
• Sparse Representations in Signal and Image Processing: Fundamentals from Technion — Israel Institute of Technology
• Sparse Representations in Image Processing: From Theory to Practice from Technion — Israel Institute of Technology
• Statistical Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University
• Blockchain for Business — An Introduction to Hyperledger Technologies from Linux Foundation
• Introduction to OpenStack from Linux Foundation
• Introduction to Cloud Foundry and Cloud Native Software Architecture from Linux Foundation
• Mathematics for Machine Learning: Multivariate Calculus from Imperial College London
• Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra from Imperial College London
• Mathematics for Machine Learning: PCA from Imperial College London
• Reliable Distributed Algorithms, Part 2 from KTH Royal Institute of Technology
• Computer System Design: Advanced Concepts of Modern Microprocessors from Chalmers University of Technology
• Deep Learning with Python and PyTorch from IBM
• Deep Learning with Tensorflow from IBM
• Reinforcement Learning in Finance from New York University (NYU)
• Deep Learning for Natural Language Processing from University of Oxford
• Cutting Edge Deep Learning For Coders, Part 2 from fast.ai
• Cloud Computing Security from University System of Maryland
• Deep Learning Summer School
• Networks and Communications Security from (ISC)²
• Continuous Integration and Deployment
• Security Operations and Administration from (ISC)²
• Access Controls from (ISC)²
• Identifying, Monitoring, and Analyzing Risk and Incident Response and Recovery from (ISC)²
• Systems and Application Security from (ISC)²