If you follow me on Twitter or read my 2023 goals blog, you’ll have seen I planned on doing a Front-End Developer course this year. I already enjoy designing websites and app front ends, but I have had to rely on no-code solutions to make them a reality.
To date, that’s meant a heavy reliance on WordPress (what this site is built with) and that’s, great for 90% of solutions. It’s easy to use, users with no experience can jump in and make changes themselves and it’s cheap. It could even be free if you really needed to be.
BUT, I have unwittingly wandered into the final 10% where WordPress doesn’t quite cut it. Or at least, it COULD but it would be so much extra work it makes no sense.
As I have very little experience with code, last week I started the Front-End Engineer career path on Codecademy. It has mixed reviews, but I haven’t quite decided on which University course to do and until then, this will do perfectly. It’s cheap and easily accessible, plus it will get me into the habit of learning again.
Much like an actual college course, I have set aside 12 hours a week to chip away at the course material. Depending how it goes I may be able to spend more time on it, but at 12 hours a week, it should take ~6 months.
So why blog about it?
Good question. Primarily because I think by writing about what I’m doing, it will help further engrain what I’m learning. As I take notes throughout the course, I will turn those notes into blog posts. That will help me organise what I learn in a forever available format and if it helps just ONE other person, amazing.
A secondary benefit which, in my head makes sense, is that it will serve as some type of CV/Portfolio going forward. It’s likely to be the case that this won’t be suitable for that – but its a side benefit. A trophy you accidentally collect on a mission in GTA on the way to complete story mode. Cool if you get it, if you don’t it doesn’t really matter.
Lastly, I just want to blog more. This is going to be a big part of my life for the next 6/12/18 months.