Self Taught Programmer [6.7.2021, post.1]

I've stuck my toes in the web dev water for about a year while working other jobs, producing music etc etc. Obviously, commitment is needed to really master programming. Initially started posting this weekly to Reddit, but recently found this community.

My goal is to earn one certification from freeCodeCamp every 2 weeks. I will be going through each challenge extensively, posting questions here as well. I may adjust that time frame moving forward, but two weeks seems like enough time to build multiple projects per section, add them to a portfolio, etc. Also, currently working 60 hrs/week at my current non-dev job, but able to work on programming during the day / work breaks.

So - 1 section every 2 weeks puts me at about 22 weeks with the interview prep. We'll call it 24 weeks, so 6 months. My goal is to be interview-ready in 6 months. I've completed the Responsive Web Design cert and am halfway though JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures cert (having some previous knowledge it took a few days).

Development wise - I've scratched the surface with Angular / python / Node / Git using VS code, but really wanted to start from the beginning. I was just about as lost as you can imagine without the fundamentals. I've been producing music for about 5 years with Ableton / Logic, so learning Unity with C# felt like a natural progression.

This post is to serve as the beginning of my self-taught journey. I've looked into bootcamps but I am challenging myself to put the pieces together, save money and land a job using free and relatively inexpensive resources. This is also for anyone searching the internet looking to start from the ground up. I hope this journal helps us both.

I'm not sure where this will lead but I am hoping to stay consistent by posting weekly to add some accountability and chat with others in the same boat. Hopefully the mods allow it, I didn't see any rules about it. This isn't meant to be self-promotion but rather to start communicating frequently with other developers and beginners who may need motivation to start.

Weekly Questions:

Having trouble committing to a portfolio design. Is that something you started building as you were learning?

What were/are some of your favorite resources?

How could I improve this weekly journal?

Weekly goals;

Finish the JavaScript section on freeCodeCamp

Launch a template portfolio with Angular / Node.JS / VS Code

Add projects from FCC to portfolio with thumbnails, html, CSS and JS.

Resources and current practice items - week 1

  • https://javascript.info/

  • html exercises on w3

  • css exercises on w3

  • JavaScript exercises on edabit

  • dribbble for design ideas

  • angular

  • node

  • pluralsight

Thank you to everyone who will be answering questions along the way. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, concerns, helpful resources, just to chat, whatever. Again, goal is to be interview ready in 6 months, hopeful to make it happen.

Looking forward to starting this weekly journal

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Tags:

Devjournal