Staring at a screen all day does take a toll on you.
There might be a framework that you want to learn or a library youve been interested in.
It doesnt even have to be related to your job.
Doing personal projects will make you a better developer and here are a few ways how.
It doesnt matter if its pretty or not because its just you playing around.
You might want to start working with VR and you just want your little app to run.
The code can be as ugly as you want and no one else will ever know.
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You start to think and see things differently.
Plus you get to try different things in the process.
You could start learning a new framework and realize that you dont like it and stop immediately.
There arent any consequences in your personal projects.
That means youll learn about software architecture because youll have to set up the structure of the project.
Personal projects give you insight on every stage of the development process.
Youll even have to decide which hosting service you want to use and what kind of resources you need.
This is one of the best ways to get exposure to a broad range of skills.
you’re free to let your mind wander
Programming is very much like an art.
There are numerous ways to accomplish the same task.
Now you get to try as many as you like.
With personal projects, you dont have to follow the same patterns that you use at work.
you’re free to mix it up and try as many different things as you want.
Try functional programming if you havent had a chance.
This is also the time you could work on your million dollar idea.
If you have a thing you wish somebody would make, do it yourself.
You might not actually make a million dollars, but you will have fixed a problem you had.
Just have fun with it!
How to pick a project
Sometimes its hard to settle on an idea for a project.
This will get your brain pumping and eventually youll come up with something youd rather do.
The key isnt coming up with a great idea.
The key is to get started on something.
Or you might realize that you dont want to make this replica anymore and you start on something else.
The purpose of replicating an existing app isnt to really make the replica.
The purpose is to get you started on something so that youll find what you really want to do.
Doing something is better than doing nothing.
Dont lose that whimsy you once had for code.
You have to keep it alive!
Whats a cool personal project youve made?
I need to stop finding things to play with.
She will venture to make anything with JavaScript first.
