Venturing into the world of full stack web development (Part 1)

 It's no secret that the world has shifted to almost total or partial reliance on technology in nearly every facet and aspect of its daily operations. There is literally no aspect of life that does not depend on technology. This has, consequently, given rise to the need for individuals with tech skills. And although having a career in tech doesn't necessarily require one to be a programmer or write code, for those who love logical thinking, writing code is more of a passion than an occupation.

As a junior full-stack developer, I will provide you with a few key pointers into this field. If you want to delve into this field of endeavor, I hope this piece, in all its parts, will give you an insight into what you're about to embark on and help you reach your goals faster while avoiding the mistakes I've made. This is just the introductory part, so I'll keep it short. However, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have figured out the following:

·        What full-stack web development means

·        What to learn

·        How to learn it

·        Where to learn it

Note that this will be achieved in parts, so do read every installment. Each part will handle crucial questions. This article is mainly directed towards those interested in coding, although much of the discussion will also cover non-coding aspects of technology. So, let's get started!

 

The Ever-Evolving Tech World

The first and most important thing you need to know about the tech world is that it is constantly evolving. The minute you stop learning, you quickly become obsolete. This means that your value is based on the new things you know. This field is not like Nigerian companies like banks, where what matters is your degree, qualifications, and age. No! This field is all about what you know, how well you know it, whether you can apply it, and how successfully you have applied it. Basically, all it cares about is what you can bring to the table and the value you contribute. No one cares how old you are.

A young Nigerian boy whose parents were upset at how obsessed he was with programming was thought to be crazy until a German company hired him and flew him abroad to become the head of their blockchain development team. This boy was just 17 years old at the time, but the company didn't care. All that mattered were his skills and what he could offer them. Right now, this boy earns hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, and he's not even 20 years old. That's the tech world for you. It's also important to note that as long as you are ready to learn, you are never too old. Even if you are 60 years old and willing to learn, you have a chance in tech.

This tech journey is one where you keep learning to stay relevant and valuable to both your employers and yourself. So, when you write your first code or complete your first webpage and it works exactly as intended, the next thing to do is to continue learning and researching the next thing you'll learn. That will be your life for as long as you choose tech.

Programming: More Thinking, Less Coding

The second thing to note about tech is that, unlike what you see in movies, programming is actually 80% thinking and 20% actual coding. It takes time to write or develop a program only because the thought process takes a lot, and that is the main reason why many people run away from coding due to the sheer amount of thinking and planning involved. You have to think about how to make the computer do what you want it to do using the features available to you.

For instance, creating a simple login page shouldn't take up to 20 minutes to write the code. However, the thought you need to put into the login, from the design (front-end, using HTML and CSS) to the back-end, the database, and how to connect them, what should be used as email, how to protect your database table from SQL injection, handling and hashing your password, and even matching the input from the user to the record in the database—it's a lot of process. Although, because login is a crucial part of any website, the login process has been made very easy and straightforward. This just goes to show that programming is for thinkers.

Full Stack Web Development: Possible, Rewarding, and Lucrative

The third thing you need to know is that becoming a full-stack web developer, or even a back-end or front-end engineer, is possible and easier than you think. Most importantly, it is very satisfying and financially lucrative. Basically, you can make a lot of $$$!

For those who have chosen this field, I say welcome and for those still seating on the fence, I suggest you cross over because the earlier the better.