The First Tool I Built at PyGen Labs: Lessons & Mistakes

Introduction

Building something from scratch is exciting, but it’s also full of surprises. When I started working on ProjXs, I had no idea how much I’d learn—both from success and mistakes. At the time, I was balancing my studies at DMVS and my startup ambitions, all while working with limited resources. What began as a simple idea turned into my first real app, and it’s been a journey of growth and self-discovery.

What is ProjXs?

By the way, here’s what ProjXs is. ProjXs is a note-taking and project-organizing tool—my first app that I built at PyGen Labs. The goal was simple: to provide society with a better, open-source tool to manage their projects efficiently in one place. As someone who loves to organize and prioritize, I knew there had to be a better way for people to manage their ideas, tasks, and projects without switching between different apps.

Innovative features include:

• Real-time calculations while writing notes: Automatically tracks and calculates data on the fly, making note-taking smarter.

• Custom workspaces: Users can create and tailor their own spaces to fit specific project needs.

• Unlimited notes and workspaces: No limitations on how much you can write or organize, giving complete freedom to users.

These were all ideas that I thought would help people who juggle multiple projects and want a seamless experience.

The Building Process

Building ProjXs wasn’t a smooth ride. With limited resources—just my Decent Laptop and basic coding skills of Python (as backend only)— I had to figure out the entire process from scratch. From choosing the right tools to implementing features, every decision was crucial. I started with basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, gradually moving on to more complex features like real-time calculations and the ability to add unlimited workspaces.

I faced numerous challenges, especially around integrating features like real-time data calculation and making sure the app was lightweight enough for everyday use. There were times when I felt stuck, but each problem was a learning experience, refining my problem-solving approach and teaching me new things about development.

The Mistakes & Lessons Learned

As with any project, there were mistakes along the way. Here are a few key lessons I learned through my mistakes:

1. Poor User Interface Design

In the beginning, I focused heavily on functionality and overlooked the importance of a user-friendly interface. The design was clunky, and the flow was not intuitive. After receiving feedback, I realized how crucial user experience is. I spent weeks refining the interface, making it cleaner, more organized, and easier to navigate.
Lesson: Functionality is key, but design is equally important.

2. Inefficient Code and Slow Performance

I was eager to build features quickly, which led to inefficient coding practices and poor performance. The app became sluggish when handling multiple notes and workspaces. I had to refactor the entire codebase to improve efficiency and ensure the app could scale well with usage.
Lesson: Don’t rush. Quality code takes time, and performance should never be sacrificed for speed.

3. Underestimating the Deployment Process

When it came time to deploy, I assumed the process would be as simple as uploading the app to a server. However, managing domain names, ensuring security, and setting up a stable environment turned out to be much more complicated than I anticipated.
Lesson: Always plan for deployment early in the process and be prepared for unexpected hurdles.

4. AI is Not Always as Smart as You Think

One thing I learned during development is that AI, while powerful, is not as reliable for solving real coding problems as I initially hoped. I used AI tools like ChatGPT and others to help me debug or solve complex issues, but often the suggestions were either too vague or downright confusing. It felt like the AI would give a solution that didn’t quite fit, and I’d spend hours trying to figure out why it wasn’t working, only to go back to basic debugging steps. Even with the newer AI models like Anthropic’s— Claude, which are designed for coding, I didn’t find them particularly useful for solving bugs or providing insights that were directly applicable to my specific codebase.
Lesson: AI can be a helpful tool, but it’s not a substitute for deep understanding and hands-on debugging. Relying too much on AI can sometimes lead to more confusion than clarity.

What’s Next for ProjXs?

Though ProjXs is already functional, there’s still plenty of work ahead. In the future, I plan to add more advanced features like collaborative workspaces, improved real-time data syncing, and integration with other popular tools like Google Drive and Trello. These features will make ProjXs even more versatile for people who need a comprehensive solution for project management.

Conclusion

Looking back, building ProjXs has been an incredible learning experience. It has taught me that success doesn’t come without failure, and the mistakes I made have shaped how I approach development today. I’m excited to continue working on PyGen Labs and see how ProjXs evolves in the coming months.

Every step, whether it was a success or a mistake, has made me a better developer. Building something from scratch isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely worth it. If you’re thinking about starting your own project, just remember: Don’t be afraid to fail. Embrace it as part of the journey.

Have you ever built something and realized you made big mistakes? What did you learn? I’d love to hear your thoughts.