My Web Development Journey: Struggles, Lessons, and What’s Next

Hey everyone! I’m Kumar Ghimire, a self-taught web developer trying to break into the tech industry. A few months ago, I was stuck in tutorial hell, watching endless YouTube videos without actually building anything. Now, I’m finally working on real projects and preparing for job interviews. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learned a lot along the way.

This is my first Hashnode post, so I wanted to share my journey on how I got into web development, the struggles I faced and what I’m doing now to land my first full-time job.

How I Got Started in Web Development

Like many beginners, I started with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. At first, it felt exciting writing a few lines of code and seeing changes in the browser was like magic. Then I moved on to React, Node.js, Express, and MongoDB (the MERN stack), and things started getting more complex.

I also picked up TypeScript and Next.js recently to level up my skills. But just learning these technologies wasn’t enough.I realized I wasn’t actually building anything on my own.

My Biggest Struggles

1) Tutorial Hell

I spent way too much time watching tutorials without writing my own code. It felt like I was learning, but when I tried to build something from scratch, I was lost.

2. Imposter Syndrome

I doubted myself a lot, especially when I saw other developers building cool projects. I kept thinking, “Am I even good enough for this?”

3. Lack of Real Projects

Following along with tutorials is one thing, but creating something on your own is completely different. I didn’t have projects to showcase my skills, which made me feel stuck.

4. No Online Presence

I never shared my work on GitHub, LinkedIn, or any platform. If no one knows what I’m working on, how will I connect with other developers or potential employers?

What I’m Doing Now

To fix these mistakes, I’ve started focusing on three things:

Building real projects: Right now, I’m working on a job board application as my first serious project.

Learning DSA & interview prep: Since I want to land a full-time job soon, I’m solving coding problems and preparing for interviews.

Growing my online presence: I’m finally posting my projects on GitHub and sharing my journey here on Hashnode and LinkedIn.

My Plan for the Next 2 Months

Since I have a full-time schedule, I’ve broken my plan into two parts:

Weekdays → DSA & interview prep.

Weekends → Building projects and networking.

I know consistency is key, so I’ll keep pushing myself to stick to this plan.

What’s Next?

This is just the beginning! I’ll be sharing my project-building experiences, lessons I learn, and maybe even some coding challenges here on Hashnode. If you’re also a self taught developer on this journey, let’s connect.

I’d love to hear from you onwhat’s the biggest challenge you faced while learning to code? Let’s talk in the comments!