I Learned React. Then I Realized I Wasn't Learning Frontend Engineering. (opens in new tab)

A few years ago, I thought React was the key to becoming a frontend developer. So I did what most beginners do. I bought courses. I watched YouTube tutorials. I built apps. I learned hooks. I followed along with project videos. I felt productive. Then I started applying for jobs. That's when reality hit. Interviewers weren't interested in whether I knew useState or useEffect. They asked questions like: What happens when you type a URL into a browser? Can you explain closures? Why is this comp...