Three years ago, I didn’t know what HTML stood for. Today, I have a portfolio with 5+ full stack projects and just landed my first freelance client.
My Portfolio - click here Follow me on X - click here
This is everything I wish someone told me when I started.
The Beginning (Age 15)
It started with Minecraft mods. Seriously.
I wanted to create custom items for my server, found a YouTube tutorial, and copied some code I didn’t understand. It didn’t work. I spent 6 hours figuring out why.
When it finally worked, I felt like a wizard.
That’s when I realized: I could BUILD things. Not just use apps - actually create them.
I was hooked.
Year 1: The Messy Start (Age 15-16)
**What I learned:…
Three years ago, I didn’t know what HTML stood for. Today, I have a portfolio with 5+ full stack projects and just landed my first freelance client.
My Portfolio - click here Follow me on X - click here
This is everything I wish someone told me when I started.
The Beginning (Age 15)
It started with Minecraft mods. Seriously.
I wanted to create custom items for my server, found a YouTube tutorial, and copied some code I didn’t understand. It didn’t work. I spent 6 hours figuring out why.
When it finally worked, I felt like a wizard.
That’s when I realized: I could BUILD things. Not just use apps - actually create them.
I was hooked.
Year 1: The Messy Start (Age 15-16)
What I learned: HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics
What actually happened:
I jumped around. A LOT.
- Week 1: “I’ll learn Python!”
- Week 2: “Actually, web dev seems cool”
- Week 3: “Wait, should I learn C++ for games?”
- Week 4: Back to web dev
My first website was... terrible. Like, Comic Sans terrible. Centered everything terrible. But I made it myself and put it on the internet. That felt incredible.
<!-- My actual first website, no joke -->
<html>
<body bgcolor="black">
<center>
<font color="lime" face="Comic Sans MS">
<h1>Welcome to my EPIC Website!!!</h1>
<marquee>This is so cool!!!</marquee>
</font>
</center>
</body>
</html>
I thought I was a genius. Looking back... yikes.
The Turning Point
Around month 4, I built a simple to-do app following a tutorial. Then I tried to add my own feature - a dark mode toggle.
I spent 2 days on it. Stack Overflow became my second home. But when that toggle finally worked?
That’s when I learned the most important lesson: You learn by breaking things and fixing them.
Following tutorials is fine for learning syntax. But real learning happens when you go off-script.
Year 2: Getting Serious (Age 16-17)
What I learned: React, Node.js, MongoDB, Git
This was the “grind” year. I was that kid coding during lunch break. My friends thought I was weird. My parents worried I was on my computer too much.
But I was building real stuff:
Project 1: Study Timer App
- Built with vanilla JS (before I knew React)
- Pomodoro technique timer
- Saved data to localStorage
- Looked ugly but WORKED
What I learned: DOM manipulation, local storage, JavaScript events
Project 2: Weather App
- My first API integration
- Used OpenWeather API
- Learned about async/await the hard way (callback hell nightmares)
- Actually looked decent with CSS Grid
What I learned: APIs, async JavaScript, responsive design
Project 3: Movie Database
- First React project
- TMDB API integration
- Search, filter, favorites
- Deployed on Netlify
What I learned: React basics, state management, component lifecycle
Project 4: Chat App
- First full-stack project
- Node.js + Express backend
- Socket.io for real-time chat
- MongoDB for storing messages
- Completely broke in production multiple times
What I learned: Backend, databases, deployment, that production is DIFFERENT from localhost
The Struggles Nobody Talks About
Imposter Syndrome Hit HARD
Every YouTube tutorial made it look easy. Every dev on Twitter seemed to know everything. I felt stupid constantly.
I’d see 12-year-olds building AI apps and think “I’m already behind.”
Reality check: Those kids probably followed a tutorial too. Everyone’s faking it a bit.
Tutorial Hell Was Real
For 3 months, I just followed tutorials. Built the same to-do app 15 different ways. Never built anything original.
Breaking free was hard. I had to force myself: “Build something without a tutorial.”
It was messy. It took forever. But that’s when I actually learned.
Burnout at 16
Around month 14, I hit a wall. Coded for 8 hours, made zero progress, felt like I’d never be good enough.
I took a week off. Just played games, hung out with friends. Came back refreshed.
Lesson: Breaks aren’t weakness. They’re necessary.
Year 3: Portfolio & Real Projects (Age 17-18)
What I learned: Next.js, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Tailwind, Docker
This year was about leveling up. Making things that actually looked professional.
The Portfolio
I rebuilt my portfolio 4 times. Each time I learned something new and thought “I need to redo everything.”
Version 4 finally felt right:
- Next.js for performance
- Tailwind for styling (game changer)
- Framer Motion for animations
- Dark mode (obviously)
- Actually mobile responsive (shocking, I know)
Real Projects I’m Proud Of
*1. FileFlow *
- User Authentication with Email Verification
- Secure File Uploading and Storage
- Preview and Download Files
- Delete and Manage Uploaded Files
- Responsive and User-Friendly Interface
- JWT-based Authentication & Authorization
- Drag-and-Drop File Upload
- Cloud Storage Integration with File Validation
2. JobTube
- User & Employer Authentication (JWT)
- Role-based Dashboards (Job Seeker & Employer)
- Job Listings with Search & Filter Functionality
- Application Submission & Tracking
- Admin Panel to Manage Users, Jobs & Applications
- Responsive & Accessible UI (Tailwind CSS)
- Backend API with Secure CRUD Operations
*3. Framely *
- User Authentication with JWT and secure cookies
- Full Profile Customization (profile picture, bio, website)
- Follow/Unfollow user system
- Post Creation with image uploads to Cloudinary
- Interactive Posts with likes, comments, and post deletion
- Ephemeral Stories that automatically expire after 24 hours
- Real-Time Notifications for likes, comments, and follows using Socket.IO
- Real-Time Direct Messaging (Chat) between users
- Dynamic Explore Page to discover popular content
- Saved Posts feature for bookmarking content
- User Search functionality to find and connect with others
- Responsive and Intuitive UI with skeleton loaders for a smooth experience
4. Growth AI
- AI-Powered Conversational Interface
- Real-time Response Rendering
- Multiple Chat Sessions
- Clean and Modern UI
- Responsive Design for All Devices
- Secure API Integration
- Persistent Chat History (Local Storage or DB)
What Actually Helped Me Learn
1. Build Projects, Not Just Follow Tutorials
After basics, I learned by building. Every new concept = new project.
Want to learn React? Build something in React. Not another todo app. Something YOU want to use.
2. Document Everything
I kept a dev journal. Every time I solved a hard problem, I wrote it down.
Now when I hit the same problem, I have my own notes. Way better than googling the same thing 50 times.
3. Read Other People’s Code
GitHub is free education. Find projects similar to what you’re building, read the code.
I learned more from reading Next.js source code than any tutorial taught me.
4. Don’t Learn Everything At Once
I wasted months trying to learn:
- Frontend frameworks
- Backend
- DevOps
- Databases
- All at the same time
Learn ONE thing deeply, then add layers.
My path: HTML/CSS → JavaScript → React → Backend → Databases
5. Deploy Your Projects
Code on localhost isn’t real. Deploy it.
Netlify, Vercel, Railway - they’re free. Deploy everything.
You’ll learn about environment variables, CORS, HTTPS, and all the stuff tutorials skip.
6. Join Communities
Discord servers, Reddit, dev.to - other developers are helpful.
I was scared to ask “dumb questions” for so long. Turns out, everyone has the same questions.
The Tech Stack I Use Now
Frontend:
- React / Next.js (for everything)
- Tailwind CSS (never going back to vanilla CSS)
- TypeScript (game changer for big projects)
Backend:
- Node.js + Express (simple, works)
- MongoDB (when I need a database)
- Firebase (for quick projects)
Tools:
- VS Code + extensions
- Git + GitHub
- Figma (for designs)
- Postman (for API testing)
Deployment:
- Vercel (frontend)
- Railway / Render (backend)
- Cloudinary (images)
What I Wish I Knew at 15
You don’t need a $3000 course
I learned everything from:
- YouTube (Traversy Media, Web Dev Simplified, Fireship)
- freeCodeCamp
- docs
- Building stuff and googling errors
You don’t need a perfect portfolio
My first portfolio had 3 projects. That’s enough. Just make sure they WORK and the code is on GitHub.
Age doesn’t matter
I’m 18. Some people start at 30. Some at 50. Doesn’t matter. Just start.
Consistency beats intensity
1 hour every day > 10 hours once a week
I coded daily, even if just for 30 minutes. That adds up.
Your first projects will suck
That’s normal. Make them anyway. You can’t get better without making bad stuff first.
Where I Am Now
- 12 projects in my portfolio
- First freelance client ($200)
- Starting to apply for junior dev positions
- Still learning every day
- Still googling “how to center a div” sometimes
I’m not a senior developer. I’m not a genius. I’m just someone who started at 15 and didn’t quit.
If You’re Just Starting
Start today. Not tomorrow. Today.
Pick ONE thing to learn (I’d say HTML/CSS). Follow ONE tutorial. Build ONE thing.
Then build another. Then another.
In 3 years, you’ll look back and be amazed at how far you’ve come.
You don’t need:
- Perfect conditions
- Expensive courses
- A CS degree
- To be a “natural”
You just need:
- A laptop
- Internet
- Consistency
- Patience with yourself
What’s Next For Me
- Keep building projects
- Learn more about system design
- Contribute to open source
- Maybe start a YouTube channel?
- Get my first dev job
I’m 18. I have so much to learn. But I’m not waiting until I “know enough.”
I’m building, shipping, and learning as I go.
Your Turn
If you’re learning to code right now - what’s holding you back from building something?
If you already learned - what do you wish you knew when you started?
Drop it in the comments. Let’s help each other out.
My learning resources (all free):
- freeCodeCamp
- JavaScript.info
- React docs
- YouTube (Traversy, WebDevSimplified, Fireship)
- MDN Web Docs
- Stack Overflow (obviously)
Follow my journey: My PortFolio - click here Follow me on X - click here
If this helped you, hit that ❤️. If you’re learning too, drop your GitHub - I’ll check out your projects!