I’m a web developer since 2002. The times when HTML and CSS were cutting-edge, JavaScript was terrifying, and you were a GOD if you knew it well, Macromedia dominated web applications like Dreamweaver and Flash, and 99% of the Internet uses Internet Explorer.
I’ve never had a good relationship with JavaScript, and as long as you don’t live under a rock, you know that it became necessary for web development years ago. So, in 2017, after working comfortably using basic JS in many companies, I was forced to learn it for many reasons. That was challenging, and I felt overwhelmed with all the changes and how behind I was. 4 years later, in 2021, I finally felt more included, always keeping track of new trends, which is important to know/hear about.
But is that enough to label myself a Senior Front End Developer?
Well, something has been missing in some Senior Developers recently. Back then, we used to be called Web Master, without Google or Stackoverflow kind of websites. We do have books as resources, but come on now. Nobody read that. We made it work, no matter what.
What I mean by all of this is the sense of figuring things out. Research. Break. Try. Research again and try better. Please, never say “No,” “I don’t know,” or “Sorry, I’ve never worked with this.”. Be curious, and that will help you without you even noticing it.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
One thing I learned in all those years of experience is the mindset that If you are repeating a task, build something to make your life easier. And that will help your peers as well. It doesn’t need to be huge applications using the latest stacks. Make it usable and helpful.
An example of that is the latest tool I built. I called Garbage Chute. It’s pretty straightforward. It helps the residents of my building know if the garbage chute is open.
It’s a collaborative web app showing the garbage chute’s current status.
It is simple and even more efficient when more residents help.
How it works:
- To check the status, you have to access the URL: View Demo
- You can add the page to your phone home screen as an app.
- For the residents who want to collaborate, send me a DM with their first name and unit. (I will keep a log of who made the changes to keep things organized.)
- Once they have a username, the button becomes available to change the status and type the username I provided.
What did I use? (I chose the fastest way since it’s a basic app.)
- ViteJS Great bundle to use React + Typescript
- Firebase to store users, status, and timestamp.
If you make it to the end of this article, you are probably asking yourself why I mentioned 1 hour in the title. That was how long it took me to build it.
So, with a slight knowledge of React and the mindset of "make life easier," you can grow as a Developer and become essential for the company.
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