My last post was supposed to be about my goals, but I more or less wrote about my journey up until this point.
I want to become a full-stack developer and to get there, I need to set some goals and reach them! And 3 months of 2021 have already gone by, so I'm a little late for setting my goals.
At this time, I feel pretty confident in writing HTML and CSS, and I have a basic understanding of Javascript but that's about it. So I thought I should write about my goals for 2021 as a developer, and my goals are:
- Learn a CSS framework
- JavaScript
- Learn a JavaScript framework
- Learn backend
- Start writing
- Start applying for jobs as a full-stack developer
Learn a CSS framework
Well, I first had to choose a CSS framework that works for me. And since I already was familiar with Bootstrap, I knew that's not what I wanted. I felt that Bootstrap would be overkill for my needs.
My criteria for choosing a CSS framework was:
- Not a steep learning curve
- No huge .css file, or unnecessary CSS
- Easy to work with and customize
I had to do some research and it came down to Pure CSS, Tailwind CSS, and Milligram, I believe it was.
Out of those three, I went with Tailwind CSS. There were a lot of mixed feelings about Tailwind on Twitter, YouTube, and other communities. So naturally, I was very skeptical. It was so many classes and code in the HTML and it seemed like it wasn't worth it.
Tailwind Labs and Simon Vrachliotis released series on YouTube called "Tailwind: From zero to production", that teaches you everything you need to know to get up and running with Tailwind CSS v2.0 from scratch.
After watching that series, I was sold!
And when following along with the courses I'm taking, I use Tailwind CSS to get some practice with it. I feel that I've come along way with Tailwind in a short amount of time.
JavaScript
I have some basic knowledge of JavaScript. But JavaScript is like Math to me, if I don't use it I lose it. So I need to keep continuing learning and using JS regularly.
I will use Udemy, freeCodeCamp, Youtube, and Code Wars
Learn a JavaScript framework
This was an easy choice for me. It had to be React. But why? The main reason for choosing React was that both courses i am taking on Udemy have sections on React. And after watching the series by Tailwind I had seen how easy it was to use Tailwind and React together.
I have just started learning React, and I really enjoy it. And I can't wait until I start making projects with it!
Learning the backend
Since I've already decided to go with React, the MERN-stack seemed like a no-brainer. 
And that's MongoDB, Express and Nodejs.
I haven't started learning the backend yet. I've just dipped my toes in it.
Start writing
I wasn't sure if I really wanted to do this. Because I feel like I don't have anything to share, and my knowledge is minimal. I made all these excuses in my head of why I shouldn't start writing. But I came to the conclusion that all my excuses were ridiculous, and I just have to start!
Well, I have started, now I just have to start writing frequently.
Summary
This year I will learn Tailwind CSS, Javascript, MongoDB, Express, React, Node and start applying for jobs as a full-stack developer.
What are your goals for 2021?
Resources:1. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters
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