Intro
It took me just over a year to learn full-stack web development. Note that I am completely self-taught, with all my resources being completely free and available online (no paid courses, resources, or support). This snippet will explain how I learnt full-stack web development, and how you can start too. After you read this, go check out my roadmap for the tech stack that I use and recommend in 2025.
My learning structure
When I picked up something completely new to me, I learned by taking it slow. Go for a short walkthrough tutorial, anything longer than 3 hours gives no extra value. This is where you begin getting familiar with what you are working with. Take you time and make sure to practice what you've learnt. Remember, the fundamentals are pivotal.
After that stage, the fun part begins. I would begin browsing through project tutorials on YouTube, and save the ones I liked. Once you have a little list, I recommend you go through the projects depending on the duration of the video. Start with the short projects, then work your way up to the bigger and longer builds. This will save you a lot of time and pain (you learn from fails quicker and with smaller impacts). The biggest project I've built from YouTube was 6 hours long. Anything longer I probably would've gotten bored and given up. Keep it short and build a variety of smaller projects.
Once you're comfortable with the tool/language, you can start building your own projects. This is where you can gather all your cool ideas, and begin experimenting with the new knowledge you have gained. Build passion projects, build random things, or build some client projects. Get familiar with planning and developing what you want to do, and you will improve very quickly.
Then rinse and repeat! The web development is always evolving. New technologies and new tools come out all the time. If you want to get/keep a job in the industry, you'll benefit from trying out new things first. Head back to the crash courses and begin the learning process again. That's what being a developer is about; being adaptable and learning how to learn :)
The tech stack I chose
I picked a tech stack that was efficient and suitable for finding a job with. Typescript and React are easily the most popular in industry as of now, especially for newer companies and tech startups according to recruiters. Next.js + TypeScript is my daily driver for SEO and type safety. Tailwind + Shadcn UI keeps layouts consistent and components reusable that can be customized to look great. For auth and user management I've used Clerk, BetterAuth, and FirebaseAuth depending on the scale and requirements of the project. For my backend, I typically use server actions using Next.js and Typescript. In terms of database, MongoDB and PostgreSQL + Prisma are my two main options I'll choose from, depending on the flexibility and scale I need. Stripe is the go-to choice for payment handling, and Vercel takes care of my deployments so I can catch some sleep.
My tools and workflow
Here are the incredible tools that I've picked up throughout my journey.
- Cursor (for some AI explanations on the go)
- Git + GitHub (version control is a must-have)
- Vercel (simple deployments, link it your GitHub)
- Lighthouse AKA PageSpeed Insights (for performance and SEO checks on-the-go)
- Figma/Canva (to cook up some lit designs)
- YouTube (wouldn't be here without YouTube tutorials)
- Browser extensions (mainly my ad-blocker 🙏)
- Daily.dev (to keep up to date with new stuff)
- and some extra stuff
Quick tips I wish I'd known
- Ship more small projects consistently. Consistency compounds over time.
- Learn to read through the docs. You'll have to get familiar with what you use.
- Ask for help. Go to YouTube, Stack Overflow, Reddit, or browse the docs.
Let's get started
If you've never written a line of code or you're a novice just starting out, I've put together a quick roadmap of my tech stack, and the best resources that I've used to help you learn. Everything is completely free and available online, so take a look for yourself!
Get the roadmap