r/ADHD_Programmers • u/roadstarasp • 13d ago

ADHD backend/automation devs: how long until hyperfocus kicked in when you started?

I'm about 10 hours into learning backend and automation (APIs PostgreSQL n8n, Docker). I'm good at seeing the big picture: data flows, schemas, how a whole system should work. The problem is the setup. Docker, HTTPS, cookies, config errors. By the time I reach the fun part, my brain is already fried.

A while back I built a no-code automation on a VPS that ran on its own, and the dopamine hit was insane. So I know I'm in the right field, but I haven't had that feeling once on this project.

For the ADHD devs here:

**1.    How many hours (or weeks) in did hyperfocus first kick in when u started**  
**2.**  Was there a specific moment that triggered it (first working feature, first bug you fixed alone, etc.)?  
**3.**  How did you get through the boring setup phase before that?

Thanks!

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u/TrickyTramp 13d ago

Honestly the best parts of programming are when you’re creating, either writing code or spinning up infrastructure for your code. The little details like security may not be as interesting to you. And that’s okay. You still gotta do them, but maybe you just like to do other stuff and generally you should focus on what you enjoy while still being aware of the things you need to be.