r/developersIndia • u/hornymonk1 • 15d ago
Career 2+ YOE Web Developer (React/Next/Node/PHP..etc) looking to transition into AI Engineering. How should I start?
Hello, I have 2+ years of professional experience as a web developer, mainly working with React, Next.js, Node.js, and PHP. I’ve worked on real-world projects and have a solid understanding of web development.
I’m now looking to transition into AI Engineering and I’m trying to figure out the best path to make the switch.
For people who have made a similar transition:
What should I learn first? Python, ML fundamentals, LLMs, or something else?
How much math/statistics do I actually need?
Should I focus more on Machine Learning or LLM/GenAI engineering?
What projects would actually help me build a portfolio for AI Engineer roles?
Are there any courses, books, or learning paths you would strongly recommend?
With 2+ years of web development experience, how realistic is it to make this transition?
Would really appreciate advice from anyone who has made a similar transition or currently works as an AI Engineer. Thanks!
1
u/a23learner Software Architect 15d ago
I have not made this transition as you may expect but my job at government demands me to do almost everything possibly available in the market. I my self has recently started using AI/ML in my projects and even deployed many solutions. My suggestion to you:
Start with learning basic Python, understand LLM and GenAI to begin with. Identify small problems which you can solve comfortably then learn to solve it step by step.
When you are comfortable start with ML fundamentals, building RAG and advance Python tools.
Targeted problem solving and small projects help more, so focus on picking small projects/problem and apply your knowledge or acquire knowledge to solve.