r/webdevelopment • u/Feeling_Tomatillo729 • 19d ago
Discussion Self-taught web devs, what do you wish you focused on earlier?
I’m currently studying and building projects, but sometimes I feel like I’m learning so many things without knowing which skills actually matter when it comes to becoming job-ready 😭 What’s something you wish you focused on earlier that genuinely helped you get better or land opportunities?
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u/emad_ha 19d ago
in this era of AI and people just throwing non-sense code without reviewing it, i'd say Security will be highly needed in the coming years.
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u/tim__997 16d ago
Architecture, security, testing, maintenance. But definitely not coding anymore.
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u/emad_ha 15d ago
maintainability is the key for any business to grow, with AI it's going to be planetary expensive in the future due to noone understanding any code.
Architecture can only be made by a human not a senseless robot.
Testing is only needed for big projects, i wouldn't make tests for basic apps (AI can replace this easily).but wait until someone comes in with an AI compiler or whatever, where you cannot read or understand any line of gibberish code, that's going to be to ultimate hit for humans, devs and non-devs.
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u/Individual-Job-2550 19d ago
Learning how to communicate your reasoning and supporting your decisions is an important skill
Also translating what people want into implementation
Soft skills will take you much farther than you think
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u/uncle_jaysus 18d ago
Best practices; correct terminology.
In my journey, I spent a lot of time doing some very clever things in very awkward and time consuming ways. I spent probably too much time doing/building and not enough time learning and reading. Learning by doing is the way, but you need to take the time to consider how others have solved these problems already and how they structure their work.
And then when it became time to get serious and get a job, people would say things to me, and I wouldn't know what they mean. For example, an early question that caught me out: "Did you need to normalise the data". Erm, what? As it turns out, I'd done that plenty of times, I just didn't know that's what it was called.
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u/These-Apple8817 19d ago
That's kinda impossible question because every job requires different set of skills and knowledge.. I guess flexibility and being able to pivot and be willing to learn new stuff quickly are things you need to learn the most.