A bit about me
Specialising in Full-stack development, I have deep knowledge of the entire lifecycle of systems and applications. My journey wasn't linear, and it took a while to find the stack that I use and the niche I wanted to be part of. My main ambition is to fully understand the role AI plays in Full-stack systems, and how we are now branching into new territory with AI (scary, but exciting).
Self-taught, but not self-contained
Teaching myself through tutorials and practical projects, I figured out the learning systems that worked best for me.
It's easy to get stuck in an isolated mindset though when self-teaching. To combat this, I made sure to adapt my processes as if I was working in a collaborative environment. My projects are all open-source on Github, feel free to check them out below.
How I got to where I am
Learning journey begins
Picked up HTML, CSS, JavaScript and React through online resources. Started building a foundation by following tutorials and dissecting real websites.
First projects
Moved from tutorials to practice by building personal projects from scratch - learning more from those projects than months of studies.
Learning backend
Learnt to use Python, and started experimenting with libraries like Selenium and Django. Mostly tinkering, at this point I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to specialise in.
Complex projects
Tackled full-stack applications with authentication, databases, and third-party integrations. Started thinking in systems rather than features.
Biggest project
Built HeimdallQC, my biggest test yet. A fully-fledged service aiming (at the time) to serve real paying users. Decided that it would be best to keep as a portfolio project.
Settled on my stack
Chose the stack that worked best for me, allowing me to speed up my development by specialising in these. Next.js + Typescript for the frontend, Python for the backend
First freelance work
Took on client projects for local businesses. Learned the gap between building things for yourself and building things that solve someone else's problem.
Professional standards
Now refining how to compile my skills and knowledge into professionally built systems, using version control and industry standard processes.
Utilising AI responsibly
With tools as powerful as modern LLMs, it is easy to get carried away using it. If an AI codes better than you, then why do it yourself?
I am making sure to integrate AI into my processes. But to clarify, I don't use it to write all my code, and I certainly do not trust it with read and write permissions in all my files. The developers that will succeed going forward will be those who adapt. Like going from using typewriters to modern computers, AI opens up just as many opportunities as it closes - it is the nature of the world.
We should not fear AI. It is here, it is not going anywhere, and it is time to embrace it.
Aspirations going forward
No one can predict what the Software industry is going to be like in the coming years. But it is clear that AI has earned its place in the tech stack of every developer.
I am actively looking for careers suited to my stack, as a Full-stack developer with AI integration. If you know someone who is hiring or would like to inquire more, then please contact me via email or connect on LinkedIn.