Back to Coding
I recently resumed learning web programming after a long break from coding. My last experience was during college around 2011, where I only learned very basic HTML and CSS.
The initial trigger for learning programming came from my office’s need for a custom website to display product catalogs, where potential customers could click a WhatsApp button to make purchases. I wanted each button and page to be trackable through Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel.
While I could use WordPress, I felt it was too complex for my simple needs. I needed something more straightforward.
Since this wasn’t urgent, I kept it on my to-do list for creating a simple website. Somehow, I then became exposed to web programmers’ posts on X (formerly Twitter).
I became interested in Next.js, which was frequently discussed. This discussion led me to discover Tailwind CSS through videos from the Web Programming Unpas channel.
I was quite surprised because after being away from the web programming world for so long, there are now many frameworks that make it easier to create web-based applications.
Among the many frameworks, I fell in love with Astro.js because it’s perfect for websites with regular content updates, like a CMS. As someone passionate about SEO, Astro.js offers SEO-friendly features. Its interface is also much simpler, making it fast to access. The PageSpeed scores are very impressive.
Now I have two projects using Astro.js. First, my personal website and portfolio that you’re accessing now. Second, a travel guide website about Padang City called caridipadang.com.
Currently, I’m learning web programming as a hobby and for enjoyment, not considering it as something serious or as a career.
However, I’ve discovered several interesting benefits from learning web programming, even as a hobby:
Enhanced Creative Thinking
One thing I’ve noticed after a few weeks of coding is my improved creative thinking, especially in problem-solving and content creation at my office job.
This is because in programming, I’m used to thinking in “what-ifs.” “What if I code it this way?” “If I build it like this, what will happen?” This has become a habit in my work.
Logic and Problem-Solving
Programming has taught me to be methodical and familiar with process flows of events or outputs. When problems occur, I often need to break them down into smaller elements or trace them by following their flow.
Resilience and Patience
Errors are like a love-hate relationship - I feel extremely happy when I solve them. However, when errors take long to resolve, they can be frustrating.
But discovering errors and the problem-solving process has made me more resilient when facing problems, teaching me to be patient until finding complete solutions.
These are the things I’ve experienced from pursuing web programming as a hobby for these past few months. Even though it’s just a hobby taking 1-2 hours daily, its impact on various aspects of my life has been quite extraordinary.
Thank you, for reading this article to the end. I hope you can take some lessons from my experience.