
Lessons I've Learned as a 15 Year Old Web Developer - joshternyak
https://joshternyak.com/lessons-learned/index.html
======
joshternyak
When 2020 started, I began to learn SEO and content marketing. I am currently
working on helping bring commercial cleaning to the 21st century at
getonedesk.com. On the side, I'm learning React Js at home while working on
growing a loyal audience.

Being a web developer is difficult, stressful, confusing, and exhausting. But,
it's also very exciting, interesting, and meaningful. I've learned many
lessons during my journey of becoming a web developer at a young age. Here are
20 lessons I learned that will help you be a better web developer and more
successful in life in general.

~~~
artsyca
Bro listen this is everything I'd tell my 15 year old self and I probably
wouldn't listen but maybe you will

We write code for people not machines -- any 12 year old can code and see the
pretty output but only a master can write code for _people_ to understand.
Remember code is twice as hard to read as it is to write but think of it as
the ultimate design document, the single source of truth for a team

As a knowledge worker your role is to amass and disseminate knowledge think of
yourself as a teaching professional like a tutor and abandon academic mark
chasing ideology in favour of hyper learning

When we talk about DRY we're not only referring to code but also to repeating
the same conversations and behavior patterns. Look at your work like an
investment not just a trade of services for money -- seek ways to maximize the
returns on your efforts and don't be swindled by people seeking to divorce you
from the fruits of your labours by forcing you into narrow stereotypes --
they'll call you a ninja talent as a means to lower your guard you feel me?

Take it from someone who has been in software since before dialup everything
we do is actually a conversation, it's no coincidence we call them languages
and the quality of conversation determines the quality of the software it's a
practical view of Conway's principle

Do your best and try to see beyond the curve at the application of computer
science thinking to human behaviour after all software is a social exercise
and in general a software solution is aimed at creating new communications
pathways between people

------
oliwarner
I know everybody's mileage varies, but these were some of my lowest priorities
20 years ago when I was a 15yo webdev.

I wanted to have _fun_. I built for me. I explored the depths of the internet
to get experience with what could be done, and pushed a few boundaries myself.
I made games. I wrote appalling code but that didn't matter because I kept
moving forward. I built communities around my interests. I just had fun.

I'm going to lose points for this but 15yos shouldn't be worrying about
coverage or quality metrics or critique. You're a child. Enjoy it while it
lasts.

My second tip is to not get addicted to being in the spotlight. Getting your
blog posts onto various front-pages is like cocaine. I mean that. Even after
everybody's moved on, you'll still want more and more. That's where burn out
lies.

~~~
frosted-flakes
Not just blog posts, but comments. I enjoy discussing stuff with others, but I
hate seeing that number at the top of the page go up, because it goes to my
head, and I can't stop checking it.

Up- and down-votes are necessary for sorting and moderation purposes, but I
wish it was less visible _to me_. There should be a "noscore" option on HN
that hides the scores unless you view individual comments/posts, like
"noprocast".

~~~
oliwarner
Yes, it's a very similar feeling, isn't it? Feedback loops and stimulus
addiction are dark magic.

I haven't yet decided if it's absolutely unhealthy in the context of HN
comments though. Just thinking aloud but I like to think that I've got
something _worthwhile_ to say if I get involved in a thread. That definitely
wasn't the case on Digg or Slashdot way-back-when.

But if I'd comment less without the validation, perhaps they're not as
worthwhile as I'd like to think and I'm just another karma-whore getting his
fix.

------
zumu
It's really awesome you're making stuff online so early in your life. Keep
going and you will be way more successful than most of us.

If I may, I'd like to offer some constructive criticism, however. The tone of
your posts is a bit instructional (self-help-esque) and comes across as
marketing. This is why some people are being dismissive of your writing. I'd
consider softening up the tone to be more personal and authentic. Personally,
I am very interested in your honest perspective on web development and self-
directed learning.

Best of luck!

~~~
nnoitra
Why, is there a threshold of making stuff that once you cross you are "more
successful than most of us"?

~~~
zumu
I can't speak definitively to numbers and can't judge success in any sort of
quantitative way, so take that comment with a grain of salt. But I can say
starting programming early in life is definitely a big leg up on others in the
field.

------
anw
Hi Josh, thank you for sharing your experiences, and I'm glad to see the
journey you've been on and the lessons you've learned.

A lot of the lessons you're talking about come to those of us later in life
(college, jobs, projects), so it will helpful to you later on when you run
into these same situations and have a better understanding how to handle them
compared to trying to figure it out/deal with it later.

A few people here seem to be laughing due to age or experience (or lack of
experience, in whatever area). Please don't take this to heart, as a lot of us
may have forgotten that we had to conquer similar hurdles and deal with these
issues and feelings, too. From the people I know around 15, you seem to be
doing very well. Please continue on the path, though. Talent can get you to
the race track, but hard work will make sure you're at the front of the pack.

It's a bit refreshing seeing a viewpoint from your eyes and mind. A lot of us
began in a similar path to where you are, and, at least for me, it's been very
rewarding. Things change all the time, cool new stuff comes out, and you're
able to do things you thought impossible a year ago.

Reading through your site a bit, it seems you are working on some interesting
apps and are solving problems that you'll continue to run into later (DRY,
Writing Tests, etc). So far, you're on the right track. You build a house a
brick at a time, and so far you're laying a good foundation.

I would actually add a lesson or two for you:

There is no Perfect Solution. Just because somebody really likes Python, or
React, or Rust doesn't mean that those are the right languages to use for
everything. Each language, framework, or mental-model has its strengths where
it will work better than others, and weaknesses where it will not. You are not
married to one thing, and no one thing will be the "perfect" solution to all
of your problems.

Secondly, release. Playing with cool new libraries and frameworks is fun, but
a lot of maturity and project knowledge (as a whole) comes from the big
changes that releasing something to public (and making new releases and
changes often) brings you. It also requires that you be consistent and learn
what and who to prioritize.

Good job so far! Keep it up

~~~
joshternyak
Hi, I am glad my viewpoint is refreshing. I am also completely understanding
and appreciative of the "harsh" feedback I am getting due to my
misunderstanding of what I should actually write about and the way I do so. I
will soon write a post talking about how I am transitioning into paid work and
how since I'm not legally allowed to sign contracts, it's difficult.

~~~
bachmeier
> my misunderstanding of what I should actually write about and the way I do
> so

You don't need their permission. Write about what you want. If they don't like
it, well, nobody's forcing them to read it.

------
devmunchies
I wanted to see it from a 15 year old's perspective, not just some generic
advice, especially given the title. Talk more about stuff that's unique to a
teenage developer for more interesting content.

~~~
kipply
I was employed for SWE at 15 and worked at Shopify at 16 (legal working age in
Canada is 14 for non-hazardous jobs). Here are some semi-serious thoughts;

1\. Not being able to drink at company events :( Intern and team events are
sometimes dinner, booze and music. My apple juice was pretty good, and if it
when up the wrong pipe then I could get the burn too! (there was actually a
time where I never experienced that and deliberately tried to to get a sugary
beverage into my nose. Kids, right?)

2\. Dodging the education question as long as possible. I once got past two
interviews with Mozilla before they realized how old I was. If you tell them
your age immediately, they stop taking you seriously. If you tell them after a
few interviews it amplifies your interview performance.

3\. Short summers. When I interned at Shopify, I only had two months. I did
that twice, and that really shows today in my ability to ramp up on new
jobs/projects.

4\. Quietly laughing at how much money your friends think you make. My friends
in high school estimated anywhere between 15 - 50 dollars per hour of income.

5\. Constantly questioning whether you were a pity/charity hire. Didn't help
that I'm also female. I think when I was hired at Shopify I may have been one
of the poorest performing intern by whatever measure, but I ended up with a
full-time offer in less than a year. Embrace and accept the brownie points you
get just by being young!

~~~
GuiA
_> Embrace and accept the brownie points you get just by being young!_

+1. I was the youngest in everything I did/achieved, until one day I wasn’t.
It’s natural to take the ego boost, but it’s definitely something to
introspect about and not get too attached to - I’ve seen the loss of the
“young prodigy” label affect some friends deeply.

~~~
kipply
+1, I felt so emotional and terrified because being young was apart of my
identity. This might be too soon for OP, but I recommend distancing yourself
from your age whenever you feel ready.

------
darepublic
I'm sorry but I just am a little incredulous that a 15 year old would be
talking to me about burnout.. or about team conflict. Op have u worked a full
time job with other devs and if so for how long?

~~~
joshternyak
My experience of working on teams has mainly consisted of working with other
web developers online. On the topic of burnout, I was trying to explain how as
I was learning web development and working harder everyday, I got exhausted
mentally and didn't know how to come back from it.

~~~
swixmix
Sounds like you're a person just like everybody else.

~~~
joshternyak
Yes, I happen to be a person.

------
cameronfraser
Wait are you 15 years old or have you been a web developer for 15 years?
Impressive insight for a 15 year old if so, I know a few people who have been
web devs for 15 years who still haven't figured some of those out.

~~~
rrdharan
The former (he’s 15): [https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-ternyak-
aa21b6167](https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-ternyak-aa21b6167)

------
gunmania0
Apologies for the animosity from this "community".

Best of luck for your future Josh, I can't imagine what it would be like to
have such technical experience and insight at such a young age.

~~~
dang
The contrarian dynamic strikes again:
[https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu...](https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&query=by%3Adang%20%22contrarian%20dynamic%22&sort=byDate&type=comment).
Threads often get an initial wave of negative comments, followed by a second
wave of objections to the objections. What determines the initial wave of
comments is not community opinion—rather, it's what's the easiest thing to
make reflexive objections to. Those comments are the first to show up because
those reflexive reactions take the least time. Thoughtful comments require
reflection, which is much slower
([https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...](https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20reflective%20reflex&sort=byDate&type=comment)).

By now the thread is decisively positive. That's because other readers see
those reflexive reactions, have a WTF reaction themselves, and show up to
express the opposing point of view. Perhaps ironically, that double negative
ends up being much more positive, and those comments tend to end up the more
highly upvoted.

~~~
solidasparagus
Your comments about the dynamics of HN are always fascinating.

------
httpsterio
I am all for learning by doing and being young doesn't mean that you can't be
a very capable programmer. You don't necessarily need a degree and some of the
best programmers I know have skipped schools and went directly into the work
life. So please believe me when I say that your method of working is not
wrong.

I do however find the blog post a bit silly, because I'm pretty sceptical if
you actually know what you talk about. I'm currently not even 30 and I've gone
through two burnouts and I promise you that the issue isn't with not walking
around the office every once in a while. I seriously doubt that you have
experienced a burnout especially considering that you're not really even alle
to bill for customer work due to your age.

Same goes for working with a team and resolving conflicts. The way you talk
about the issues make it very clear that you do not have any real world
experience in those matters.

I don't want to be dismissive and I know that this sounds likenit though. It's
alright to write about your thoughts on issues, but you also need to realize
that due to your age and lack of experience, you're not really in a place to
give anyone advice on the matters.

So to be brutal, I don't think you should've posted this as in my opinion it
shows immaturity on your part which invalidates a lot of what you're writing
about. It's a long road you've got ahead of yourself and I hope you find the
introspection within to see what I'm trying to convey.

Good luck!

------
kipply
<3

A lot of these negative comments here have ground, but you should keep your
head high and continue developing your skills and character! I wrote a lot of
stuff like this when I was younger and got similar criticism. You're doing
great for sure, but you might find yourself cringing at this a few years in
the future! What you've written and worked on so far is indicative of very
positive future growth.

<3

~~~
joshternyak
I will keep my head high and develop my skills and character.

~~~
kipply
When do you start looking for a job? Feel free to contact me
(`hello@carolchen.me`) and I'll connect you with some employers I trust and
are high-school friendly.

------
andygcook
OP, good for you learning how to code at a young age and for taking the time
to share your lessons learned along the way. Don't get discouraged by the
inevitable troll comments here. I'm sure you're already inspiring the next
generation of young coders because your journey will be more relatable to them
than a programmer with 15 years of professional experience. Thank you for
taking a risk and posting here. Keep learning, keep sharing, and keep at it.

~~~
joshternyak
Thank you. I am actually encouraged and am using the "troll" comments as a way
to get better and improve what and how I write on my blog.

------
maxwelljoslyn
Hi, Josh.

You have a typo on the "Write For Us" page: "get our of" should be "get out
of". A spellcheck against each page in your navigation bar did not turn up any
misspellings -- though that wouldn't have caught "our/out."

Best of luck out there. If you're this entrepreneurial at 15, your life is
going to be _just fine._

~~~
joshternyak
Hi, thank you for catching the typo. I will fix it right now. I'm just glad I
enjoy doing what I do.

------
jyfzbj
Keep at it, build things you like, learn to love the process not just the
results.

~~~
dumbfounder
I like your first 2 pieces of advice, but hate your third. Build things that
are useful, and do your best to make them things you like. Process be damned.
And keep on keepin' on.

~~~
rpdillon
I'm not sure what you mean by "process be damned". I think GP was referring to
enjoying the journey to a product you like, rather than only the product
itself. I was reading through some of Carmack's .plan files from 1998 over the
weekend, and he said something similar. This is from his Feb 4th entry:

> Many game developers are in it only for the final product, and the process
> is just what they have to go through to get there. I respect that, but my
> motivation is a bit different.

> For me, while I do take a lot of pride in shipping a great product, the
> achievements along the way are more memorable. I don’t remember any of our
> older product releases, but I remember the important insights all the way
> back to using CRTC wraparound for infinate smooth scrolling in Keen
> (actually, all the way back to understanding the virtues of structures over
> parallel arrays in apple II assembly language..). Knowledge builds on
> knowledge.

This really resonated for me, and might be along the lines of what GP meant. I
don't know if that was your interpretation or not, but I thought it was an
interesting perspective regardless.

------
isabelc
Good for you. Very impressive. Side note, I think your 2nd lesson heading has
a typo:

 _" Not Others Asking For Help"_ looks like it was supposed to be, "Not Asking
Others For Help."

------
kylewins
Gr8 work bruh.

I respect the hustle youre going to be a great programmer

~~~
joshternyak
Thank you Kyle. I am going to be writing about how ever since I started doing
school at home, it has taken me 4 times less time to complete school work and
how I've had way more time to code and write.

------
gumby
These are real issues. One question: why have a YouTube video that is just you
reading the text? The text is already on your page.

------
ayoisaiah
This article is quite generic to be honest with no interesting perspectives
that fulfill the premise of the title

~~~
joshternyak
I will make my future articles outstanding.

------
neilwilson
Have you thought about adding a “How to hire me” section?

I couldn’t find it.

Never be afraid to ask for the sale.

------
dariusj18
Missing IMO the number one lesson all developers should learn:

Learn how to name things.

------
stdlin
banal

~~~
dang
Aw, let's not be like that. Note this guideline:

" _Please don 't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A
good critical comment teaches us something._"

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html)

