
Ask HN: What should I learn for viable career in web dev? - throwawayt856
After almost 8 years, I am trying to switch career from customer service to web dev. I am learning Python in weekends.<p>What should I learn for viable career in web dev?
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johntdaly
JavaScript, another backend language, a SQL or a NoSQL DB, git, Linux/Unix.

Look at what backend languages are used in your area (PHP, Python, Ruby, Java,
C#, JavaScript/Node.js) and learn one.

Look at what JavaScript frameworks are used in your area (Vue, React, Angular,
Ember) and learn one.

Look at what DBs are being used in your area and chose one.

Learn Linux/Unix and how to get your frontend and backend choice running. Even
if you never do this it will help you understand what you are doing way more.

Best choose for something common in your area. The idea is to get you working
soon because real work will get you farther then a long list of hobby
projects. Set up a github account and throw out a few projects. Use a CSS
framework, even if you know what you are doing with CSS you will get lost in
it and waste a lot of time you should be spending understanding frontend and
backend programming.

If you have the possibility to spend two weeks or a month without pay (because
you live at home) see if you can get an internship somewhere where they will
put you to work. After that search for a paying job, with no experience you
probably won’t get something good, but you will learn enough. As soon as
you’ve got some chops switch jobs, maybe even language and move to a company
that has talented people. Learn from as much from them as you can.

Now comes the hard part, search for a language, operating system, app or
something else that interests you. If you have a small hobby project that you
love, that has nothing to do with work (this is very important) it is way
easier to keep the passion for what you are doing.

You don’t always have a lot of choices locally when it comes to languages,
tools, DBs and so on and moving is often not worth losing your support network
for, especially when you are first getting started since you will fuck up as
your idea and industry reality start to converge.

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sharemywin
javascript

