Best Projects to Build in 2024

Piyush Garg

24 Aug 202419:06

Summary

TLDRThis video script is a guide for building exciting projects that can elevate one's skills from beginner to advanced levels. It introduces five project ideas, including a DNS server and a Redis project, which are not only beginner-friendly but also require a good amount of skill, knowledge, and are very interesting to build. The script also provides guidance on where to find inspiration and how to build these projects, emphasizing the importance of understanding the internal workings of the internet. The last project discussed is a dynamic reverse proxy, which is highly recommended for those looking to stand out. The video also touches on the importance of learning how to build things like Redis from scratch and encourages viewers to try building the projects shown.

Takeaways

😀 The video discusses building exciting projects that can elevate one's skill level from beginner to advanced.
🎯 The presenter will cover five project ideas, including one that is particularly close to their heart.
💡 The projects are not beginner-friendly and require a good amount of skills, knowledge, and are very interesting to build.
🌟 The first project idea is to build a DNS server, emphasizing the importance of understanding how the internet's foundation, DNS, works.
🛠️ The video will not only provide project ideas but also guide viewers on where to find data, inspiration, and how to build them.
🔍 For the DNS server project, the presenter suggests visiting 'codecrafters.io' for a guided path and 'kimi.moonshot.cn' for additional resources.
💻 The second project idea is to build a Redis server, which is more than just a caching layer and can handle various data structures and streaming.
🔑 Advanced topics like handling big integers, variant encoding, and concurrency will be touched upon in the context of building a Redis server.
🌐 The third project idea involves building a cloud IDE, which requires good knowledge of Docker and can be resource-intensive.
🤖 The fourth project is about creating a live streaming platform, which can be built using webRTC and might involve supporting multiple users and real-time collaboration.
🔄 The final project idea is to build a dynamic reverse proxy, which can route requests dynamically based on the server's load and availability.

Q & A

What are the main topics discussed in the video?
-The video discusses building projects that can elevate one's skill level from beginner to advanced, focusing on projects such as DNS servers, Redis, cloud-based ID systems, and dynamic reverse proxies.
Why is understanding DNS important for the projects discussed?
-Understanding DNS is crucial as it forms the foundation of the internet. It involves comprehending how DNS works, its records, types of records like A records, AAAA records, and MX records, and their necessity.
What is the significance of building your own DNS server as mentioned in the video?
-Building your own DNS server is significant because it allows for a deeper understanding of how the internet works internally, which is very important for developers.
What are the key features one should consider when building a Redis project?
-When building a Redis project, one should consider features like data structure support, geolocation support, and the ability to handle big integers and variant encoding.
How does the concept of concurrency come into play when building a Redis server?
-Concurrency is important in a Redis server to handle multiple clients hitting the server simultaneously, requiring solutions to manage data consistency and access control.
What is the role of Docker in the cloud ID system project discussed in the video?
-Docker plays a role in the cloud ID system by allowing users to spin up Docker containers on-demand, providing an isolated environment for each user to develop within the cloud-based ID system.
Why is knowledge of Docker important for the cloud ID project?
-Knowledge of Docker is important because it enables the dynamic creation of isolated environments for users, which is essential for a cloud ID system that needs to handle multiple users and their development environments.
What are the benefits of using a dynamic reverse proxy in a cloud ID system?
-Using a dynamic reverse proxy allows for flexible routing of requests to different servers based on demand, enabling auto-scaling and load balancing within the cloud ID system.
How does the video suggest one can learn more about building a Redis server?
-The video suggests visiting 'codecrafters.io' for a guided path on learning Redis, including a link in the description for a free course.
What is the advice given in the video regarding cloning projects for learning purposes?
-The video advises against merely cloning projects, suggesting instead to build prototypes to understand the system and engineering behind them, which is more beneficial for learning and intermediate-level developers.
What is the final project idea that the video encourages the audience to build?
-The final project idea is to build a dynamic DNS server, reverse proxy, and incorporate all the discussed elements into a single project that can stand out and be published for others to use and appreciate.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Building Projects to Boost Your Skills

The paragraph introduces a video aimed at discussing exciting projects and ideas that can help viewers enhance their skills significantly. It emphasizes that these projects are not beginner-friendly and require a good amount of knowledge and skills. The speaker plans to cover five project ideas, with the last one being their favorite. They also promise to provide guidance on where to look for the projects, how to get inspiration, and how to build them. The first project mentioned is building a DNS server, which is crucial for understanding the internet's foundation.

05:02

🛠️ Mastering Redis with Advanced Projects

This paragraph delves into the second project idea, which involves working with Redis. Redis is described as more than just a caching layer; it's a robust tool capable of handling geolocation, streaming, and various data structures. The speaker suggests that building your own Redis will help understand concurrency issues, data storage, and variant encoding. They also recommend visiting code-crafters for a guided path on Redis and highlight the importance of building projects that showcase one's engineering skills rather than simply cloning existing ones.

10:02

🌐 Creating a Dynamic Cloud IDE

The speaker presents the third project idea: creating a cloud IDE. They mention a previous video explaining how cloud IDEs work and emphasize the need for good Docker knowledge. The project involves spinning up Docker containers on demand, using various tools and services to create an isolated environment for development. The speaker also discusses the importance of providing dynamic URLs for user deployment and suggests incorporating features like file creation, deletion, and collaborative editing using operational transformation algorithms.

15:04

🎥 Building a Live Video Streaming Platform

The fourth project idea is about creating a live video streaming platform. The speaker explains how to establish connections between users and broadcast videos to each other. They discuss the possibility of using WebRTC for peer-to-peer connections without the need for an intermediary server, thus reducing costs. The project also touches on scaling up to support more users and ensuring security in the process.

🔄 Developing a Dynamic Reverse Proxy

The final project discussed is creating a dynamic reverse proxy, which can be used to route requests efficiently across multiple servers. The speaker explores the concept of auto-scaling and how a reverse proxy can direct traffic to different services. They also introduce the idea of dynamic routing, where servers can be spun up on-demand and registered with the proxy to handle specific types of requests. The paragraph concludes with the speaker encouraging viewers to undertake such ambitious projects to stand out and potentially gain recognition and utility from their work.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡DNS Server

A DNS server is a critical component of internet infrastructure that translates human-friendly domain names (like 'example.com') into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the network. In the context of the video, building a DNS server is presented as a complex project idea that can significantly elevate one's skill level and showcase expertise. The script mentions understanding how DNS works, its records, and types, which are essential for anyone looking to build their DNS server.

💡Redis

Redis is an open-source, in-memory data structure store, used as a database, cache, and message broker. It supports various data structures such as strings, lists, maps, and more. The video script emphasizes building a Redis server as a project idea, which is not only a technical challenge but also a practical skill to have. The script discusses the importance of understanding Redis's capabilities, such as handling big integers and implementing variant encoding, which are crucial for building efficient data structures.

💡Cloud IDE

A Cloud IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a development platform accessed over the internet, allowing developers to write code, execute it, and deploy applications without the need for local development environments. The video script introduces the idea of creating a Cloud IDE as a project, which involves understanding containerization with Docker and networking concepts. The script suggests that building a Cloud IDE can demonstrate a good grasp of cloud technologies and DevOps practices.

💡Docker

Docker is a platform that allows developers to build, deploy, and run applications in containers. Containers are lightweight and can run both on physical and virtual machines. The script mentions Docker as a key technology for spinning up containers on-demand, which is a part of the Cloud IDE project. Understanding Docker is essential for anyone looking to build scalable and portable applications, as highlighted in the video.

💡Reverse Proxy

A reverse proxy is a server that sits behind a firewall and routes incoming requests to the appropriate backend server. In the video, the concept of a dynamic reverse proxy is introduced as a project idea. This involves creating a system that can dynamically route requests to different servers based on the request's content, which is a complex but powerful concept for managing web traffic and load balancing.

💡Dynamic Routing

Dynamic routing is a method of moving data through a network along a path that is determined at runtime based on the current network topology and traffic conditions. The video script discusses the idea of implementing dynamic routing in a reverse proxy, which would allow for real-time decision-making on where to direct incoming traffic. This is an advanced networking concept that can significantly improve the efficiency and scalability of web services.

💡Collaborative Coding

Collaborative coding, also known as pair programming, is a software development approach where two programmers work together at one workstation. One person writes the code, while the other reviews each line of code as it is typed in. The video script suggests building a platform that supports collaborative coding, which would involve real-time code editing and communication features. This project idea is an innovative way to enhance the coding experience and could be very appealing to developers.

💡Live Streaming

Live streaming is the delivery of Internet content in real-time, as events happen, much as live television broadcasts its contents over the airwaves via a television signal. The video script introduces the idea of integrating live streaming capabilities into a project, such as a dynamic DNS server or a Cloud IDE. This could involve streaming code editing sessions, video calls, or other interactive content, which would require knowledge of webRTC and streaming protocols.

💡Operational Transformation Algorithm

The Operational Transformation Algorithm is used in collaborative editing systems to ensure that all users see the same document state even when changes are made concurrently. The video script mentions the need to understand and implement the Operational Transformation Algorithm for a project that supports collaborative coding. This algorithm is crucial for maintaining data consistency in real-time collaborative applications.

💡WebRTC

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology that enables real-time communication between web browsers or between a browser and a server. The video script discusses using WebRTC for establishing peer-to-peer connections between users for collaborative coding or live streaming. Understanding WebRTC is essential for building projects that require real-time interactive features, such as the ones described in the video.

💡Code Crafting

Code Crafting is a term used in the video to describe the process of building projects from scratch. It emphasizes the importance of not just cloning existing projects but rather creating prototypes to understand and mimic the engineering behind complex systems. The video encourages viewers to build their projects, like a DNS server or a Redis server, to gain a deep understanding of the technologies involved.

Highlights

Introduction to building exciting projects that can elevate your skills from beginner to advanced levels.

Discussion on five project ideas that are not beginner-friendly, requiring a good amount of skills, knowledge, and are very interesting to build.

Emphasis on not only providing project ideas but also guidance on where to look for data, inspiration, and how to build them.

The first project idea involves building a DNS server, highlighting the importance of understanding how DNS works as the foundation of the internet.

Explanation of DNS records, types, and the need for these records in the context of building a DNS server.

A guide to building your own DNS server, including a link in the description for a related video tutorial.

The second project idea is about building a Redis server, explaining what Redis is and its capabilities beyond just caching.

Technical aspects of building a Redis server, including handling concurrency, data structures, and variant encoding.

The importance of prototyping rather than cloning when building projects, to truly understand and learn from the process.

The third project idea is about cloud-based IDE, focusing on Docker and its role in creating isolated development environments.

Details on how to spin up Docker containers on demand and the components involved in building a cloud IDE.

The fourth project idea involves creating a live streaming platform, discussing the use of WebRTC for peer-to-peer connections.

Exploration of operational transformation algorithms for supporting multi-user collaboration in real-time.

The final project idea is about building a dynamic DNS server, explaining the concept and its potential within a cloud IDE architecture.

How to handle dynamic routing in a reverse proxy to manage different services and servers efficiently.

The benefits of building a dynamic reverse proxy within your cloud IDE, including auto-scaling and load balancing.

Conclusion and encouragement to build these projects to stand out, with a reminder of the resources and links provided in the description.