So, you want to build apps & websites?

Summary

The video script emphasizes that learning web development is hard but rewarding. It highlights that tutorials alone can't make you proficient; instead, building real-world projects is key. Many beginners get stuck in a cycle of watching videos without applying what they've learned. The speaker encourages a mindset shift towards problem-solving and self-learning, stressing the importance of discipline, focus, and perseverance. The video promotes self-reliance, real-world practice, and staying motivated despite challenges. Finally, it introduces Brilliant, a learning platform that helps users learn coding through interactive lessons.

Takeaways

• 💻 Web development is often promoted as easy, but it requires significant focus, dedication, and time to master.
• 👨‍💻 Watching tutorials without practical application won’t help you truly understand web development concepts.
• 🧠 Self-learning is a critical skill in web development, as the industry is constantly evolving, and you will always need to learn new concepts.
• 🤔 Shift your mindset from coding for practice to solving real-world problems to make learning more engaging and effective.
• 🎯 Building apps and websites requires breaking down tasks into meaningful problems and solutions, rather than focusing solely on syntax.
• 📚 Everyone struggles with coding at first, and even experienced developers encounter challenges—don’t compare yourself to them.
• 🔄 The learning process consists of 10% practice, 10% finding the right mentor or source, 20% having a strong mindset, and 50% maintaining discipline.
• 🖥 Tools like Brilliant, which focus on problem-solving rather than rote memorization, can help break the cycle of ‘tutorial hell’ and accelerate your learning.
• 🧑‍🏫 A structured, disciplined approach combined with a curious mind is more important than raw intelligence when learning to code.
• 🚀 Failures and errors are an essential part of the learning journey, as they teach valuable lessons that no tutorial can offer.

Q & A

What is the primary message of the video?

The video emphasizes that learning to build apps and websites is a difficult but rewarding process. It highlights the importance of discipline, problem-solving, and setting realistic expectations, rather than relying on quick-fix tutorials.

Why does the video claim that tutorials alone are not enough to learn web development?

The video explains that tutorials often lead to superficial understanding. To truly learn web development, one needs to apply concepts by solving real-world problems rather than just watching videos.

What mindset shift does the video recommend when learning to code?

The video suggests shifting your mindset from simply learning to code to solving real-life problems. By thinking about the purpose behind the code, learners become more engaged and better understand how to apply their knowledge.

Why is self-learning considered an essential skill in web development?

Web development is a fast-moving industry where technologies and best practices constantly evolve. The ability to self-learn allows developers to adapt to new tools, frameworks, and concepts over time, ensuring continued growth and success.

How does the video address the common struggles of beginners in web development?

The video acknowledges that everyone struggles in the beginning, including experienced developers. It encourages learners not to compare themselves to seasoned professionals and to accept that making mistakes is part of the learning process.

What role does discipline play in becoming a web developer, according to the video?

Discipline is emphasized as critical for long-term success. Web development requires consistent practice and problem-solving over time, rather than expecting quick results.

How does the video critique common motivational content in the web development space?

The video criticizes the exaggerated claims of quick success often found in titles like 'How I Landed a Job in 9 Months.' These oversimplifications mislead beginners into believing that learning web development is easy or fast.

What advice does the video give for people who struggle with coding after following tutorials?

The video advises learners to stop focusing on memorizing syntax and start solving real-world problems with their code. Applying knowledge in practical scenarios leads to a deeper understanding.

Why is it important not to compare yourself to YouTubers or experienced developers, according to the video?

The video stresses that YouTubers and experienced developers have years of practice and often present edited, polished work. Beginners should focus on their own progress rather than comparing themselves to these experts.

What final recommendation does the video provide for those serious about web development?

The video recommends finding a real-world problem to solve, as it will help learners develop their skills and potentially land clients or job interviews. Even failures will lead to valuable learning experiences.

Outlines

00:00

💻 The Reality of Learning Web Development

In this paragraph, the narrator challenges the common misconception that anyone can easily learn to build websites by following tutorials. The excitement of starting out with basic HTML and CSS fades quickly as developers encounter the complexities of design systems, frameworks, and JavaScript. Despite feeling discouraged after struggling with beginner projects like a to-do app, the narrator emphasizes that this process is normal and common for all beginners.

05:00

🛠 Practical Learning and Finding Your Mentor

The narrator discusses the importance of solving real-life problems to truly learn web development, emphasizing that simply memorizing syntax won’t lead to mastery. They also note that learning methods vary among individuals, whether it’s through solving challenges, taking courses, or watching YouTube videos. Additionally, the importance of not comparing yourself to experienced developers and setting realistic expectations is highlighted.

Keywords

💡Self-learning

Self-learning refers to the ability to teach oneself new concepts without formal guidance, which is essential in web development. The video emphasizes that watching tutorials is not enough; the key to becoming a successful developer is to solve real-world problems and train your brain to absorb new ideas. In web development, self-learning is critical because the industry evolves quickly, and developers need to keep up with constant changes.

💡Problem solving

Problem solving is the core skill needed to develop websites or apps. In the video, the speaker encourages viewers to think of coding as solving real-world issues, like increasing an item quantity with a button click, rather than merely writing code. This mindset helps developers see the bigger picture and enables them to apply what they learn in practical contexts, ultimately making learning more engaging and meaningful.

💡Focus and dedication

Focus and dedication are critical for anyone learning web development. The video emphasizes that becoming proficient in web development is difficult and requires sustained effort. Many people give up early due to the perceived difficulty, but those who stay committed to the learning process are the ones who succeed. The narrator contrasts the quick success stories with the reality that mastery takes time and perseverance.

💡Web development roadmap

The web development roadmap refers to the step-by-step guide that aspiring developers follow to learn how the web works, from basic HTML to advanced JavaScript frameworks. In the video, the speaker mentions how learners start with understanding fundamental concepts, such as DNS and client-server relationships, and progress toward more complex technologies like Flexbox, Grid, and JavaScript. However, the roadmap can be overwhelming if not approached with realistic expectations.

💡Frameworks and UI libraries

Frameworks and UI libraries are pre-written collections of code that help developers build more complex applications faster. In the video, the speaker notes that learners often hear about popular frameworks like React and UI libraries as they try to create modern, interactive user interfaces. While frameworks make development more efficient, they can also introduce new challenges as developers need to understand their underlying concepts.

💡Tutorial hell

Tutorial hell refers to the frustrating cycle where learners watch countless tutorials but struggle to apply the concepts on their own. The video explains how many developers get stuck in this phase, where they feel comfortable watching others build apps but are unable to implement solutions independently. Breaking out of tutorial hell requires hands-on problem-solving and building real-world projects to internalize knowledge.

💡Incremental learning

Incremental learning is the process of gradually building up knowledge and skills over time. The video highlights how most people try to learn everything at once, leading to overwhelm and failure. Instead, the speaker advises learners to take small steps, such as building simple features like an increment counter, and then progressively tackle more complex tasks. This method ensures a deeper understanding of each concept.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to the attitude and belief that one can succeed in learning web development. The video stresses the importance of having a positive and persistent mindset, especially when facing challenges. The speaker notes that learning to code can feel discouraging, but the right mindset helps developers push through obstacles, view mistakes as learning opportunities, and remain motivated to achieve their goals.

💡Realistic expectations

Setting realistic expectations means understanding that becoming a web developer takes time and effort. The video criticizes the misleading idea that one can become a proficient developer in just a few months, as often portrayed in online success stories. Instead, the speaker advises viewers to expect a gradual learning curve and to focus on steady progress rather than immediate results.

💡Building real-world projects

Building real-world projects is emphasized as the most effective way to learn web development. The video encourages learners to find real problems they can solve through development, as it helps solidify their understanding of concepts. Instead of simply following tutorials, creating functional applications like a to-do list or solving actual client needs leads to better learning outcomes and practical experience.

Highlights

Building apps and websites is one of the most rewarding skills where you can create something valuable by just coding.

Contrary to popular belief, watching thousands of tutorials doesn't guarantee that you can build websites effectively.

Most people struggle and give up after months of following tutorials without making significant progress.

Web development requires focus and dedication, and it's important to set realistic expectations about the learning process.

You don’t need to memorize syntax; instead, you should focus on solving real-world problems to learn effectively.

The mindset shift: coding isn’t about building apps like to-do lists but solving real-life problems.

Practice and problem-solving make up 10% of the learning process. Finding a suitable source or mentor adds another 10%.

Belief in your ability and mindset are critical to success in becoming a developer. You need to see yourself building websites.

Learning web development is hard, but overcoming challenges builds valuable skills that are less competitive than using website builders.

Tutorial videos often misrepresent how much time and experience are required to master coding concepts.

Failure is part of the process, and errors will teach you more than any tutorial.

After mastering the basics, you will find yourself learning new concepts and tools continuously, as web development is dynamic.

You need to train yourself to learn effectively by applying concepts to real-world projects instead of just watching tutorials.

Curiosity and discipline are more important than brilliance when becoming a web developer.

Use problem-solving platforms like Brilliant to sharpen your skills instead of relying solely on videos.

Transcripts

so you want to build apps and websites

great it's one of the most rewarding

skills in the world you can solve pretty

interesting problems and create

something of value by just hitting keys

on your keyboard and anyone with a

computer and internet connection can

learn how to do it nope this is a big

fat lie that everyone except you profits

from having access to thousands of

tutorials can't teach you how to build a

website maybe you have already tried and

failed at that most people give up after

a few months of watching coding

tutorials tell me if it's relatable you

watched a web development roadmap video

and started to learn the basics of how

the web actually works you learned a bit

about DNS and the client server

relationship all right the next step is

to write something inside the heading

tag and render it on the

browser that was easy so you played

around with a few more tags buttons

links images and most importantly divs

then it's time for that magical style

tag the syntax is a bit different but

still manageable plus the code is

changing the page in real time that's

fun now you can create some pretty

crappy websites then you learned about

flexbox grid and media

queries now your crappy website can

adapt to different screen sizes but you

wanted to create those popular uis and

animations you saw on dribble after all

you want to create that shiny portfolio

that will bring in clients and Poss an

interview so you dig deeper and started

to hear about Design Systems Frameworks

and UI libraries you are also hearing a

lot about react and JavaScript and how

you should build reusable

components so you opened your first

script tag and wrote some basic

JavaScript and your brain started

screaming for

help let me rewatch that beginner

friendly video this is comfortable

watching someone build interactive

elements and just like that you are in

the next step is to build that to-do app

a few minutes in and you have no idea

what you are doing but you trying really

hard and after solving some weird errors

in the console your to-do app is finally

working but you are exhausted and feel

like a failure for taking so long to

build something so

simple now some of you have passed that

phase and struggling with some other

problems but the cycle stays the same

you watch videos like how landed a Fang

job in 9 months and that motivates you

to do that yourself you watch countless

tutorials only to forget everything when

it comes to actually writing some code

why is that why you can't seem to learn

these Concepts when others can two

reasons building apps and websites is

hard don't get me wrong it's easy

compared to other grueling jobs out

there you don't have to endure harsh

weathers and physical pain but you need

a lot of focus and dedication to learn

web development

focus and dedication is hard especially

in the beginning humans like to be in

their comfort zone that's why our

parents had one job throughout their

life people exaggerate to get more

clicks and Views how I became a

programmer in four months is a much more

appealing title then how I got a

developer job after years of learning

and

rejections having said that it's true

that people learn at a different pace

that's why you see Senior Engineers who

look like they just graduated out of

college

and others with far more experience

stuck at lower

positions so you need to understand

these two things becoming a web

developer will take a lot of focus and

dedication you need to set realistic

expectations you won't learn anything

meaningful in just a few months yet you

can build a full stack application by

watching tutorials but that doesn't mean

you understood the

concepts to build websites or learning

to code in general you need to learn a

very special skill skill self-learning

you need to train your brain to absorb

new Concepts web development is a

dynamic industry things move and change

quickly so you will be stuck learning

new Concepts over and over plus the

competition out

there how do one actually learn to build

websites the answer is simple by

building you are not supposed to

memorize syntax but to solve problems a

website or or app is just a means to an

N so don't think you are learning to

code this increment counter instead

think that in real life someone is

trying to increase the items quantity by

clicking a button now when you shift

your mindset like that learning becomes

more interesting you feel more involved

and important in finding a solution

suddenly you will be thinking about the

whole picture things like design of the

counter size and color of the number

itself how will I store and fetch the

data and that's how you learn new stuff

by actually solving real life problems

if you are not applying the concepts to

solve something you are not learning as

simple as

that but practicing and writing a lot of

code is only 10% of the learning process

the other 10% is finding a source or

Mentor that you can resonate with some

people learn by solving challenges some

learn by following a course and some

learn by watching random videos right

here on YouTube

you need to find what works best for

you the other 10% is knowing that

everyone sucks in the beginning forget

beginners I waste hours perfecting a

design in figma or writing CSS or fixing

errors that should have taken 10 to 15

minutes at

most so don't compare yourself to the

YouTubers who design or code like a god

firstly they have years of experience

and secondly they are not solving the

problem in real time

so the first 10% is a lot of practice

and problem solving then you need to

find a source or mentor and you need to

set real expectations the next 20% is

mindset you need to believe more than

anyone that you can be a developer you

have to see yourself building products

and

websites I know how this sounds but

trust me this is very

important I made my first website when I

knew nothing about

coding 10 years ago just dragging and

dropping elements installing themes and

plugins felt 10 times harder than

actually learning to code how crazy is

that not comparing web development to

website Builders I am just saying that

we often underestimate what our mind is

capable of that's why I often use the

easy way in my titles and thumbnails

just to trick your brain into thinking

that this is easy so you at least give

it a try but in reality nothing of value

is easy and that's a good thing learning

react is harder than learning to use

WordPress that means there is a barrier

to entry that means less competition and

at the end of the day the market is a

game of supply and

demand if you are struggling with coding

that means everyone struggles with it

that means a lot of people will give up

thinking that they are not smart enough

to build apps and websites make sure you

are not one of

them that brings us back to the learning

process we have covered the initial 50%

the next 500% is to have discipline a

few years into coding you don't fear

writing code what you fear is eyeglasses

and back pain you can't work on a laptop

because the text is too hard to read so

if you are really serious about this

thing you need your mind and body to

work together you don't need to be

brilliant to become a web developer what

you really need is discipline and a

curious mind plus there are a lot of

amazing resources out there

countless YouTube videos Google and

those other apps for quick answers plus

some excellent platforms to build your

foundation one of the best places to

polish your coding skills is today's

sponsor brilliant a learning platform

where you learn by doing with thousands

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proven to be six times more effective

than watching long boring videos

the best thing about brilliant is that

they believe in problem solving not

memorizing and problem solving is a

critical skill to get you out of

tutorial hell one of the lessons I

really liked is thinking in code not

only it's filled with essential coding

elements from loops and variables to

nesting and conditionals it will also

help you develop your mind to think like

a developer and that's really what

actually matters so if you like to try

everything brilliant has to offer for

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brilliant.org

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you'll also get 20% off an annual

premium

subscription so you want to build apps

and websites great I want you to find a

real world problem and try to solve it

as a developer maybe you will create

something that will finally land you a

client or an interview even if you fail

it will be a massive win in the long run

errors and failures will teach you like

no teacher or tutorial ever will