Into the React Web: From Chaos to Confidence

Greetings, fellow developers and enthusiasts!

I know I’m late to the developer blogosphere party, but hey, better late than never, right? After almost a year of professional experience in the tech world, I finally decided to pen down my thoughts, challenges, and learnings. So, here I am, ready to share my journey in the ever-evolving world of development.

The Chaotic Start

“When I Didn’t Know What I Didn’t Know”

Let me take you back to the beginning—where all the confusion started.

Like many budding developers, I procrastinated about starting projects and learning. The sheer number of tools and frameworks left me overwhelmed: Should I start with C++? Java? Or maybe JavaScript? Even after I picked React, uncertainty loomed.

I was underconfident and unsure about how anything worked. useEffect? Sounds cool, but do I even need it here? Debugging felt like a superpower I didn’t possess. My approach was simple yet disastrous:

• Google everything.

• Copy-paste from ChatGPT (Once, I even pleaded “please solve this; I can’t do it myself” 🤦‍♂️- very dumb, right?).

• Call seniors at the slightest hint of an error instead of debugging or understanding the issue.

If you've been there, you know the pain. If you haven’t, consider yourself lucky. But looking back, that chaotic phase was vital—it forced me to confront what I didn’t know.

The Turning Point: From Chaos to Curiosity

“When Everything Started Clicking”

Something shifted. Maybe it was hitting one error too many times or realizing my reliance on external help was slowing me down. I started learning instead of just doing:

• React Hooks became less of a mystery. I figured out when to use useEffect and when to let it sit this one out. Finally understanding the difference between useCallback and useMemo.

• I learned to modularize components instead of creating massive, unmanageable files.

• Debugging became my second nature—thanks to the console (and yes, some persistence).

The first “aha!” moment came when I solved a bug without copying a single line from ChatGPT. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine.

I also began to see patterns:

• Single Responsibility Principle (SRP) simplified my logic and code.

• Thinking in modular, reusable components made my projects more manageable.

Every small success added confidence, and I realized that understanding the why behind the what is the true key to progress.

From React to Querying New Horizons

“How Am I ‘React’-ing To Code Now'“

Today, I feel a sense of control over my development journey. React, which once felt intimidating, is now my comfort zone. My foundation in hooks, SRP, and modularization has grown strong, and I’ve started exploring React Query to make state management a breeze.

But the journey isn’t over—it’s just evolving:

• I’m now delving into optimizations and exploring how to improve app performance.

• Experimenting with design systems to improve user interfaces.

• Understanding context beyond React—be it Node.js, MongoDB, Tailwind or new tools on the horizon.

Final Thoughts

“It’s Not The End”

To anyone who feels overwhelmed, uncertain, or just plain stuck: It’s okay. We all start somewhere, and no one is born a developer. Mistakes, Googling, and asking for help (as small as ‘How to start VS Code?’) are part of the process.

The key is to stay curious, consistent, and open to learning. Embrace your failures—they’re just stepping stones to success.

If my journey resonates with you or if you’ve been on a similar path, I’d love to hear your story. Let’s grow together, one line of code at a time.

What Next?

“A Little About Me”

Currently, I am an aspiring full stack developer and my tech stack includes React.js, MongoDB, Node.js, SQL Server, Express, Java, Tailwind and ArcGIS, but I also have a passion for designing with tools like Canva and Figma. I love exploring new technologies and concepts and have a lot of stories to tell about deployment, documentation, and designing—all of which I plan to share in future articles. Stay tuned for more insights, tips, and personal experiences as I continue my developer journey.

Happy DevLogging! <3

~s.b.m.

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