1) Choose a stack (pick one to start)
You only need one primary stack to begin — you can learn others later.
Option A — JavaScript / TypeScript (recommended)
- Backend: Node.js + Express
- Why: huge ecosystem, easy transition to frontend, TypeScript adds safety and is in high demand.
2) Core learning phases (what to learn and why)
Each phase lists must-learn topics and mini tasks.
Phase 0 — Foundations (Weeks 0–4)
Goals: basic programming fluency, Git, CLI, HTML/CSS basics (so you can do small full-stack demos).
- Programming fundamentals: variables, control flow, functions, arrays/objects, async (callbacks/promises/async-await).
- Tools: VS Code, Git, GitHub, terminal basics (cd, ls, mkdir, rm, curl).
- Web basics: HTTP, URL, status codes, headers, JSON, how browsers request resources.
- Mini tasks: build small scripts (e.g., weather CLI), make simple static HTML page, push code to GitHub.
Phase 1 — Backend basics & first REST API (Weeks 5–12)
Goals: write a real backend service, understand routing, middleware, and databases.
- Language deepening: advanced JS/TS (modules, types, error handling), or Python if chosen.
- Framework: Express (or Flask/Django).
- Databases: SQL basics (SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE), PostgreSQL or MySQL.
- Authentication basics: sessions vs JWT.
- Testing basics: unit tests (Jest for JS / pytest for Python).
- Mini tasks: build a CRUD API for a “Notes” app with Postgres, Dockerize it, write tests, deploy.
Phase 2 — Production patterns (Weeks 13–20)
Goals: make your app robust, secure, and deployable; learn caching, background jobs, and CI.
- Docker + docker-compose.
- Logging & monitoring basics.
- Caching (Redis), background processing (Bull for Node, Celery for Python).
- Security basics: OWASP Top 10, input validation, password hashing, HTTPS/TLS basics.
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions or GitLab CI pipelines, automated tests.
- Mini tasks: add auth to Notes app, add background job (e.g., send emails), add Redis cache, configure CI pipeline.
Phase 3 — Scaling & architecture (Weeks 21–28)
Goals: understand system design basics and scaling patterns.
- Message brokers (RabbitMQ/Kafka) basics.
- Microservices vs monolith tradeoffs.
- API design: RESTful vs GraphQL.
- Load balancing, reverse proxies (Nginx), containers orchestration basics (Kubernetes intro).
- Mini tasks: split one service into two (e.g., Posts service + Auth service), or build a queue worker and scale it locally with docker-compose.
Phase 4 — Advanced features & polish (Weeks 29–36)
Goals: build larger projects, solidify testing and design skills.
- Observability: metrics, distributed tracing (concepts).
- Advanced DB topics: indexes, migrations, transactions, replication concepts.
- Performance tuning: profiling, query optimization.
- Mini tasks: build a small ecommerce prototype with payments mock, analytics events pipeline, and CI/CD; include tests and infra as code (Terraform basics optional).
Phase 5 — Interview prep & job hunt (Weeks 37–52)
- Algorithms & data structures: arrays, linked lists, trees, hash maps, sorting, complexity analysis (Big O).
- System design: prepare for basic to medium system design interviews (design a URL shortener, design a chat system).
- Mock interviews, resume tailoring, open-source contributions.
- Mini tasks: solve 40–100 algorithm problems (see schedule below), do 6 mock interviews.
3) Detailed timeline (week-by-week for the first 12 weeks, then monthly)
I’ll show a weekly plan for the first 12 weeks (most critical) and monthly checkpoints afterward.
Week 1 (Day 1–7)
- Install tools: VS Code, Git, Node / Python, Postgres, Docker.
- Learn Git basics:
git init,git add,git commit,git push. - Do an intro tutorial: JS basics (variables, loops, functions) or Python basics if chosen.
- Mini: create GitHub repo and push a “hello world” script.
Week 2
- Deeper JS/TS: functions, objects, arrays, map/reduce/filter, promises – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urwzk6ILvPQ
- CLI practice: use curl to call endpoints, run local servers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2sqkvXzsw8
- Mini: make a small script to fetch JSON from a public API and log results. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37vxWr0WgQk
Week 3
- HTTP fundamentals (GET/POST/etc), status codes, headers, JSON.
- Learn Express basics (or Flask): routing, middleware.
- Mini: simple Express server with 3 routes.
Week 4
- SQL basics: SELECT, WHERE, JOIN, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE.
- Setup Postgres, connect from Node/Python.
- Mini: connect Express to Postgres and store simple records.
Weeks 5–8
- Build Notes API: CRUD endpoints + Postgres, input validation, basic auth (JWT).
- Add unit tests (Jest or pytest).
- Dockerize app + postgres via docker-compose.
- Deploy to free tier (Railway/Render/Heroku) — learn env vars and secrets.
- Outcome: deployed Notes app, tests, Dockerfile, GitHub repo.
Weeks 9–12
- Add features: rate limiting, email notifications (use SendGrid or mock), file uploads.
- Add Redis for caching.
- Add CI: run tests on PR with GitHub Actions.
- Start small frontend (optional): simple HTML/JS to call your API so you can demo full-stack.
Months 4–6 (if intensive) / Months 4–9 (if part-time)
- System design basics + microservices experiments.
- Build bigger project: e-commerce or scheduling app with:
- auth service, product service, order service (or simpler: blog + comments + search)
- background jobs (order processing), message queue
- monitoring/logging basics
- Start interview prep: weekly algorithm practice, a few mock interviews.
Months 6–12 (final polish for both tracks)
- Contribute to an open-source project or build a public portfolio project with strong README and architecture docs.
- Network: GitHub, LinkedIn, meetups, referrals.
- Apply to jobs, do mock interviews, iterate on resume and interview answers.
4) Concrete projects (in order of increasing difficulty)
Build these and put each in GitHub with: README, architecture diagram, tests, Dockerfile, CI, and a deployed link.
- Notes API (CRUD) — Postgres, Express/Flask, JWT auth, unit tests, Docker, deployed.
- Authentication system — Email/password, password reset, sessions/JWT, refresh tokens.
- Blog platform — Users, posts, comments, image upload, pagination, search.
- Task queue demo — Submit jobs (e.g., image conversion), process with worker (Bull/Celery), show queue UI.
- E-commerce prototype — Product catalog, orders, payments mock, order processing pipeline.
- Real-time chat — WebSocket or Socket.IO, rooms, presence, deploy.
- Microservice split — API gateway + two small services + message broker to show interservice comms.
For each project include:
- Architecture diagram (draw.io screenshot or Markdown diagram).
- How to run locally (Docker compose).
- How to deploy and credentials (no secrets).
- Tests and badges (CI passing).
5) Interview preparation (how to practice)
- Algorithm practice: do problems on LeetCode/HackerRank. Start easy → medium. Schedule:
- Intensive: 1–2 problems daily (30–60 min).
- Part-time: 3–4 problems/week.
- System design: study basic patterns; practice 1 design per week (URL shortener, tiny social feed).
- Mock interviews: use Pramp, Interviewing.io, or pair with peers. Do 1 mock/week in the last 8 weeks.
- Behavioral: prepare STAR stories for 8–10 experiences (teamwork, conflict, project ownership).
6) Tools + nitty gritty you’ll use daily
- Editor: VS Code (extensions: Prettier, ESLint, GitLens).
- DB tools: psql CLI, PgAdmin, DBeaver.
- API testing: Postman or Insomnia.
- Version control: Git + GitHub (PR workflow).
- Containers: Docker, docker-compose.
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions.
- Cloud: learn basics of one cloud (AWS, GCP, or Azure). Start with deploying apps to a simple platform (Render / Railway / Heroku) then learn EC2/ECS or App Engine.
- Monitoring: simple logging to console, then explore Prometheus/Grafana later.
7) Weekly study schedule templates
Intensive (40 hours/week) — sample week
- Mon–Fri: 6–7 hours/day
- 2–3 hours course/tutorial
- 2 hours hands-on coding (project)
- 1 hour reading/docs + 30min algorithms
- Sat: 6 hours — deep work: architecture, tests, CI.
- Sun: rest + 1–2 hours review.
Part-time (20 hours/week) — sample week
- Mon/Wed/Fri: 2.5 hours each — tutorials + exercises.
- Tue/Thu: 2.5 hours each — hands-on project work.
- Sat: 4 hours — deep work, tests, deployment.
- Sun: 1 hour — algorithms or reading.
8) What “intermediate developer” looks like (checkpoint)
You should be able to confidently say “I can …”:
- Build, test, and deploy a production-grade REST API.
- Design a small system and reason about tradeoffs.
- Use SQL and optimize queries; model relational data.
- Implement authentication and basic security practices.
- Write unit and integration tests; set up CI pipelines.
- Containerize apps with Docker and deploy to cloud or PaaS.
- Use Redis for caching and a queue for background jobs.
- Debug and profile backend issues; interpret logs.
- Communicate about architecture, write good READMEs and docs.
If you can do these, you’re intermediate.
9) Resources (pick ones that fit your learning style)
Free: freeCodeCamp, MDN Web Docs, The Odin Project, SQLBolt, nodejs.org docs, Express docs, Django docs.
Structured / paid: Udemy (look for high-rated Node/TypeScript or Django courses), Frontend Masters (for deep backend topics), Educative.io (system design).
Books (for later): Designing Data-Intensive Applications (useful for architecture), Clean Code (coding craftsmanship).
10) First 30 days — exact action plan (no fluff)
Follow this if you want immediate focus.
Days 1–7:
- Setup tools, GitHub, Node or Python.
- Finish 10 small exercises (loops, functions, arrays).
- Push first repo.
Days 8–15:
- Complete a beginner tutorial for Express or Flask.
- Learn SQL basics and create a Postgres DB locally.
Days 16–23:
- Start the Notes API: routing, DB connection.
- Commit daily, open PRs to yourself — practice writing good commit messages.
Days 24–30:
- Add JWT auth and tests for basic endpoints.
- Dockerize and push to GitHub.
- Deploy to free tier.
At day 30: you’ll have a deployed project, GitHub repo, and the confidence to continue to bigger features.
11) How to get your first job / internships
- Polish 2–3 showcase projects with documentation.
- Add a short technical writeup on each (1–2 pages).
- Contribute to small open-source issues (label “good first issue”).
- Apply to many roles, tailor your resume, include links to GitHub and deployed apps.
- Network: LinkedIn posts about your projects, join local dev meetups, ask for informational interviews.
- Prepare 10–20 STAR stories for behavioral interviews.
12) Common pitfalls + how to avoid them
- Pitfall: jumping between too many technologies.
Fix: pick one stack and finish projects with it. - Pitfall: projects without tests or docs.
Fix: always add at least basic tests and README. - Pitfall: focusing only on tutorials and not building.
Fix: build small projects from day 10 onward. - Pitfall: ignoring algorithms.
Fix: 20–45 minutes, 3× weekly practice.
13) Final checklist — are you ready to apply?
You’re ready when:
- You have 2–3 public projects (deployed + repo + README).
- You can explain architectural decisions for those projects.
- You can solve common interview coding problems (medium level).
- You understand deployment and can debug production logs.
- Your resume and LinkedIn highlight your projects and tech stack.
