A lot of my friends in the industry and also software developers I observe online, make this one particular mistake very often…
In this post, I will explain the “whys” behind the importance of having your own “mini app” as a side project. Whether you’re a contract web developer, full time, or a freelancer. This piece of information will be extremely valuable for you. So just before I give you all the advantages for building your own mini app, let me point out first what really prevents us from starting.
What does really prevent us from starting?
Firstly, I know that we work extremely hard. A developer working for a company full time, usually is not allowed to share the code he/she has written. In my own case, most of the projects I work on come with a NDA – and I’m not able to show my potential clients what I’ve been coding – I’m sure a lot of programmers can relate to this.
Another big one, we don’t have enough time. You see, after earning our living by spending most of the days in front of computers. We actually want to go out and disconnect. We all have our families, friends and hobbies that we would like to give more time. And that’s extremely crucial because then we can get to the flow easier and produce better quality code.
Also, unfortunately, very regularly – we are not even aware why we should have our own “mini app”. That’s because you don’t know yet what it will exactly give you. Then, without any further outdo. Let me offer you the powerful leverage you can get now, by having your own mini app.
The edge of having a mini app
Now as you know what prevents us, I will show you what compelling advantage you will get once you build your own mini app:
- You will surly amaze your future employer. When transitioning to a new role, you won’t have to spend hours brushing up your CV. Now you have your mini app to demonstrate! The best thing about it is, it works as your business card while you sleep! Most of developers don’t even bother to build a mini app, so right away you will be the first person to be considered in your future boss’ eyes.
- You will keep up to date with technology. At work, you probably do not have time to experiment with new technologies. Your mini app will allow you to dive in and get dirty with code. Moreover, you will feel good because you will finish your app in a few days and be proud of it.
- You will organise your code and get feedback. By exposing your code to the public, other people can give you feedback and maybe you will learn better ways of making your craft. How cool does that sound, huh? Additionally, you will want to organise, document and simplify your code to make it easier for people unfamiliar with it.
- You will contribute. Deep inside we all want to share and give because it makes us better human beings. Once you build your mini app, other developers will be able to learn from your coding patterns and style. You will get a sense of contribution to others. You will realise that you change the world for better (even if it’s just a little bit). Because now, programming is the new form of literacy.
Conclusion
These are just some of the positive points of having your own mini app. I know, you will surely benefit tremendously from getting it done. So now you’re probably thinking to yourself when you’re going to start this project? Would now be a good time?
If you want to get some inspiration, you can always look at my mini app project or just leave a comment below and I will try to help out 🙂