Can you learn web development on your own?
Yes, if you’re willing to learn and committed enough to achieve your career or business goals despite challenges and distractions, you can learn.
In fact, you can learn on your own through various methods, whether it be online courses, video tutorials, boot camps, or offline web development courses at nearby computer institutes, and even through books.
Others can only guide you, share their experiences, teach programming concepts, and introduce you to various front-end frameworks. The course may be difficult or easy, and the sources may be fewer or more, but what matters most are your learning abilities and willingness. Teachers can assist in making concepts easier for students, but if students are not interested in learning, no one can force them.
No one can teach you unless you’re in a receiving mode. Everyone learns on their own.
For example, I can’t teach you anything if you don’t want to learn. The internet is full of web development tutorials, but only those who are interested and find it important for their career and business development will learn.
Everything on the internet can teach you about web development. When you use Google, YouTube, or open any website or web application, you learn.
So, if you mean that you will watch video tutorials, practice on your own, join online courses, and learn at your own pace, then yes, you can learn. However, there are certain things that you have to follow, and I will discuss all of these below:
Early Challenges Faced by Self-Taught Web Development Beginners
As a beginner, while learning web development on your own, you’ll encounter hurdles, face problems, and experience doubts while acquiring skills without formal classroom guidance. And it’s great if you face these. Learning starts with obstacles and challenges.
- Lack of clarity on what needs to be learned to become a web developer.
- Confusion between what to learn first, back-end or front-end.
- Not having a structured learning process.
- Solo journey with no one to discuss doubts and confusions.
- Lack of consistency in learning.
- Lack of interest, as the basics of web development and programming may be perceived as boring.
- Uncertainty about what you will do after learning web development.
- Doubts may arise about the applicability of the skills you’re acquiring through watching video tutorials or online courses for a job.
- Lack of a network of other students and a deficiency of discussions on what they are learning in a classroom setting.
- Not being able to find or choose a good online course is a common challenge. Sometimes, you can find really good free tutorials on YouTube that are even better than paid web development courses on other websites.
- Lack of discipline in following a timetable and schedule for learning.
- Lack of trust in the information found online or difficulty in locating authentic guides.
- Not having time to learn on your own can be a challenge, as self-taught methods may take you more time than classroom learning, especially if you’re a beginner. However, once you understand the basics you will find online learning options faster and more efficient way compared to traditional classroom settings.
How to Overcome Challenges in Learning Web Development?
1. Build clarity on what needs to be learned
Clarity helps you to learn web development fast. If you’re not sure what needs to be learned then trust the learning source or research to define clear learning goals and break them down into specific skills.
For example, set a goal to create a personal portfolio website using HTML, CSS, and Javascript. You can also search for web development-related jobs, read the skills required for a position, visit freelance websites to see what kind of web development skills are required for a specific project, and compare or analyze the information shared on the web about what needs to be learned. And after that, create a syllabus for yourself that you will learn and practice.
Read More: How can you make it easy to become a web developer?
2. Confusion between backend or frontend
You have to learn and practice both. Start with one and gradually progress to the other. Begin with learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for frontend development before delving into backend technologies like Node.js or Python.
3. Build your Web Development Network
Creating boundaries and learning web development alone may seem much more comfortable. However, the information you obtain or possess is limited. To become a successful web developer, you need to observe trends, identify problems, and gather information. Knowing what works in terms of securing web development jobs, starting a web development business, and working as a freelancer helps you plan your future steps and actions thoughtfully.
You can join online web development forums or communities for discussions. Participate in Stack Overflow discussions or join web development groups on social media. You can also conduct research and network offline to find people working in web developer jobs or learning web development; they might be in your city, neighborhood, or among relatives.
The goal is networking so that you remain aware of the current trends in web development or ask questions or discuss technologies and can also compare your progress and skills. Later, this networking can help secure internships or jobs as a web developer.
4. Learn and Practice on Real-World Web Development Projects
If you want to test or showcase the applicability of your skills, then try to practice on real web development projects or something interesting. For example, you can try to build a portfolio website, then an eCommerce store, and even explore video hosting. Here are some ideas for web development exercises.
List them on your portfolio website. You can also use them for free or testing purposes and then link them from your portfolio.
5. Set a regular study routine and stick to it
You can’t spend years learning web development. After grasping the basics of web development, both backend and frontend, you also need to upgrade yourself with AI, machine learning, and cloud computing concepts to build modern and AI-integrated websites. Consistency is key in self-learning web development.
While web development schools, institutes, or courses provide a structured routine, if you’re learning on your own, dedicate 1-2 hours every day to consistently learn and practice web development. Allocate specific time for theoretical study and practical exercises. Make it your top priority for the day.
In the early days may seem difficult to stay disciplined. However, once you start taking an interest, that routine will become a habit. And you know that our success in any field depends on the habits we follow.
Find out: How to stay disciplined while learning computer skills online?
6. Explore and capture each learning opportunity
There is no perfect course to learn web development. You have to be open to various learning solutions, whether it’s an online web development course, free web development video tutorials on YouTube, blog posts, online web development communities, books, or guidance from seniors or professionals.
The key is to consider each of these learning sources as an option. Each source contains something important, so learn and move forward. You don’t have to stick with just one thing.
For example, if someone is good at HTML, learn HTML from them. If another person is an expert in JavaScript, learn JS from them. Whether it’s through video tutorials, online courses, or an online web development course instructor, vary and use the available learning sources to build your web development skills.
7. Stop thinking and start acting
Stop repeating mistakes. If you’ve been learning web development for a long time or are switching careers, you might be kicking yourself, wishing you had started 10 years ago. Believe in yourself, despite what others may say about learning something else instead of web development. You’ve made decisions, so why be afraid? Whatever will happen, will be seen.
That’s why it’s morning when you wake up. Ten years ago, you didn’t know the benefits of learning web development. But today, when you know, start learning. Otherwise, what’s the difference between you today and 10 years ago? If you didn’t learn back then and you don’t learn even today, what’s the difference?
Now is not the time to think. This is a time to build your web development skills as soon as possible and imagine a great future. And be confident to build the future you imagine.
I hope you’ve gained valuable ideas and insights for starting to learn web development on your own. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments—your insights can be helpful to others. Join us on social media for future updates on web development tools, technologies careers, and business.