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Day 4 WebDev : Roadmap

    I’ve recently embarked on a journey to become a web developer. Like many of you, I’ve got a busy schedule, I’m still need to creating and managing Fonts and can only dedicate 1-2 hours a day to learning. So my goal is to get comfortable with React JS in just six months. After some research (and a lot of help from ChatGPT), I’ve put together a simple roadmap that works for my limited time and steady pace. If you’re like me—determined but time-strapped—this might be just the plan you need.

    Month 1: The Foundations

    Before jumping into React, I needed to ensure my basics were solid. React doesn’t live in isolation; it relies heavily on JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
    Here’s what I focused on:

    • JavaScript Essentials:
      • ES6+ (let/const, arrow functions, template literals, destructuring)
      • Array methods like map(), filter(), and reduce()
      • Promises and async/await
    • HTML/CSS Review:
      • Semantic HTML
      • Responsive design with CSS Grid and Flexbox

    Spending 1-2 hours daily on practice (thanks to platforms like freeCodeCamp and MDN Docs) made a world of difference.

    Month 2: Intro to React

    Time to dive into React! 🚀
    I started with the basics:

    • React Setup: Understanding how to set up a React environment with create-react-app and exploring tools like Vite.
    • JSX: Learning how JavaScript and HTML blend together in JSX syntax.
    • Components:
      • Functional components
      • Props and how data flows between components
    • State Management:
      • Using the useState hook for simple state management

    To keep things interesting, I built small projects like a counter app and a simple to-do list. It was rewarding to see my code come to life!

    Month 3: Diving Deeper into React

    With the basics covered, I moved on to some of the more exciting (and challenging) parts of React:

    • Handling Events: Learning how to manage user interactions like clicks and form inputs.
    • Lists and Keys: Rendering dynamic lists with proper keys for performance.
    • useEffect Hook: Understanding how to handle side effects like fetching data or updating the DOM.
    • Props Drilling: Recognizing when passing props becomes messy and learning ways to handle it better.

    This was also when I started experimenting with API calls using fetch or axios. I built a simple app that fetched weather data—so satisfying!

    Month 4: Advanced React Concepts

    Here’s where things got spicy! 🌶️

    • Context API: Managing state globally without prop drilling.
    • React Router: Setting up multiple pages in a single-page application.
    • Custom Hooks: Writing reusable logic for components.

    I also tried to refactor some of my earlier projects using these concepts, which helped me understand them better.

    Month 5: Real-World Skills

    By now, I had a decent grasp of React, so it was time to think like a professional:

    • State Management with Redux or Zustand: Learning how larger applications handle state.
    • Optimizing Performance: React’s rendering behavior and memoization techniques with React.memo and useMemo.
    • Component Libraries: Exploring Material-UI, Chakra UI, or TailwindCSS for faster UI building.

    I started building a small but slightly more complex app, like a movie review app or a personal expense tracker, combining everything I’d learned so far.




    Month 6: Consolidation & Portfolio Building

    The final stretch! I focused on three key areas:

    1. Building Projects:
      • A portfolio site showcasing all my projects (of course, built with React).
      • At least one end-to-end app that included authentication, API integration, and responsive design.
    2. Learning Deployment:
      • Using Netlify or Vercel to host my React projects online.
    3. Interview Preparation:
      • Practicing coding challenges and React interview questions.
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