The beauty of being a Developer

Recently, I've started working on a project that is essentially a Github gists clone, but prettier. I'm implementing things I've never handled before, like a complete server with authentication, a database, beautiful themes and much more. It's quite the undertaking for a relatively fresh-faced developer like me. Even while I write this article I can see dozens of tabs of documentation and youtube tutorials staring back at me, my notebook where I was scribbling a wireframe and planning the routes I'd need to implement, and a pen I tossed across the room in frustration (whoops!). I decided to take a step back to cool myself off before another writing instrument got sacrificed to my rage and went for a walk. There, I came upon a realisation I feel would benefit from being put to words.

Development. Is. Beautiful.

Seriously, go to one of the projects you made in the past and look at it. Really look at it. Maybe it's a complicated, multi-page application with more files than there are people in the Vatican, or maybe it's a calculator app you built from a tutorial. Big or small, complex or simple, it doesn't matter. You built that. With your own two hands and your computer. You created something where nothing existed, and I think that's miraculous (and you should too!).

You created something where nothing existed, and I think that's miraculous (and you should too!)

For me, this project is my personal website (shameless promo). It's not very fancy, barely uses any javascript and the code honestly makes me cringe. Even so, I feel delighted when I can show my friends and family a website which has my name, which I built. I wish others can have this same experience.

Ben Awad is another inspiration to me in this. If you're unfamiliar with him, he's created an Instagram Stories clone as a VSCode extension, a Tinder for code as a VSCode extension, a Clubhouse clone and is now working on a beautiful game about mental health. He's the epitome of creating whatever he can think of and ditching it to move on to the next project. I highly recommend following him.

There are obviously more important things to focus on, and more impactful articles to be written. However, among all the grind and frustration that often comes with the territory of working with code, we should try and not lose touch with the simple joys of getting a computer to say "Hello World".