I'm curious about how often people really start a project from complete scratch. You know, setting up the database connection, handling authentication and sessions, and building out the app functionalities without relying on existing solutions. I've dabbled in some small tech projects, but now I want to gain real-world experience by doing some pro bono work. I'm considering reaching out to small businesses to see if I can build something that addresses their issues, but I'm unsure whether to start everything from ground zero or use existing tools to speed up the process and deliver a better product. For instance, I'm thinking of helping a friend who's starting a tourism agency that focuses on art-related social events. I want to create a CMS for publishing events, automate social media posts, and set up forms for businesses to get in touch. Should I build all this myself or leverage something like WordPress or Payload to avoid reinventing the wheel?
5 Answers
I tend to start from scratch for personal projects, partly because I love experimenting. But I always recycle code snippets and components whenever possible. It helps me deliver faster without losing the fun of building.
I typically start from scratch unless I’m using some standard libraries or templates. For your project, getting some user feedback quickly may require using existing tools so you can focus on adding custom features later rather than reinventing the wheel initially.
Right! I need to prioritize moving quickly to get feedback without compromising quality.
I rarely start projects from zero professionally. Most of my personal stuff, I do build from scratch, usually about two projects every six months. But I try to keep an eye on what’s feasible and viable.
That's interesting! So you juggle ideas and focus on the one that feels more promising, right?
I start from scratch pretty often, mostly with corporate back-office applications. But when it comes to client projects like yours, consider maintenance. Who’s going to look after the project after you're done? It's worth thinking about whether using established solutions might be the best option for everyone involved.
Absolutely! I hadn’t thought about the long-term maintenance aspect. If I'm approaching local businesses, using common technologies makes a lot of sense.
I used to build everything from the ground up because it felt more 'authentic,' but I learned it’s often a waste of time. If your goal is to deliver something useful quickly, leverage existing tools like WordPress or Payload. They can save you a lot of hassle, and ultimately, it’s about what works best for your friend's project. If you enjoy the coding part, do it, but don’t hesitate to use what's already out there to meet your deadlines.
Thanks! I’m weighing the learning aspect against quick deployment. Reusing code for a real business feels different than personal projects.
That's smart! It must save a ton of time building on previous work instead of starting entirely fresh.