Hey everyone! I'm a 21-year-old from France and I started learning web development just two weeks ago. I'm treating this like a full-time job, spending about 5 to 6 hours a day on it, and I'm really enjoying the process. I've covered the basics of HTML and CSS and currently focusing on The Odin Project while dabbling in FreeCodeCamp for JavaScript. My goal is to be "job ready" in about 1 to 1.5 years, preferably working in an English-speaking environment, although I'm open to starting in France to gain experience first. I'm looking for some advice on a few things: 1) How can I transition from learning through a curriculum to building my own projects? 2) What does a strong portfolio look like in 2026? 3) Am I missing any crucial elements in my learning routine? If anyone's been through this path and has insights to share, I'd love to connect!
2 Answers
I recommend finishing The Odin Project first. Once you complete that, you'll have a solid foundation and better knowledge to help you tackle projects on your own. It really prepares you to figure things out independently afterward!
You can definitely get job ready in 1 to 1.5 years, but finding a job is another story given the current market. To transition from curriculum to building your own projects, just start creating your own web pages and applications. Experiment, fail, learn from your mistakes, and actually get hands-on with coding. Planning and building real projects will help you solve problems without a guide, which is essential.
What does TOP stand for? I haven't heard of it before.