I'm diving into web development to bring my game idea to life, but I'm feeling a bit lost! I've got a solid background in programming—mostly with C/C++ and game engines—but web dev has always seemed confusing to me. My concept is a game similar to the Reddit Place game where users can host their own instances, complete with player chat, a canvas for drawing, cooldown times, and color palettes.
I've started by working on a simple client and server using socket communication, where others can run their own servers, kinda like in Minecraft. However, I'm really struggling with authentication. Right now, I'm tracking users via IP and a custom username, but that doesn't help much in managing cooldown timers for individual players, especially when they're not connected.
I believe moving this to the web could simplify things with proper authentication and sharing links for joining instances. I know the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but I'm finding JavaScript's quirks frustrating, particularly with frameworks. Speaking of frameworks, I'm unsure about which one to choose. I tried building a backend in Go but am having doubts over its performance for my needs. Recently, I've explored using Bun with ElysiaJS and Vite, but ElysiaJS confuses me despite claims about being user-friendly.
In short, what should I focus on learning to execute my idea? Any recommendations for libraries or frameworks? Is there a simpler backend framework than ElysiaJS?
5 Answers
Transitioning from Go to JavaScript is an interesting choice! If you're set on using JavaScript, definitely explore isomorphic frameworks like SvelteKit or Nuxt. They might provide more structure for what you're trying to build and help ease some of the challenges you’re facing.
It might be a good idea to hit pause on your game idea until you're more fluent in a web framework. Once you grasp one well, it will make everything else simpler. The learning curve can be steep, but it pays off in the long run. Consider mastering a couple of basic frameworks before tackling your project.
Honestly, if you're just starting, go with Express and Socket.IO for the backend. Keep your frontend simple with vanilla JavaScript. Both JWT and Firebase are pretty manageable for user auth. Avoid overcomplicating things with fancy frameworks for now. Focus on getting your idea functional before diving deeper into more advanced options.
Your game idea sounds exciting, and it’s a great way to learn web development! Since you're already comfortable with JavaScript, I recommend sticking with Node.js and libraries like Express for your backend. It simplifies a lot of elements, especially with user authentication—consider using JWT or Firebase for handling users and cooldowns. You don’t need complex frameworks just yet, so start simple and build from there. Once you're up and running, you can think about upgrading to more advanced tools if necessary.
I'd suggest fully understanding JavaScript and the basics of web development before jumping into a framework. Once you're comfortable, you might find Express to be more intuitive than ElysiaJS. Don't shy away from learning about AJAX calls too—they're crucial for what you want to achieve with your game! The MDN Web Docs are an excellent resource for this.
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