I'm currently in my third year of IT studies, and for my Capstone project, I'm working on an AI-integrated examination system. While I have the API functioning and a basic idea of my project's objectives, limitations, and scope, I'm feeling a bit lost on how to actually start building the website. Should I focus on the backend first, and if so, where do I begin? Should I tackle the database, API, features, or a data flow diagram first? Even though it's a group effort, I'm the only one familiar with the detailed flow of the site. For this project, I plan to use JavaScript, Node.js with Express, Postgres (which I'm still learning), Postman, and eventually React.js once the backend is in place.
3 Answers
Don't stress too much about perfect planning. The key is just to start. If you overthink, you'll slow down your progress. Pick a point and begin building—it doesn't have to be perfect from the get-go!
A good approach is to start with your database schema. Planning this out will give you a solid foundation and inform the rest of your project. Once you have your database organized, everything else will flow more smoothly!
Thanks for the tip! Other senior devs mentioned schema planning too, so I think I’ll dive into that first.
First things first, if you know HTML, you'll definitely have a clearer starting point. It's crucial to understand the structure of your website. If you're comfortable with HTML, you might want to consider laying out a simple front end before diving deep into the backend tasks.
Yes, I know HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Node, and Postgres. I just need some guidance on where to kick things off!
I see your point, but I'm trying to optimize my time so I'm stuck in this planning phase. Is it really okay to dive in without a strict plan?