I've been working on a new project to track my Walmart purchases using a receipt tracker. While I know there are similar apps out there, I want one that's both free and customizable. I'm stuck on whether to take the easy path with pre-built AI to scan my receipts or to challenge myself with the harder option of using OCR to pull important info and then querying the Walmart API for details. My question is, how much effort should I really put into creating something that's already available online? Should I just take shortcuts, or is it worth the time to build something from scratch that meets my specific needs?
5 Answers
Focus on maximizing your learning. Aim for a project that's 80% what you know and 20% new challenges. That way, you're constantly learning while enjoying the things you’re familiar with. Balance is key!
When working on personal projects, it’s good to balance utility and skill-building. If you're finding it fun and rewarding, that's what matters most. Enjoying the process can lead to unexpected learning opportunities.
Don't let the fact that similar apps exist stop you! It's likely they don't fulfill your exact needs, which is why you're motivated to create your own. Think about the users who might be in the same boat as you; if your solution is better, you'll have something valuable on your hands!
If you're having fun with it, then keep going! Coding shouldn't feel like a chore. You're here to explore and learn, so make the most of it, even if it means diving into the hard route.
OCR is really not as daunting as it might seem! There are tons of libraries that can streamline the process. I built a bingo tracking app, and it was really rewarding to see how well it worked by scanning cards. You can definitely pull this off!
Related Questions
How To: Running Codex CLI on Windows with Azure OpenAI
Set Wordpress Featured Image Using Javascript
How To Fix PHP Random Being The Same
Why no WebP Support with Wordpress
Replace Wordpress Cron With Linux Cron
Customize Yoast Canonical URL Programmatically