What's the Best Way to Design Complete Systems for Websites and Apps?

It's crucial to start by learning how to code. Gaining experience in programming first will help you learn the principles of designing complete systems. If you try to design everything before coding, you risk overcomplicating things. Think of it as learning to paint before you can appreciate the full canvas.

I understand the desire to avoid AI for some guidance. It's all about finding your own rhythm and figuring out how to structure a project without feeling rushed. This exploration phase is key to unveiling mistakes and refining your designs, so don’t hesitate to make diagrams that represent your vision even if they evolve along the way.

To start, focus on learning an object-oriented programming language. This will not only teach you how to code but also help you think in terms of object-oriented design, which relates to using relational databases. Most courses will guide you through building both the backend and frontend of an app, giving you a more comprehensive understanding of how everything fits together. Once you build your first application, you'll find that you have a lot of new questions and ideas for further exploration.