You’ve completed a coding course, you’ve soaked up all the skills, and now you want to know what web development skill or language you should move on to next.
And you’re not alone. It’s one of the most commonly asked questions amongst coding learners, but the answer may not be what you expect.
Keep learning what you’re learning
So you think you’ve finished learning whichever skill or language you’ve been learning. But really, what you’ve learnt is just the tip of the iceberg. Why not go into more depth?
If you’ve been learning CSS, then try experimenting with a framework like SASS or LESS. If you’ve been learning JavaScript, then make it work on a web page, perhaps with jQuery. If you’ve been learning PHP, then perhaps try some WordPress coding.
Most importantly, avoid becoming a jack of all trades. It’s better to be a master of PHP and know nothing about JavaScript, or to be a wizard with CSS and clueless when it comes to scripting, than to know a bit of everything but not be able to build anything substantial.
In a nutshell, get to know the skill you’re already learning like the back of your hand. Only then move on to something else.
Get a second opinion
One great way to continue with the skill you’re already learning is to try lessons on different sites.
If you’re a member of a site like Codecademy and Treehouse, you probably rely on that site for a good 90% or more of your coding education. But when you’ve exhausted all the lessons on a particular skill or language, it can be a good idea to venture out into the world wide web to see what other lessons are available.
Often you might find a lesson which goes into more depth than your first one, or being taught by someone else it might just offer you a different perspective on the topics covered.
One great provider of high quality coding courses is Code School, another good place to go is none other than YouTube. And don’t be afraid to Google – you never know what you might find.
Just build websites!
But when you’ve absolutely learnt everything you can on your chosen skill or language, the best advice about what you should move on to is this. Just build websites!
One of the biggest mistakes people make when learning to code is focusing on the learning rather than the building. They spend hours and hours soaking up all the knowledge they can find, but they fall short of putting their skills into practice by actually building something.
Instead of learning a new skill, consolidate the skills you already have by applying them to a project. And not a guided project on a learn to code site, but embark on your own, self-directed, project. It could be a website, an app, or even a WordPress theme or plugin. After all, what’s the point of learning the skills if you’re not putting them into practice?
In fact, you’ll probably learn more coding your project than you would from a lesson. So stop worrying about learning new skills and languages and start building something.
What will you be doing next? Tell us!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
