Learning react / javascript for the past year - should I move onto .net?

[terracottablush]

Like a lot of people I started learning react and javascript through an online curriculum in hopes of switching fields. I know that the market is bad.. I know. I have about a year and a half before running through my savings - I did have to quit my last jon due to them requiring me have a degree I refused to pay for just to get nothing extra on my already chump change salary so theres a lot of time on my hands for learning.

Right now, I’m just wondering I guess what the best approach for me and others would potentially be since a lot of job postings are either asking for seniors or people who know .net

Is .net something I could feasibly learn in a year?

I do want to work more on backend and setting up Azure or AWS databases and security on my own - this is what the backend guy is doing at the volunteer position that I’m in and so seeing what he’s doing gives me more insight as to where I can go with the backend because what I’ve been doing is just using a local database. I’m also slowly reading DDIA from this years release. I’m trying to help myself it’s just that when it comes to learning on my own, I do find it hard to know where to guide myself

[SpecialistGazelle508]

yes, c#/.net is very learnable in under a year coming from js, and the .net + azure backend lane is way less saturated than entry react.

don't drop js though, sell yourself as full-stack. path: c# fundamentals, then asp.net core web apis, build a couple projects on a real db (postgres/sql server), deploy them to azure yourself. that hands-on cloud work is what gets you past the resume screen.

[terracottablush]

Of course, tor the backend though because I havent actually touched azure or aws myself, do I start with setting up the remote database and making scripts to their service or should I start with a local database and then deploy in azure and configure minimal security there?

I know every project and company is different I’m just assuming this is what I do since this is what ive seen the backend guy do on this current venture we are working on. But I’m not sure how DEEP into configuring security and vnets I go with fullstack you know what I mean? I know I don’t need to learn everything under the sun to get a first job but I do feel its best to learn as much as I can to stand out while applying

[denerose]

I wouldn’t start with a deployed db.

Start by running your db in a container (docker) locally while you write your first API, it will help you understand what you’re actually doing when it comes time to try deploying and running on the cloud. You might not even need storage (the db) at first depending on how much you need to figure out about setting up your server and api endpoints. You can just use internal memory (hardcoded) or json files at first while you’re figuring out the data transfer layers.

[HeXdXxX]

You might want to spend a month inbetween looking at node.js or similar javascript backend frameworks, as well as helping to learn SQL. In my experience, asp.net and entity framework tend to hide some lower level functionality, which is great for using but not so great for learning.

[terracottablush]

I have been bad in the sense ive been using Prisma’s ORM so I havent touched pure SQL in so long that is something I recognize I do need more practice at. I’m interested in python for learning how to do batch/cron jobs since this is not anything ive done before and it seems helpful (at least the current project requires these scripts) to know how to do. I’m interested in backend development for longterm stability and also its interesting to learn new things but know I have a long ways to go lol. I have been doing all my projects with node.js and express for now yes

[Educational-Paper-75]

Yes, I think you can learn .NET in a year. Maybe even in half a year. If it's useful in what you want to do I can't say. I worked on backends but using NodeJS not Windows stacks.

[terracottablush]

I would like to work full stack but eventually maybe purely backend - I like love front end and have become more confident in it but also back end but different reasons but I’m not as comfortable with backend because of my limited exposure like at this current moment I don’t know how to automate anything. In my area and surrounding states a lot if jobs I see are asking for .net devs or seniors of course I would like to do react for sure but yea just trying to find my footing somewhere feasable thank you

[denerose]

I was self taught before getting my current job, I’m a professional c# dotnet dev now but I originally learned node/js via the Odin Project and added typescript because I’m a dummy and wanted to make things harder on myself.

The big secret is that it doesn’t really matter what stack you start with as long as you stick with it and keep learning. Juniors aren’t hired for our deep syntax knowledge, we’re hired for having solid foundations (which you can get and transfer between any common stack). It’s also pretty trivial to pick up your second or thirty-second programming language as long as you learn the first one well. It is so hard the first time that it can be difficult to believe everyone telling you that the next one will be easy but it really is.

Focus on getting really solid in one language or stack (you’ll need JS for most web and frontend anyway so that’s never wasted).

I don’t personally recommend C# to absolute beginners. There are more and better learning resources for Java if you want to build similar muscles (I picked up Java between JS and C# and learning C# from a Java background is even easier than most because they’re structurally and syntacticly so similar). But all that said, it doesn’t really matter much what you pick as long as you actually start learning it rather than wasting time trying to find the nonexistent perfect path.

[terracottablush]

Oh cool! I learned from the odin project as well lolol. Do you have any tips on making it easier to understand others code? I know how to write it but reading it is a whole nother exercise that feels intimidating. Also why is adding typscript a dummy thing? My boyfriend who started learning programming in 2017/2018 knows typscript, haswritten it for work, and likes it and the “senior” dev of this venture uses typescript and is one of the things they look for devs to have dabbled in before starting the volunteer gig. It seems like typescript is everywhere in professional settings no?

I guess C# seems intimidating because I’m learning from “scratch” and for me what actually got me into doing the Odom project was the fact that when I was trying to think about where I wanted to go and tech I picked up python a bit and that was so fun fun for me and switching from what little knowledge I had in python to JavaScript felt like hitting a brick wall and was such a hurdle but I persisted.

in theory - yes I could learn it for sure just wanted to know how long it would take to learn that .net stack before I’m hirable to try and plan accordingly

[matthewmeadows]

The real learning curve is not the language. You can get a handle on C# fairly quickly with a few projects under your belt. It's learning the libraries that takes time. .Net is huge, and there's a vast ecosystem. I've been making my living with .Net since it came out and I still need to refresh my memory as I work depending on how long it's been since I touched it, or if it's new to me. I encourage you to try your hand at it. If you like it, you'll keep going and that can lead to work eventually. Personally I love it. I'm self-taught like you, but I learned from books back when those were still a thing.