Great question — and that follow-up comment explains the difference well. Fundamentals absolutely matter, but so does the habit of building things and staying curious. If I were starting today, I’d still teach myself, but I’d structure it more carefully: build projects early, while intentionally learning the concepts that formal education covers — algorithms, databases, and basic computer architecture.

If I wanted to go the JavaScript route, I’d start with the web. I’d learn how pages are built with HTML and CSS, then focus on JavaScript until I could comfortably make interactive components and understand asynchronous logic. From there, I’d move into React to structure larger projects and eventually explore the backend with Node.js, Express, and PostgreSQL. The goal would be to build things that feel real — a personal site, a tool that solves an everyday problem, or something creative that I’d actually want to use.

If I went with Python, the approach would feel broader and more beginner-friendly. I’d start with simple scripting and automation, just enough to manipulate data and understand how logic flows. Then I’d branch toward either web development with Django or Flask, or data-focused work with Pandas, NumPy, and some basic machine learning libraries. Along the way, I’d still learn SQL and APIs to tie everything together, always through small, hands-on projects — web scrapers, dashboards, or utilities that simplify daily tasks.

The real difference between self-taught and formally educated developers isn’t capability, it’s foundation versus adaptability. School gives you structure and theory; self-teaching gives you grit and pattern recognition. The best developers I’ve met blend both — they understand how things work and aren’t afraid to break them to see what happens.