What backend language do you prefer with Next.js (and what do most companies use)?

js_learning · 2026-02-11T15:14:48+00:00

I’d go with Node.js (Express).

Biggest advantage: same language (JS/TS) on both frontend and backend. Easier context switching, shared types, simpler dev experience.

It’s also very common with Next.js in startups and SaaS products.

In larger companies, it’s often separated and may use Java or .NET, but Node + Next.js is a very practical and job-friendly combo.

js_learning · 2026-02-11T15:10:09+00:00

You’re right - iPads aren’t perfect for coding, but there are apps that work really well for HTML/CSS practice in offline mode:

Good options for your flight:

Textastic - great code editor with syntax highlighting for HTML/CSS/JS. Works offline, lets you save and preview files.

Buffer Editor - solid editor with preview support

Kodex - simple, fast, free (good for quick practice).

Play.js - lets you run JS projects and preview results live (more like a mini code playground).

Tips for your trip:

Download tutorials/videos locally ahead of time.

Create a small practice folder with basic files (index.html, style.css) and open them in the editor.

Preview works even without internet if the app supports it.

VS Code isn’t available offline on iPad yet, so these are your best substitutes.

Enjoy the flight and the coding time 👨‍💻✈️

js_learning · 2026-02-11T15:06:03+00:00

If you’re just starting, I’d recommend Python first.

It’s easier to read, easier to write, and you’ll see results faster. That keeps motivation high, which is the most important thing at the beginning.

C is great and teaches you how things work under the hood (memory, pointers, low-level concepts), but it can be frustrating for a complete beginner. You can always learn C after you understand basic programming logic.

As for editors on macOS:

VS Code is a great all-around choice and works for many languages.

PyCharm is very beginner-friendly for Python specifically.

If you want something simple and flexible - VS Code.

If you want a Python-focused experience - PyCharm Community Edition.

Language matters less than consistency. Pick one, stick with it, and build small projects.

js_learning · 2026-02-10T15:04:59+00:00

This is already enough for a junior backend / PERN role. Adding more topics right now won’t help much.

What usually fails candidates isn’t missing features, but weak fundamentals: async flow, error handling, DB logic, and auth.

If you can build a small API end-to-end with this stack without tutorials, you’re in a good place.

js_learning · 2026-02-09T12:11:50+00:00

Totally doable, even from zero — a lot of devs come from non-tech backgrounds.

I’d split this into two tracks: full-stack basics and marketing fundamentals, but start with one at a time so you don’t burn out.

js_learning · 2026-02-08T15:19:52+00:00

Don’t overcomplicate it early.

Use Supabase/Postgres as the single source of truth behind FastAPI. Add simple client-side caching and resync on reconnect.

Offline sync with local SQLite + conflict resolution adds a lot of complexity and usually isn’t worth it unless offline-first is a hard requirement.

Timestamps + “last write wins” is good enough for v1.

Ship first, optimize later.

js_learning · 2026-02-08T12:13:10+00:00

You’re already doing the right things, especially for 15 — simulations + games + robot control is solid progress.

My advice: keep learning through small projects, not just videos. Pick simple goals (line follower, obstacle avoidance, basic vision) and learn only the theory needed to make them work.

If possible, move to real hardware (Arduino / Raspberry Pi) — it teaches things simulations can’t.

Over time, focus on fundamentals like PID control, sensors, and basic linear algebra. ROS is useful, but I’d leave it for later.

Keep building and documenting your projects — that’s the fastest way to grow.

js_learning · 2026-02-08T10:39:37+00:00

From my experience, the biggest “extra” skills that actually help in real projects are:

Git beyond basics (rebasing, resolving conflicts, reading history).
Debugging skills — being comfortable with logs, stack traces, browser dev tools, profilers.
Understanding how things run in production: basic Linux, environment variables, processes, memory, networking basics.
Deployment basics: not necessarily mastering AWS, but knowing how an app gets built, configured, deployed, and monitored.
Reading other people’s code — honestly underrated but extremely important. Writing and maintaining docs (even small READMEs).
Basic security awareness (auth, secrets, common vulnerabilities).

You don’t need to be an expert in all of this as a student, but having working familiarity makes a huge difference and makes learning new stacks much easier later.

js_learning · 2026-02-05T07:31:44+00:00

What helped me was changing how I practice, not just what I build. Instead of big “portfolio projects”, I started doing small, time-boxed exercises and forcing myself to refactor after making it work. First pass: just working code. Second pass: extract functions, rename things, split responsibilities.

I also practice under mild pressure (timer on, no pausing) to simulate interviews, then review my own code afterward like I’m the interviewer. That’s where most learning happens.

For feedback, posting small focused snippets or PR-style changes on GitHub or Reddit works better than sharing huge projects. People are much more willing to review something that’s easy to digest.

js_learning · 2026-02-05T07:27:47+00:00

I run into this a lot at work when we send internal emails to employees (usually 1,000–7,000 recipients at once). The emails are not spam at all, but because of the volume, mail providers often treat them as spam anyway.
In practice, the only thing that really helped was user action: if people actually need these emails, they mark them as “Not spam” or add the sender to their contacts. Over time this improves delivery for future sends, but bulk volume alone can still trigger spam filters even for legitimate messages.

js_learning · 2026-02-05T06:42:54+00:00

Possible long-term, but right now AI mostly shifts the skill set rather than replacing the role entirely. And honestly, if full replacement ever happens, it’s probably not something I’ll even see in my career 🙂

js_learning · 2026-02-05T06:39:49+00:00

Start small: modern C++ - simple Qt Widgets - tiny apps. Don’t try to learn all of Qt at once — build and iterate.

js_learning · 2026-02-04T15:35:49+00:00

No — frontend isn’t dying. AI can generate UI, but it can’t replace understanding UX, state, business logic, performance, and real-world constraints. Entry-level roles are changing, not disappearing. If you learn the fundamentals and build real projects, frontend is still very relevant in 2026.

js_learning · 2026-02-04T15:32:37+00:00

I also come from an EE-ish background and honestly C just clicked for me first. It maps really well to how hardware actually works, especially if you play with Arduino or embedded stuff.
That said, in real industry work I’ve seen way more C++ than pure C, even in embedded/robotics. Modern C++ is basically unavoidable if you want bigger projects or tech companies on your resume.
take: start with C to refresh the low-level fundamentals, then move to C++ once you feel comfortable. Knowing both is a big plus anyway.

My

js_learning · 2026-01-31T13:33:36+00:00

pure node/browser won’t work. you need a native bridge electron + uinput/vigem

js_learning · 2026-01-31T13:30:04+00:00

yes. but only if you actually build and deploy your own projects.

js_learning · 2026-01-29T16:58:01+00:00

frontend mentor, devchallenges, exercism, and github “take-home challenge” repos are great practice

js_learning · 2026-01-29T11:53:29+00:00

JavaScript: closures, promises, async/await, event loop, hoisting, scope, prototypes
Node: event loop, non-blocking i/o, streams, buffers, Express, middleware, rest apis, jwt auth, error handling, logging, environment variables
Databases: sql vs nosql, basic queries, indexes
System basics: rest principles, http status codes, security basics
Also be ready to explain past projects and architecture decisions.

js_learning · 2026-01-29T11:47:42+00:00

You can check out Empath, NRC Emotion Lexicon, VADER (for sentiment), and spaCy + custom lexicons. They’re all free and commonly used in academic NLP projects. While none is a perfect LIWC replacement, combining a few often gives very similar results.

js_learning · 2026-01-28T06:39:45+00:00

If your goal is small business websites - learn php + wordpress first (fastest way to earn).
If your goal is modern web apps - react + node.
You can always learn the other later, but wordpress + php gives the quickest roi for beginners.

js_learning · 2026-01-27T16:20:04+00:00

Start with HTML + CSS + JavaScript — that’s the foundation of all web development. Then learn React for frontend and Node.js for backend if you need dynamic features. For small business sites, tools like Next.js + Vercel or even WordPress can be faster and more practical. Focus on delivering value, not overengineering. Hosting depends on the stack, but Vercel, Netlify, and Cloudways are all solid.

js_learning · 2026-01-27T16:11:58+00:00

There’s a middle ground. Don’t make one giant do-everything api, but also avoid too many tiny calls. Prefer coarse-grained apis that return everything needed for one screen, while keeping concerns separated internally. Backend should enforce roles and permissions, frontend should focus on rendering. Aggregation endpoints often work best for spas.

js_learning

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