Two weeks ago, I decided to create this blog you’re reading right now. At the time, I had little experience with web programming and honestly thought I wouldn’t enjoy it. But the idea of having a space to share my thoughts, progress, and projects excited me enough to give it a shot.
I started with almost no knowledge of the tools or technologies involved—CI/CD, Docker, web programming? All unfamiliar territory. Despite that, I decided to take the plunge, and now, just two weeks later, I’m thrilled to share what I’ve learned along the way.
The Foundations: Remix and NextUI
When you’re starting something new, having a friend who knows the ropes is priceless. A web programmer friend of mine suggested two main tools to begin with: Remix and NextUI. To break it down further:
- Remix is built on React and focuses on routing in web applications.
- NextUI, a UI library, is based on Tailwind CSS.
So, while it initially felt like a lot to learn, my friend reassured me that Remix and React go hand-in-hand, as do NextUI and Tailwind. That turned four technologies into two, which was far less intimidating.
Diving into Remix
I kicked things off with Remix. Its React-based foundation made it approachable, and after following the tutorial, I felt ready to start.
I set up my first Remix app and wrote my first bits of code to build a blog page. That’s right—this /blog page was my first real milestone. It was exciting to learn the basics of React, experimenting with useState and useEffect. Before long, I had a functioning page… albeit a pretty plain one. But hey, it worked!
Making It Look Good with NextUI
Once my page was functional, it was time to tackle the aesthetics. Enter NextUI. Since it’s built on Tailwind CSS, the whole process felt refreshingly intuitive—almost like working with Flutter, which I use for many of my mobile projects.
With NextUI’s help, I transformed my blank, boring page into something I was proud to look at. The documentation was clear, and my comfort level grew quickly. The result? My first complete blog page with an actual design!
Adding Complexity: Databases, Docker, and CI/CD
Building a blog is more than just the front end. I needed a database to store my content, so I went with Supabase, which I’d used previously and found easy to work with.
Next came Docker and CI/CD—two entirely new challenges. Both required digging deep into tutorials, trial and error, and plenty of patience. You can read more about my experiences in these posts:
The Struggles: Failing and Trying Again
Like any journey worth taking, this one wasn’t without its challenges. I ran into bugs—lots of them. Sometimes, they were on the front end, sometimes on the back end. I rewrote entire components multiple times, tweaking, testing, and tweaking again.
What kept me going was the sheer satisfaction of solving those problems. Every bug fixed, every design polished felt like a small victory.
Reflecting on the Journey
Two weeks ago, this blog was just an idea, and now it’s a living, breathing project. It’s far from perfect, but it’s something I’m genuinely proud of. Along the way, I’ve learned about new tools, overcome challenges, and proved to myself that I’m capable of more than I thought.
If there’s one thing I’d like you to take away from this, it’s that starting something new—especially something intimidating—is worth it. You might stumble, and you’ll definitely struggle, but those moments of progress? They’re pure gold.
So, whatever project you’ve been dreaming about, start it. Jump in, even if you don’t feel ready. You never know what you’re capable of until you try.
Happy coding! 😊