Develop Yourself

React is the single most popular framework for the world's most popular programming language: JavaScript. Yes, you must learn it. In this episode we go over: - What is React, why you care and changes to know in 2024 - How much JS is enough before you learn React? - Server side rendering vs client side rendering - What the heck is Next. JS and why you need to learn it - Resources you can use t...

As an engineering manager I've had the privilege of promoting engineers on my team and offering people their first role in tech. It's one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Besides all the meetings of course... that's the icing on the cake 😉. Unfortunately, I've also had the not so fun task of promoting people OUT of the team 😬. I've also spoken to a few junior deve...

This week, I interviewed Vanessa Vun who switched careers at 35 and went from clinical lab scientist to software engineer. She doesn't have any hacks or shortcuts to landing her first role in a tough market, just practical advice that you're probably not reading online. You can connect with her here: Vanessa's LinkedIn ​ G ​​ ot an idea for the podcast? Share your suggestion here an...

Could AI ever replace the entire software development industry? Should you still learn to code? Lets tackle the misconceptions and fears head-on, demystifying the hype around AI tools like Devin AI, and shining a light on the importance of critical thinking.  In a world where sensational headlines blur the lines between fact and fiction, we walk you through the reality of AI's capabilities an...

Here's a scary realization: there is no 1 path to learn coding. There are many and not every one will work for you. Guest Ilya Dorman challenges conventional coding education and some of my opinions on how to learn to code. We talk about how understanding your own learning process and aligning your personal and professional expectations can transform your approach to coding and lead to true c...

Congratulations! You landed your first software engineering role. Now an entirely new and much longer game begins. I remember the feelings of joy when I got hired and then my anxiety kicked in: "What will they expect me to know?" "Will I get laughed out of the room?" "Am I gonna get fired?!" Let's explore what you can expect on your first day, week and month as a...

Stack Overflow interviewed 90,000 developers to understand the software developer landscape. This survey is a goldmine for developers who are wondering what they should learn next and what current professionals are using to pick up new skills, write code and share their software. You can check it out here: Stack Overflow 2023 Developer Survey If you're ready to build complex software, then ap...

You want to build an amazing side project but you don’t know where to start. ❌ TODO app? ❌ Clone of that other app that you use? ❌ Tutorial project? When I’m not sure what I want to build, I do this: Start with the data - what API can you use which may have some interesting information? What features can you construct around the API? For example, a real time stock API could be used to trigger a...

Everybody and their mother, including me, has been telling you to just learn in public. Anna Miller is co-founder of Code Career Mastery and has a different take on creating a brand online, making genuine connections and shortening your path to HIRED. Honestly, this was one of the most refreshing takes I've heard on building a personal brand online. We discuss: - why you don't HAVE to on...

In the last 2 years alone, I’ve read through at least 100 resumes for open positions at my current company for junior developers. In addition, I’ve done around 500 calls with developers from around the world and seen hundreds more resumes and LinkedIn profiles. As an engineering manager, when I get sent a stack of resumes to look through, I will divide them into 3 categories: 🔴 NO! 🟠 Maybe… 🟢 Y...

We hear a lot of success stories about bootcamp grads AFTER they’ve landed their first role. What about those who are in the middle of learning to code? I sit down with Levy, a current student in a coding bootcamp who’s juggling work, life and learning how to build software. Levy shares what he wishes he’d known before starting a coding bootcamp, why the self-taught path wasn’t the right fit for h...

Maybe I've fooled you. To be transparent, I've screwed up a lot over the years as a developer. I’ve blown up production a few times. I deleted the column without a back up. I pretended to understand and f*cked things up. I learned a lot, got yelled at a few times and embarrassed too many times to count. Now I can share my takeaways with you. You will not avoid screwing up. It's a pr...

Learning data structures and algorithms (DSA) isn't JUST a smart interview skill, it will boost your confidence as a software engineer, give you a deeper understanding of computer science fundamentals and they can even be fun once you know how to use them. If you're self teaching or just starting out with code, they can be intimidating. They don't have to be. I break down a pretty c...

How much do you really need to know to start freelancing? What should you charge? How do you get your first client? Matt Cascardi, my friend and former mentor breaks down how he went from psychology major to freelance developer using a boots on the ground strategy to get clients. Matt got his clients the old school way and this a path that isn't explored enough in our social media-centric wor...

Interviews are weird. Software interviews are weirder. This is your guide to go from the recruiter call through the the technical screen and how to negotiate without it being weird. This isn't a theory. I've used all these tactics and so have my mentees. Grab the guide here: Junior Developer Interview Cheat Sheet ​ Also, join Parsity.io this week for a discount and before our prices rais...

Will AI replace coders? Is it still worth learning to code? I am optimistic about our future but things have changed. The future will belong to those who leverage AI in the right way. Unfortunately, too many new coders are using AI in all the wrong ways. Avoid the most common pitfalls and use it to super charge your learning. Check out this AI starter project if you want to explore the Open AI API...

Knowing how to write unit tests will make you a better, more hire-able developer. Few bootcamps teach this for some reason and since I like you, I made a FREE Unit Testing guide you can grab here .  Unit Testing Pro . Having trouble? Shoot me an email at brian@parsity.io Send us a text Shameless Plugs 🧑‍💻 Free 5 day email course to go from HTML to AI 🤔 Got a question you want answered on the po...

In this episode, Ryan shares his opinions and advice for up and coming developers including: his journey from marketer to Parsity.io to full stack software engineer his unusual (but not really) interview experience keeping motivated while learning to code side projects hot takes on technology trends why you should probably be a full stack software engineer in today's market Ryan Passer's...

You ever get that feeling that maybe you're not good enough? I know I have.  Sometimes, it's not all in your head. At some point, when you're doing a new thing, you're going to feel like an impostor. That's because you are one.  And that's OK. Let's explore why this feeling is so common among new developers, not-so-new developers and why you should be chasing thi...

John Crickett is the code challenge king. He is author of the popular Code Challenge Newsletter and one of the few tech influencers on LinkedIn and X who really knows his stuff. We sit down and talk about the best way to learn to code (building stuff ), why AI isn't so scary, his meteoric rise on social media and tactics you can steal to do the same. ​John Crickett's Coding Challenges Se...

Yeah I know, money isn't everything. But it's something right? I've been broke and not-so-broke. I prefer not being broke any day of the week. I applied 3 tactics I copied from a much smarter developer who understood the game of money in tech . I share them in this short episode so you don't make the same mistakes I did. Shameless Plugs 👇 ​ Parsity 🤓 Learn to Code, Save the W...

I  spoke with Nathan Drake, a ​Parsity​ graduate and software engineer at Paylocity. He came into our program with some basic programming knowledge and was hired literally the day he graduated! This is not normal, but it's also not not normal 🤔. Nathan went through tutorial hell, learning to code, giving up and re-learning a few times before he went to Parsity. What we offered (and what any...

About a year ago an event happened that gave me a very unique perspective on the web dev world: Kyle Simpson, world famous JS developer reposted me. My notifications blew tf up, and I got over 500 15-minute calls scheduled. I spent the next year talking to all of these people! I got to help people improve their resumes, fix their LinkedIn profiles and interview approach or just offered an ear to v...

This week, I interviewed David Rogers, a teacher turned software engineer. He now mentors others and breaks down difficult JS concepts unlike many can.  Maybe you're thinking, "Wait, isn't he like, your competition?" You'd be right. We both have businesses with the goal of teaching others to code and change careers. I like when people keep it real and David did not disappo...

The caterpillar learning method to the rescue. I've switched tech stacks 3 times so far in my career. More like 5 if you count the contract jobs I've worked on. That means I had to learn completely new languages and frameworks in a fairly short amount of time. I didn't have the luxury of sitting down for a 100 hour tutorial. The strategy I use to learn is the caterpillar method. Whe...