DonTheDeveloper Podcast

Working a full-time job and trying to become a developer is almost impossible. It's not just you. It is a REALLY difficult path... and maybe there's some solace in that. There's also something that's been lost in this new AI slop world that I truly believe holds a lot of aspiring developers back. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://disc...

It's a new year, and I think it's time for another hackathon! This one will likely put off some people who love to slurp up that AI slop, but for those who think for themselves and care about deep skill level - this one's for you. Hackathon details and instructions to sign up:  https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxAToLEywM5Dw5HtUJhno3pik6DV4JJSfZ ----------------------------------------...

Agentic coding isn't software engineering. If you've been coding for a while, it doesn't give you the same rewards. Yet some developers are all too eager to let their skills atrophy and outsource the fun parts of being a developer to an AI, instead of fixing the root issue - their skill issue. This is mainly targeted towards junior developers, but a lot of this applies to more exper...

Are you struggling with motivation on your learning to code journey? It could be poor goal setting. It could be that trying to find a job is suppressing your curiosity and excitement for coding. It could very well be that software engineering isn't what you initially thought it was. But almost certainly, what I share in this has or is hurting your motivation more than you think. -------------...

Imposter syndrome as a junior developer has been normalized WAY TO OFTEN. Imposter syndrome is a signal that there's a more deeply rooted issue that needs to be resolved. Sometimes, and a lot of people aren't going to like this, it's actually just a skill issue. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20%...

I've worked with a lot of great developers, but 3 developers on 3 different teams really stood out to me. Here's what people admired about them. Always remember, there are MANY ways to be successful as a developer. It's okay to be socially awkward even. I know a ton of people are worried about their personality fitting in. You just have to make up for it in other ways... -----------...

Are you learning to code while working a full-time job, taking care of family, or other heavy responsibilities? We need to have an honest conversation. More importantly, I want to talk about the mindset that'll help you survive the journey. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-f...

Have you ever wondered how much time you should invest into different things when learning to code? Then this one's for you. I also shared advice and most importantly the right perspective for standing out in the job search. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-develope...

The popular MERN stack tutorials and the larger JavaScript ecosystem in general has failed to prepare junior developers for professional jobs. This is a rant about that... --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Backend (25...

I ran Linux desktop as my daily driver for 2 months - dev, streaming, gaming. Here’s the straight rundown: what worked, what broke, and what I’d do differently if I tried again. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Backe...

The reality of being a dev is that you're capable of a future that goes way past the limits a company allows you to work within. Just in case devs forgot, I wanted to record this reminding them of that, and ultimately why I left the industry. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the...

Tried agentic coding while building a Twitch analytics feature for Twitch Sprout and... I hated it. It bloated the code, ignored library features, and turned me into a spec-writing code reviewer instead of a dev. I also shared where AI has helped as well. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba...

I’ve been skeptical of AI for a long time - tired of the hype, the slop, and the talk about replacing developers. But as a one-person business, I can’t ignore its potential. In this episode, I break down why I’m doubling down on AI for the next few months: testing its limits, exploring real use cases, and seeing if it actually makes my life easier… or if I’ll end up saying I was right to be skepti...

It's been a while since I've created a video. I just wanted to provide an update with what's going on with coding, fitness, and the future of content on my channel. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Bac...

One of the more difficult things junior developers seem to struggle with is knowing what portfolio projects to build to be marketable and competitive in the job search. I went over a variety of types of projects and how much they help you stand out among your competition. Not only that, but I went over the pros and cons of each, misconceptions of what is common but ineffective advice given around...

I switched to Linux Desktop from Mac/Windows. I use it as a daily driver now. Here are the reasons why I finally made the switch. I shared a lot of the software I use for ALL of my needs. If you're a live streamer, developer, or gamer, and you're considering switching, hopefully this video will help with your decision to switch or not. ---------------------------------------------------...

Scrimba is just starting to release fullstack/backend courses. They're going to be starting with 8 courses: Suppabase, Command Line Basics, Express, SQL, Nuxt, Vite, Next, and Node. I shared my honest thoughts on some of the courses, who they're for, and what part of your journey you should consider going through them. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord -...

Rant about how black-pilled aspiring developers who choose to be victims are poisonous to all other aspiring developers. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Backend (25% off): https://boot.dev/?promo=DONTHEDEVELOPER 🐱...

Almost every professional developer should be building side projects and here's why. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Backend (25% off): https://boot.dev/?promo=DONTHEDEVELOPER 🐱 Learn NestJS (free) - https://s...

Building a NestJS course for Scrimba and other channel & life updates --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Backend (25% off): https://boot.dev/?promo=DONTHEDEVELOPER 🐱 Learn NestJS (free) - https://scrimba.com/nestj...

Here are a few warning signs that the self-taught developer path may not be for you. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn Backend (25% off): https://boot.dev/?promo=DONTHEDEVELOPER 🐱 Learn NestJS (free) - https://scrimb...

Just finished your coding bootcamp and wondering what the heck to do next? Maybe you're a bit worried about the job market for coding bootcamp grads. If so, this one is for you. --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn...

I dive into three common mistakes that hold aspiring developers back. If you’re serious about breaking into tech, staying motivated, and leveling up your skills, this one is for you! --------------------------------------------------- 👾 Join Discord - https://discord.gg/TpQe2k8Ab3 💻 Learn Frontend (20% off): https://scrimba.com/the-frontend-developer-career-path-c0j?via=donthedeveloper ⚙️ Learn...

Why are so many aspiring developers burning out or giving up? In this, I explore how a lack of curiosity is holding back the new generation of junior devs. We’ll dig into why blindly following “popular” paths can kill your motivation, and how embracing exploration, passion, and genuine excitement for tech can reignite your learning journey. If you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated, this might be the...

I’m calling out five big misconceptions about becoming a frontend developer that might be wrecking your progress. I talk about whether you actually need backend skills to land a frontend gig, if you should learn Next.js, and even if you should learn Tailwind. There's more I dive into, so if you're aiming to become a frontend developer, this one's for you. ---------------------------...