Side projects - why it is important for the developer

We at Alconost are very fond of and appreciate third-party projects, and sometimes get distracted by them directly during working hours. So reckless and provocative videos about a Stobax bill in different art styles, how to make infographics viral , about the true price of waiting on the Internet were born ... These clips did not have a customer - we just had fun inventing, drawing and animating them. For programmers, side projects also have a special meaning. We translated an entire article by a Swedish entrepreneur and developer David Elbe about it.

I have met hundreds of developers. The best of them always had third-party projects over which they conjured at night. As an employer, I strongly support this. But there are many companies that prohibit such activities.
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Let's talk about why I think side projects are a good idea, how to use them for self-development and what you should pay attention to.

Personal growth

Development and programming (in particular, web development) are rapidly developing areas where you have to periodically learn something new. Don't get it wrong - you don't have to try every new Javascript framework and cloud bases in order to be a good developer. I am generally in favor of being an expert in only a few areas, with superficial knowledge of everything else. If you decide to focus on Django and jQuery, so much the better for you. But if you come across Go, Dart, Less, Slim and Gulp, be sure to try them too.

Such a test can be very superficial - literally look at a couple of examples and understand what a new “trick” can do. And if there is interest, then on this new "chip" it is quite possible to make a small project. Try to rebuild some simple application in the new language or framework you like.

First laboratory tests

Scientists do not just test a new medicine first in the laboratory, before giving it to a person. Everything can not go on the script, even if in theory no problems are foreseen.

The employer should be grateful to you for trying out new tools in your own projects, and not in the working environment. I saw too many commercial developments where everything went wrong due to the fact that the developer wanted to try something new. Sometimes everything works with this new MongoDB-adapter, but sometimes it doesn't. And no one has enough experience to understand what to do with it. So first try out the novelty in a personal project, before even thinking about using it at work.

Which project is suitable?

I like to make products that solve my problems or help someone else. It can be a small ruby ​​gem, a web application, software for Android or a widget for the new Apple Watch.

Time frame

Another useful thing is the time frame. This does not work for everyone, but I need some external pressure to complete the project within a reasonable time. Therefore, on the first day of each month, I minimize any prolonged task and start a new one. This does not mean that I will never return to it. Just any project should be useful and relevant.

Third-party projects should please

Remember that private projects should please , and this is important. New technology is not always curious in itself, so do not bother with the fact that solves someone's problem, but not personally interested in you.

Otherwise, such a passion will be felt as work, with an insignificant benefit for the real business. If there are not enough funds, discuss with your employer the launch of the project in freelance format. Or as a product with the prospect of selling, which will only increase your value in the eyes of management.

Make the project public

Take seriously the opportunity to open source code (Open Source). So you can learn even more. And no, it does not hurt to make money in the future.

What? To earn? Already interesting.

A third-party project should not be in the name of money. Developers earn enough not to make money on the side. Instead, focus on solving the problem and learning new things.

After all, it is always pleasant to receive an unexpected payment for a product created for oneself. I remember my first sale in the App Store - it was a simple application for managing the account of the local hockey team. It was strange to realize that someone wants to spend money on my “home” project.

I could write a lot about earnings, but it’s better to just focus on solving the problem. Then it will be easier to sell if the need arises.

Sometimes it does not work

Remember, I said that a radiant new technology is not always a good idea? Sometimes such tasks take much longer than expected, or they are depressing in a couple of weeks. This is normal. That is why this activity is secondary and aimed only at itself. Drop the uninteresting and do something else. In any case, you will have an argument when discussing a new approach or an already familiar library. Everyone will be grateful for a small private test drive, which can save a lot of time in a real project.

Help someone with his task

Parsing someone else’s code and correcting mistakes allows you to learn a lot. Githubs trending repos is a great place to look for ready-made promising solutions.

What is your experience with side projects?

By the way, we have already translated David's popular article about eight different types of programmers - we advise you to read it!


About the translator

The article is translated in Alconost.

Alconost is engaged in the localization of applications, games and websites in 60 languages. Language translators, linguistic testing, cloud platform with API, continuous localization, 24/7 project managers, any string resource formats.

We also make advertising and training videos - for sites selling, image, advertising, training, teasers, expliners, trailers for Google Play and the App Store.

Read more: https://alconost.com