Tech I'm learning in 2024

I plan to elaborate on every single item, but first, I think it’s important to outline my overall priorities for this year.

My highest priority is to work on the fundamentals, from data structures and algorithms to design patterns.

While improving my fundamentals, I also plan to achieve mastery in a second programming language. I have some experience with Python, Java, and PHP, but not enough to consider myself fluent. After researching the current landscape/marketplace I think that Go is the perfect language for me to learn next.

Beyond coding, I am passionate about designing entire systems — considering which databases and cloud services to use, and understanding how they connect, store, transfer, and process data. Naturally, I want to learn more about System Design hopefully by the end of the year I have a broad understanding of the area.

I also want to explore emerging technologies in the frontend world. Frameworks like Next.js, Qwik, Solid, HTMX, and Astro offer various capabilities. Understanding their trade-offs is crucial for making informed decisions, so I plan to familiarize myself with these technologies.

To maintain a well-rounded skill set, I intend to keep my soft skills sharp and stay updated with TypeScript (TS).

And, if time permits, I’m really curious about Rust. Learning the basics could be beneficial. Additionally, I’m interested in experimenting with AI APIs to explore how they can be integrated into various features.

Goals List

Design Patterns

It is an obvious choice for me, I’m medium at best when coding on OOP, an overall topic to work on as a software engineer, not only because of the patterns themselves, but for the abstraction thinking that you practice learning them, and it happens that I’m currently working with OOP so fits nicely on the priorities list.

Outcome:

  • Become more fluent in design patterns and OOP, highly capable of recognizing the design pattern, and implementing the solution with little if any consultation.

Resources:

Output:

  • Repository with exercises per each design pattern.
  • An optional blog post series where I teach each pattern in detail. I believe that teaching is one of the most effective ways to deepen one’s understanding.

Effort: 60 hours.

Data Structures & Algorithms

Reflecting on my university days, I realize that my retention of data structure concepts is, frankly, quite fuzzy. We dabbled in everything from basic structures to building compilers—though how effectively we did any of that is debatable (LOL). I can’t keep avoiding this fundamental area, so I’ve decided to make it a focal point of my learning journey this year.

Outcome:

  • Achieve a solid understanding of data structures, enabling me to select the most appropriate ones for specific problems and implement them confidently without needing to consult external resources.
  • Gain a comprehensive overview of the algorithms landscape, understanding how various algorithms work internally. While being able to implement algorithms without consulting resources would be ideal, I would be okay if I need to google it every now and then.

Resources:

Output:

  • Develop a repository featuring solutions to problems where the key to the solution is either a specific data structure or algorithm, using TypeScript or Go.
  • Compile concise notes for each topic, which will aid in retention and reference.
  • Potentially author blog posts on these subjects to further solidify my understanding.
  • Make measurable progress on LeetCode challenges.

Effort: 80 to 120 Hours

System Design

Alright, let’s talk system design. Honestly, I’m pretty much a rookie here, but I’ve got that crucial beginner’s insight: I know enough to know what I don’t know. It’s time to dive into the world of system design and carve out a clear path for learning it inside out.

Outcome:

  • I’m shooting for a solid grasp of system design overall. The goal is to get comfortable with the big picture and the nitty-gritty details alike.

Resources:

Output:

  • I plan to take notes in a mind map format to track the different areas of system design. Visuals help me see connections and remember stuff way better.

Effort: 40 hours

Temporal

Temporal’s got me intrigued, not gonna lie. There’s something about temporal workflows and activities that screams ‘useful’ and ‘powerful’ to me.

Outcome:

  • I’m aiming to get hands-on and comfy with the Temporal SDK, plus wrap my head around all the cool stuff you can pull off with Temporal. Think of it as reaching a level where I can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk.

Resources:

  • Temporal’s official learning hub: Learn Temporal . Looks like a goldmine for getting started and beyond.

Output:

  • I’ll put together a repo filled with my own Temporal experiments.
  • Also, I’m thinking of dropping a blog post to spill my thoughts on Temporal. Should be a good way to process what I’ve learned and share the vibes.

Effort: 40 hours

NEXT.js and the T3 Stack

So, I’ve been eyeing Theo’s stack lately. Haven’t really gotten my hands dirty with it yet, but from the sidelines, it looks like a playground of tech that’s just my style.

Outcome:

  • I’m diving in to get a rock-solid grip on how NEXT.js ticks. I wanna know what makes it shine and where it could use a bit more polish. Plus, getting into the nitty-gritty of TRPC and the whole NEXT ecosystem is on my list.

Resources:

  • The bread and butter: NEXT and TRPC documentation. No shortcuts here, I’m setting up everything from scratch to really feel that learning curve.
  • A bit of side help from the fireship.io course on NEXT.js . Though NEXT is always evolving, so the docs will be my go-to.
  • And, for a splash of inspiration, I’ll be checking out the endless stream of clones that CodeWithAntonio has been churning out.

Output:

  • I’ll be channeling all this learning into a pet project. Picture this: the tech mentioned above, plus a choice between drizzle or kysely, sprinkled with PlanetScale, Zod, ShadCnUI, Tailwind, all wrapped up and deployed on Vercel.
  • A blog post on the whole developer experience could be on the horizon.

Effort: 100 hours

Go

Alright, it’s time to get serious about mastering a second language. I’ve played a bit in PHP, Python, and Java, but honestly, it’s been so long that I’m practically back to square one with them. After some intense market research and a deep dive into performance stats, I’m convinced about picking Go. It’s got that mix of efficiency and simplicity that just clicks for me.

Outcome:

  • I’m on a mission to get a good handle on Go - understanding the ins and outs of the language, its ecosystem, and everything that makes it tick.

Resources:

Output

  • Crafting a basic Go REST API to get my hands dirty.
  • And if I’m feeling adventurous, I might dabble in some gRPC exposed endpoints, playing around with protobufs for that extra challenge.

Effort: 30 to 40 hours

Astro

Having dipped my toes into Astro just a bit, I’ve caught a glimpse of its potential. Now, I’m ready to dive deeper, really get under the hood, and see what this framework can do when pushed to its limits.

Outcome:

  • My mission is to fully explore Astro’s capabilities and unlock its potential. I want to know it inside out—from its core features to the nifty tricks that make it stand out.

Resources:

  • I plan to channel my newfound knowledge into maintaining and enhancing my blog site. Expect new features and possibly smoother, more dynamic user experiences.

Output:

  • I plan to channel my newfound knowledge into maintaining and enhancing my blog site. Expect new features and possibly smoother, more dynamic user experiences.
  • Along the way, I might pen a few posts about my journey with Astro. Sharing learnings and insights feels like a natural step.

Effort: 40 to 50 hours

Qwik

I’m buying into the Qwik philosophy—its emphasis on resumability feels like a glimpse into the future of web development. However, I’m holding my bets a bit. The community’s embrace of Qwik is still up in the air, and there are gaps in basic libraries for the framework. But it’s making progress, and at the very least, Qwik’s core ideas about delivering HTML+JS could significantly influence other frameworks, making it a tech worth getting ahead on.

Outcome:

  • I aim to get a solid grasp of Qwik and QwikCity, diving into the architecture, the strengths, and the limitations of its current offerings.
  • Evaluate its feasibility for production-level projects.

Resources:

  • The primary guide on this journey will be the official Qwik documentation.

Output:

  • I’m planning to build something straightforward, possibly integrating Qwik into my blog or crafting a basic page to test the waters.

Effort: 30 hours

Htmx

Diving into Htmx feels like unearthing a treasure trove for solving a bunch of web dev puzzles. It’s got this allure of simplicity and power that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

Outcome:

  • I’m setting my sights on getting a comprehensive understanding of Htmx—its capabilities, what it excels at, and where it might fall short.

Resources:

  • To kick things off, I’ll be checking out the Htmx course on Frontend Masters: Learn Htmx . It seems like the perfect launchpad for my journey.

Output:

  • The game plan is to either enhance the Go-lang API I worked on earlier with some dynamic UI elements using Htmx or start a fresh project. The goal is to weave in dynamic content and interactions to really see what Htmx can do.

Effort: 30 hours

Rust

Curiosity’s got the better of me—I’m ready to see what the buzz around Rust is all about, hope I get the time to explore this blazingly fast language.

Outcome:

  • Aim for a foundational understanding of Rust and its ecosystem. I want to grasp the basics that make it stand out.

Resources:

  • I’ll be starting with the Frontend Masters course tailored for TypeScript developers diving into Rust: Rust for TypeScript Developers . It sounds like a perfect bridge for me.
  • And of course, the Rust documentation will be my go-to for diving deeper and clarifying concepts.

Output:

  • Plan to churn out code examples that cover Rust’s syntax and its core features. This hands-on approach will help me become aware

Effort: 30 hours

Build something with AI

The AI wave is too big to ignore, and I’m all in for riding it to see where it takes application development next. The plan? Start small but think big, integrating AI with software to understand potential capabilities.

Outcome:

  • Achieve a robust understanding of how to interact with AI systems. I want to get to grips with the ins and outs of making AI part of my developer toolkit.

Resources:

  • For a holistic view on creating full-stack applications, I’ll dive into the Frontend Masters course on building full-stack apps with Next.js . It’s not AI-specific, but it’ll provide a solid foundation for integrating AI features.
  • The Chat GPT API documentation will be my guide to understanding how to communicate with one of the most powerful AI tools available right now.

Output:

  • The end goal is a pet project that leverages AI APIs to enhance feature capabilities. Whether it’s refining user interactions, automating content generation, or something entirely different, I’m excited to explore the potential.

Effort: 40 hours

Soft Skills

Rewinding about five years, “The Pragmatic Programmer” was a read that left its mark on me. Now, with a fresh set of experiences and a new perspective, I reckon it’s time to revisit this classic. Who knows what insights and overlooked wisdom I’ll uncover this time around?

Outcome:

  • The goal is to refine and perhaps uncover soft skills that I haven’t been fully utilizing in my current role. It’s all about tapping into those hidden strengths and bringing them to light.

Resources:

  • I’ll be dusting off my copy of “The Pragmatic Programmer” by David Thomas and Andrew Hunt.

Output:

  • As I journey through the book, I plan to share my reflections and how they tie into my own experiences in blog posts. It’ll be a mix of insight, application, and real-world relevance.

Effort: 30 hours

TS maintenance

Staying sharp and current in the tech world means never letting your skills get too comfortable. For TypeScript, that means diving into the latest to ensure I’m not missing out on any game-changing features or best practices.

Outcome:

  • The aim is to stay fully dialed into the TypeScript ecosystem. I’ll be on the lookout for anything new or crucial that could elevate my work or fill in some gaps in my knowledge.

Resources:

Output:

  • Maybe some notes or blog posts, nothing to much.

Effort: 20 hour

Final Words

To wrap up this blog post, adding up all the effort, gives about 500 to 600 hours total, which will require about 2h every day. Is it much? maybe yes, maybe not, but I don’t care. This year I feel like sharpening my skills hardcore. and I might fail, but when setting goals lately, I can’t stop to think about this quote:

I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and impossible. The fact that something seems impossible shouldn’t be a reason to not pursue it, that’s exactly what makes it worth pursuing. Where would the courage and greatness be if success was certain and there was no risk? The only true failure is shrinking away from life’s challenges. - Friederich Nietzche

And although my studies are not my life purpose, I think the concept of really trying your hardest, means that you might fail, and fail hard, but still, you should try it, will see how it goes.

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