Personal Projects
Dev Academy Personal Projects
"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Purpose
Many developers work on side projects as a funnel for both professional development and meaningful play. Some employers (most famously Google) even allot time each month for their employees to work on projects that interest them. It's a great way to cement your understanding of new tools and things we've learned during the first part of the bootcamp.
It's also a good time to explore how you learn. What works best for you? When you're working alone, how can you make best use of the time to further your understanding?
Tips
- Explore something you care about.
- Build something you or someone you know would love to use.
- Integrate new tools and techniques as you learn them.
The most impressive apps that have been developed in this phase were built with continuous improvement in mind. First, create a minimum viable product (MVP) as soon as possible. It doesn't have to be fancy! Early MVP is a powerful tool in developing your project. It provides reassurance ("At least I have this done!") and it can help to keep your scope controlled: not biting off too much work all at once! Your MVP should be fairly simple; once you have your MVP, your project can develop in complexity over the course of the bootcamp and beyond.
Process
There will be time set aside during the bootcamp to work on personal projects, but you may choose to use your own time to work on it as well. There will also be space for everyone to present their project to the rest of the cohort.
Examples
Here are some examples from previous cohorts: