12/12/2024
Learning how to make a website from scratch is probably the worst idea in this day and age. There's so many other ways to do it faster, with less coding and more, "Hey AI, make me a website NOW!". Using other services, it can look professional and engaging from the start, and be deployed instantly.
Also, the simplest thing to do on a super basic website is to write a blog post. Borrrriiiing.... Where's all the pictures and two second videos of cats?! I don't consider myself a writer, and I definitely don't have a passion for blogging. But here I am, essentially writing my first blog post that one or two people will see. (Thanks for not laughing too hard at me!).
Making a website from scratch has its benefits though. The rewarding feeling of learning a new skill and a sense that you have complete control over the thing that you're creating, even if it is very little control at the start. The process involves a lot of consistent practice and learning the basics needed to actually make it functional. Just the fact that you can read this right now is awesome because it's something that was tricky for me to figure out at first. I'm glad it's working!
The hardest part for me is suppressing the feeling that it needs to be perfect the first time. I get a sense that this website may never be as impressive as everyone else's website that is managed by a professional web developer and has all the bells and whistles. What's the point of creating it if it's not going to be a big hit from the start? It takes reframing that idea into something positive, a growth-based mindset where you're always a beginner, in order to keep pressing forward. Right now I can make a super basic homepage and a simple post, and I'm proud of that. Tomorrow, I'll probably learn about a new feature that I can try out soon.
Learning to make a website from scratch is fun, and I'm enjoying the little progress that I can make every day. It'll add up over time and the website will become better and better. Eventually, I hope to have the skills to create fun and exciting things that you can use, instead of just this blog post that you can read. For now, this is where I'm at. Baby steps...
"If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way."
- Napoleon Hill