Make the most out of
side projects
by Leonora Der (@LeonoraDer)
2018. 09. 16.
https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
question time
- how many of you have ongoing active(!) side projects at the moment?
- how many of you are planning to start a new one soon?
- what comes to your mind when I say side projects?
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
To me
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Famous Examples
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
My projects
and camp
vocable
- very first published app
- cross-platform
- Play Store
Karancs-Medves Kalauz
- local guide - in progress
- Spring Boot + Vue.js
- mobile app
Cretan maze
- challenge for devs
- REST API
- website + info
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Cons
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
No Time
- tired after work
- you have a family
- weekend activities
YOU HAVE TIME FOR WHAT YOU MAKE TIME FOR
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Failure
- no one cares about it
- abandonware
- graveyard
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Useless
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
PROS
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
New technologies, Skills
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
a lot of practice
- same technologies
- typical bugs, pitfalls beforehand
- best practices
- help others, give advice
- save time and money
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Joy
- show others
- be proud
- satisfying
LAUGH
- comic - abandoned git repos
- lot of old code
- file to store funny codes
- growing as a developer
refactor
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
CV and career
- helps during the interview
- building online presence
- no harm to your professional evolution :)
- one of the beast way to advance your career
- more important in the first years
- unfinished ones - not a long list of successful projects
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Business
- quit your workplace
- start a business
- become an entrepreneur
- marketing, sales, support
- money while you sleep
- primary goal is to learn
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Connections
- open source
- other developers
- friends
Refreshing
- leave confort zone
- do somehting different
FUN
- freedom
- no useless meetings
- no convincing others
- consistent code - conventions
- no boss or client
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
HOW
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
1. IDEA
- build something real
- "aha" moments
another TO DO app- note - taking app
- project ideas
2. PLAN
- core feautures, milestones
- seperate - MVP level
- limit scope
- set a deadline
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
3. community
- online forums, groups
- feedback, brainstorming
- Side Project subreddit
4. Minimalist
- overestimate capacity
- short feauture list
- lose motivation
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
5. Complete
- publish it! / deploy it!
- spread the world through social media
- blog, Twitter, reddit, HackerNews, ProductHunt, dev.to
- feedback - a lot ! :)
6. Go Live!
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
+1. HAckathons
+2. workplace
- Experiment Day
- Demo days
- 20% policy
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
SO WHY NOT START ONE?
Thanks for your attention!
@LeonoraDer
leah@floppylab.com
@LeonoraDer - https://bit.ly/2NdZ6l0
Make the most out of side projects
By Leonóra Dér
Make the most out of side projects
Developers usually like dealing with side projects in their free time, even if it is the middle of the night. If you have not yet started one or you have already successfully completed a bunch of side projects, I hope to give you a new perspective and pieces of advice on doing it even better. There might be disadvantages, but I would like to put an emphasis on the advantages of continuously having side projects even while working as a full-time developer. You might think it is impossible, as it takes a lot of time and effort, but this is exactly why I have a list that could help you do these projects in a more effective way and so that you will enjoy coding again. All this comes from a personal experience I gained over the past few years and I would like to share it with you.
