Hey everyone,
I wanted to share some of my thoughts on side projects with all of you. As software engineers, we’re constantly learning new skills and exploring new technologies in our free time. These side projects are an important part of furthering our careers and staying on the cutting edge in this fast-paced field. Plus, they’re just really fun and fulfilling to work on!
There are so many benefits to having side projects. First and foremost, they allow you to learn and experiment outside of your daily job responsibilities. At work, we’re often limited in the technologies we can choose or have tight deadlines to meet. Side projects give you the freedom to try anything you want without these constraints. You can build something from concept to completion using that new framework you’ve been wanting to learn.
Side projects demonstrate your passion and skills to potential employers. Hiring engineers is a risky process, so anything you can do to differentiate yourself from other candidates and prove your abilities will help. Showing code from projects you built entirely on your own gives great insight into how you work independently, think through problems, and produce quality solutions. When interviewing, you’ll have real examples to discuss rather than just talking theoretically about work you did at a previous job.
You’ll also gain experience with the entire development process from start to finish. At a job, you likely join mid-project and work within an existing codebase and team structure. Side projects allow you to make all the key decisions from the initial architecture to client interactions to deployment. Going solo teaches time management, feature prioritization, debugging unfamiliar code, and more “soft” skills. You’ll become a more well-rounded and self-sufficient engineer as a result.
Aside from technical and career benefits, side projects are also a great way to be creative and explore your personal interests. Maybe you’re passionate about photography and want to build a website to showcase your work. Or maybe you love basketball and want to create an analytics application. Adding a creative or hobby-related element keeps side projects feeling fun and motivating rather than like “more work.” The intrinsic enjoyment and sense of accomplishment you get from pursuing your interests is very fulfilling.
When it comes to choosing a side project idea, my advice is to pick something that really excites you. You’ll be much more likely to see it through to completion if you’re passionate about the concept rather than just building something because you think it will look good on a resume. This is your time to work on what you find intrinsically interesting rather than what externally “should” make you a better candidate.
Some common side project types to consider include:
- Web applications – Building full stack web apps is a great way to learn front-end and back-end development skills together. Common app ideas are TODO lists, blogs, e-commerce sites, and more.
- Mobile apps – If you want exposure to mobile development, native iOS or Android apps are a superb choice. Things like flashcard apps, note-taking, and location-based apps translate well.
- Automation tools – Use your programming abilities to create scripts or programs that automate repetitive tasks you do manually. Options include tools for downloading media, deployments, data processing, and more.
- Games – Challenging yourself with a game, whether it’s a simple browser game or more complex titles for desktop/mobile, is very rewarding. Game development utilizes many engineering disciplines.
- Open source contributions – Find projects you like on GitHub and contribute code, documentation, bug fixes, etc. This is a way to both learn and help the community. Just be sure to check contribution guidelines.
A few thoughts on project scoping – aim for something reasonably achievable given your skill level and available time. It’s easy to bite off more than you can chew and then never complete projects. When starting out, focus on getting a minimum viable product shipped rather than all the features you imagine long-term. You can always expand scope in future iterations.
On the time commitment front, I suggest blocking out 1-3 hours at a minimum each week exclusively for your side project work. Treat it like an actual part-time job if you want results. Consistency is key – setting aside a regular slot prevents it from slipping through the cracks due to busyness. It’s better to work a little each week than nothing for months.
Sharing your work online is also highly encouraged. Set up a GitHub profile to host code and a website/blog to showcase projects. This serves multiple purposes – it forces you to document and demonstrate your work; helps you get feedback to improve; and serves as an online portfolio when interviewing/job searching later on. People are also much more likely to star/follow projects that look polished versus work-in-progress folders.
Pick compelling project ideas you’re passionate about; scope them to realistic MVPs; commit consistent weekly time; share your work publicly; and most importantly, have fun flexing your creative muscles outside of 9-5 work! Building side projects is an indispensable way to expand your skills and experience as a software engineer. I’m always here if anyone wants advice or has questions about getting started. Now go make something awesome!
Andrew Stroud