My Frontend Development Journey: How I Became a React Developer

Introduction

Hey everyone! 👋 I'm Raman Kurai, a passionate frontend developer sharing my coding journey. I started with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and now I build applications using React, Next.js, Firebase, and Appwrite. In this blog, I’ll share how I learned, the challenges I faced, and what’s next! 🚀

How I Got Started

Like many beginners, I started with:
✅ HTML & CSS – Learning structure and styling.
✅ JavaScript – Understanding logic & interactivity.
✅ Responsive Design – Making websites mobile-friendly.

At first, CSS was tricky (centering a div felt impossible 😅), but I practiced by building small UI components.

Diving into JavaScript & React

Once I got comfortable with JavaScript, I moved to React, where I learned:
🔹 Components & Props – Making reusable UI elements.
🔹 State Management – Handling dynamic content.
🔹 Hooks (useState, useEffect) – Writing better logic.

My first React project was a To-Do List App, where I learned about state updates and user inputs.

Exploring Advanced Tools & Full-Stack Development

After React, I explored:
⚡ Next.js – For better SEO & performance.
📦 Redux Toolkit – Managing global state.
🔥 Firebase & Appwrite – Handling authentication & databases.
🎨 Tailwind CSS – Faster, responsive styling.

One of my biggest achievements was building Docky, a freelance platform for doctors & patients, which I showcased at HACKMoR 2024, securing 4th place! 🏆

Challenges I Faced & How I Overcame Them

🚧 Handling Complex State → Solved with Redux Toolkit & Context API.
🚧 Styling Large Projects → Used Tailwind CSS for better scalability.
🚧 Authentication & Database Issues → Learned Firebase & Appwrite for secure logins.

Each challenge pushed me to explore and improve my skills.

What’s Next?

✅ Master Next.js (SSR, ISR).
✅ Learn TypeScript for better scalability.
✅ Contribute to open-source projects.
✅ Share my knowledge through more Hashnode blogs!

Conclusion

Frontend development has been an exciting journey filled with challenges and growth. I believe in learning in public, so I’ll continue sharing my progress and insights.

📢 Let’s Connect!
Follow my journey on Hashnode & Twitter (Raman Kurai ). Drop a comment below—what’s your biggest frontend challenge? 🚀

👉 In my next blog, I will share my project journey and the lessons I learned while building real-world applications. Stay tuned! 🎯