The "Coding Journey" - My First Confession

Greeting (Introduction):

Hi everyone, I’m Đặng Chí Thanh (Chi Thanh Dang), but my friends usually call me “tist.” After a long time writing blogs on various platforms like GitHub Pages, WordPress, and Substack, I’ve recently decided to create my own website to gather all my articles in one place. For me, blogging is not just a hobby, but also a way to document and share the experiences and lessons I’ve gathered along the way. It’s also a note-taking habit that I try to maintain, even if only a little.

Each of us has our own story about the journey of becoming someone, doing a certain job, or even the journey of becoming a parent. Today, I want to share a part of my story – the journey of becoming a Software Engineer. This isn’t a glamorous tale filled with great achievements, but rather a simple journey with joys, challenges, and memorable lessons I’ve experienced.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Let’s get started!

The Path to Coding (How I Became a Developer):

Not many people know that I once studied Electronics at a university in Gò Vấp, Ho Chi Minh City. But after a year of studying, especially after courses like Marxist-Leninist Philosophy, I started feeling… something was “off.” It seemed this wasn’t the path I wanted. Determined to switch gears, I decided to try coding.

Luckily, thanks to good university entrance exam scores and favorable results from aptitude tests, I officially became an Information Systems student at FPT University. This was the start of long nights and “burying my face” in a computer screen.

To be honest, I wasn’t one of those “born geniuses” or “passionate about coding” types—my high school friends can vouch for that. Before, I was just an average student: I only got excellent student awards in elementary school, and from then on, it was just “good” until the end of 12th grade. I liked science, geography, geometry, and especially video games. But then, I gave up gaming when I transferred schools. From there, most of my time was spent with laptops and PCs, grinding through countless deadlines. Initially, I spent more time teaching (at coding centers) than actually coding, but eventually, I realized the “flow” I experienced while coding was what truly captivated me. From that point on, I became hooked on being a “freelance coder.”

Development Journey (Learning and Working Process):

My journey has been a series of continuous “learning, doing, failing, and fixing.” I was lucky to study in a university environment, participate in online courses, and take classes at computer centers. But gradually, I realized that self-study was the most effective way. Don’t just listen and read—write and practice!

At first, I learned Java and thought I would go down the Java backend or systems development path. But over time, I started exploring web technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and then frameworks like React, Next.js, Vue.js, and Nuxt.js. Each framework presented a new challenge, and I felt like I was unlocking an entirely different world. Of course, learning is never easy. There were times when I sat for hours in front of a bug with no idea how to fix it, but I never considered giving up.

My colleagues (a term that’s trendy these days) often joke: “Better to spend 3 hours coding and 1 hour fixing bugs than 3 hours fixing bugs and only 1 hour coding.” Reflecting on this, half-joking, half-serious, but it’s true: to “level up,” there’s no other way than to code a lot. (Fixing bugs is super stressful, guys!)

Lessons Learned (Advice):

I don’t claim to be “experienced,” but I’d like to share a few small insights from my own journey:

• Environment matters more than mindset: It may sound strange, but the environment can have a huge impact on your development. Strive to excel and find yourself a good environment where you can learn and grow fully.
• Never stop learning: Technology changes constantly, so “learning, learning more, learning forever” is never redundant. Immerse yourself in learning, join groups and communities of like-minded people, and keep honing your skills—you’ll be surprised by your results.
• Don’t just read: A common mistake many make is reading too much without practicing. Trust me, code, take notes, and practice continuously—that’s the most effective way to learn.
• “Coding is just the beginning; being a developer is about solving problems and creating solutions.” – This is a phrase that resonates with me the most. It means: “Coding is only the first step. To become a developer, your job is to solve problems and create solutions.” Always remember this!

Conclusion (Closing Words):

My journey to becoming a software developer is still ongoing. Every day, I continue to learn new things, improve my skills, and face new challenges. I hope this small story can give you a closer look at the programming profession and provide a bit of motivation for those who are pursuing this path.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this!

P/S: If you can, please share your story so we can learn from each other!