How to Start a Side-Project

It’s very common among developers to seek new challenges, learn a new technology, or develop an idea. All of this with the goal of continuing to increase our knowledge. That’s why, even if you want to start a new challenge, it’s possible that you have no idea what to use or where to begin.

So, I want to share the tools and methods that I’ve used to create my side projects.

I want to clarify that if you’re looking to make money with your side projects, this is not the post for you. I will focus on those who want to start new personal projects for the sake of knowledge or as a challenge.

Let me share some of my personal projects with you 🙂:

pablotz - Overview

How to Start ✏️

It may sound simple, but if you have an idea that you think will challenge you or if you know you have the basics to understand where to start… then just start! Don’t let your ideas remain just as ideas. The hardest part, which is motivation, is already there. Now all you need to do is begin.

On the other hand, if you have the motivation to start a new project but no ideas come to mind, it will be a bit more challenging. We’ll talk about how to generate new ideas later on.

It’s important to mention that there are two possible paths to start a personal project.

The first one is when you already have an idea but don’t know what technology to use or the second one is when you don’t have a clear idea, but you know what technology you want to use.

I Have an Idea, But No Tool 🔨

Although this might be a very specific case, I’ve found myself in this situation a few times. Perhaps a brilliant idea comes to mind, but you’re tired of using the same old tools to develop, or you want to challenge yourself to learn something new.

In this case, I’ll use my presentation page as an example. This project, while quite simple, had everything I mentioned earlier. I had an idea, but I didn’t want to develop it using my usual tools. So, I started researching new tools that were out there, and that’s how I found Astro.

However, embarking on a new project without any knowledge of the tool you’ll be using can be overwhelming. So, my first recommendation is to familiarize yourself with your tool. Start with simple projects, discover its features and capabilities, and once you know it can work for you, that’s when you can ATTEMPT to create your project. Why do I emphasize “attempt”? Because more than once, I’ve thought I had the right tool, only to discover halfway through the process that it had more limitations than I had imagined.

Don’t be afraid to keep looking. You might discover tools that aren’t useful for this project, but you never know when you might need them.

I Know What I Want to Work On, But I Have No Ideas 💡

I can’t even count how many times I’ve been eager for a challenge, to try out a new technology, but my mind goes blank. No ideas come to mind.

The question is, how can you find something that will make you enjoy what you’re creating and not abandon it halfway through?

To generate new ideas, the first thing I always start with is getting new references. In the art world, it’s very common to see artists experiment with new sensations or emotions to obtain these references that motivate them to create their works.

But how can I get references to develop something new? It’s pretty simple. You’re surrounded by technology, by apps, websites, and tools that other people have already created. Don’t be afraid to replicate something someone else has done just because it already exists. Many great projects started this way.

On the other hand, if you really don’t want to create something that already exists, you can find references in your own environment. Look for something that happens in your daily life and try to create something based on that.

For example, do you have a lot of books? Create an app to classify them. Do you like fashion? Create something where you can put together new outfits based on your tastes. Anything that represents you can lead you to create something new.

In this case, I’ll use my personal project Focus With Ghibli as a reference. This project was born from my habit of reading with background music, usually long playlists from Studio Ghibli on YouTube. However, I found it so repetitive to go to YouTube, search for a playlist, and leave it playing without being aware of how long I had been reading. So, I opted to develop a solution to my very specific problem, with the possibility that if someone else wanted it, they could use this same app.

Believe it or not, many projects used by millions of people have been born this way—from a personal need that, without knowing it, was a need for many.

Don’t Abandon Your Projects 🔴

All of us who have started personal projects have been guilty of this. We start with motivation, with all the desire to start something new, but when we encounter problems or situations that we hadn’t anticipated, that initial motivation fades.

The way to avoid this is by setting realistic goals short-term goals that make you feel like you’re making progress. If you start your day thinking that today you’ll finish your project or integrate that huge feature, and when you don’t achieve it, all you’ll cause is tremendous demotivation. So, set realistic goals and take it step by step, you know what you’re capable of.

What Your Projects Teach You 📓

Really, whatever you want them to teach you. No one is forcing you to create your project, maintain it, or add new features. Only you know how far you want to take it.

You can create a project so large that it teaches you about infrastructure, algorithms, user management, etc. Or you can create a page that tells you a phrase a day. You know how much you want to challenge yourself or how complex you want it to become, but I assure you that no matter how simple it is, you’ll learn something.