3 ways to get started with web development

Matt Wing
January 7, 2022
We are frequently asked for advice on how to get started with web development. Everybody's journey is different, but here are a few things that worked for me:
1. Build a simple website that excites you
Find something that inspires or interest you and try to build it! There is definitely a learning curve, but having the motivation of a problem you want to solve really helps. My first project was a personal website for myself! You could do anything that interests you, for example, a birthday countdown for a friend.
2. Self teach using books or interactive online tutorials
Try following a tutorial either in a physical book or interactively online. This is a great way to learn new programming languages and really understand what is going on "under the hood." Great examples of this include codecademy or freeCodeCamp.
3. Enroll in a more traditional class
Some people learn best in formal classroom settings. I taught a six month course at UConn a few years ago. The students came in with very little programming knowledge, and by the time they left, they were able to create their own websites and apps at a near professional level.