This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by gunjangidwani
D𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀
When i started the development journey, hoping from one video to another in order to get the job, I prepared 2-3 MERN/MEAN stack projects. I got the job and after that once again when I wanted to switch and prepare for high package job I got stuck in tutorial hell for months.
React tutorials, Next.js courses, TypeScript bootcamps – nothing clicked.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: I was building a house without a foundation.
𝗦𝗼 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗪𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁.
2 weeks of pure fundamentals.
The result?
I haven’t touched a tutorial in 2 months.
Problems I used to Google for hours?
Solved in minutes.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿:
- Stop chasing frameworks.
- Master the language first.
Most developers learn React before understanding JavaScript. It’s like learning to drive before understanding how cars work.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟳 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴:
Closures – Why your variables sometimes “disappear”
Event Loop – Why your app freezes (and how to fix it)
Prototypes – How JavaScript really works under the hood
Hoisting – Why your code breaks in production but works locally
Async/Await – Why your API calls fail silently
Scope Chain – Why your functions can’t find variables
Reference vs Value – Why your state updates don’t work
The uncomfortable truth:
𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲.
- That infinite re-render? JavaScript closure issue.
- That undefined error? JavaScript hoisting problem.
- That state not updating? JavaScript reference issue.
𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼
The biggest mistake I made:
I thought fundamentals were boring. They’re not.
They’re the difference between copying code and understanding code.
Bottom line: You can’t build advanced React apps on shaky JavaScript foundations.
Fix the foundation first. Everything else becomes easier.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by gunjangidwani