Why Building Side Projects Makes You a Better Developer

Over the years, I’ve noticed a recurring pattern: the best developers I know are the ones who tinker with side projects. And it’s not just a coincidence. Building side projects forces you to think beyond your day job, making you a more versatile, resourceful, and confident problem-solver.

When you work on your own project, you’re not just coding—you’re wearing multiple hats. You’re the product manager deciding features, the designer crafting the UI, and the QA tester squashing bugs. These roles push you to see the bigger picture and develop skills that traditional work environments might not emphasize.

A 2021 Stack Overflow survey found that 80% of developers regularly code outside of work. Why? It’s the fastest way to level up. Side projects let you explore new frameworks, experiment with cutting-edge technologies, and even make mistakes in a low-stakes environment. Personally, I’ve learned more about DevOps and deployment debugging my hobby app than I ever did in the office.

And here’s the kicker: these projects don’t just make you better—they’re also career rocket fuel. Employers love seeing initiative and curiosity on a resume. A GitHub repo can often say more about your abilities than a polished LinkedIn profile ever could.

So, if you’re not already building something for fun, start. Pick a problem that intrigues you, and build a solution. Whether it’s a simple to-do app or an ambitious AI tool, the experience will stretch you in ways you never expected.

If you lack the ideas or the experience, start following this blog, I'll be starting a new project soon with tanstack-start where I will share every step of the way.

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