Monday Recap: Journey from Web Designer to a Web Developer [Week 1]

Welcome to my first Monday Recap of the year! As we kick off January, I’ve taken a bold step in my career: transitioning from a web designer to a web developer, with a specific focus on mobile app development using Flutter and Dart. This week has been an exhilarating mix of challenges and triumphs, marking the beginning of what I anticipate to be a transformative journey.

Why Flutter and Dart?

After extensive research, I chose Flutter and Dart for several reasons. Flutter’s ability to build natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase is incredibly appealing. It’s efficient, and a good option for a transition from web design to app development. Dart, the programming language used by Flutter, looks intuitive, offering a powerful platform to build upon.

My Learning Path This Week

• Day 1 and 2: Dart Deep Dive I started with Dart, the backbone of Flutter. Understanding its syntax and core concepts was crucial. I spent the first two days on Dart’s official documentation and interactive tutorials, which were immensely helpful for getting started.
• Day 3: Setting Up the Environment Setting up the development environment is always critical. I installed Flutter SDK, set up my editor, and ran my first “Hello, World!” app. It was a small but significant milestone!
• Day 4 and 5: Exploring Flutter Widgets Widgets are the core concept of Flutter. I learned about Stateless and Stateful widgets and how they form the building blocks of a Flutter app. It’s fascinating how these widgets come together to create a seamless user interface.
• Weekend Project: Dice Roller App Over the weekend, I built a Dice Roller app. This project allowed me to experiment with some of the most basic concept of Flutter. It was a fun and enlightening project that brought a game-like element to my learning.

Key Takeaways

• Patience is Key: Transitioning from web design to development isn’t easy. There’s a lot to learn, and patience is essential.
• Practical Application: The best way to learn is by doing. Developing the Dice Roller app this weekend was a practical way to reinforce my understanding of Flutter and Dart.

Looking Ahead

As I continue this journey, my focus for the upcoming week will be on practice the fundamental. I’m also planning to start a small blog series documenting my learning process, hoping it will help others on a similar path.

This transition is more than just acquiring a new skill set; it’s about evolving in my career. Stay tuned for more updates as I delve deeper into the world of mobile app development with Flutter and Dart!