Just the encouragement I needed. To be honest, it’s not been easy learning 2-3 new frameworks and tech stacks at the same time, while trying to create a production-ready app. I recently chanced upon Strapi, and it was fun enough for me to try making a headless API backend from it for my new writing platform. Strapi is built on mainly Node.js, with a bunch of other dependencies like Koa.js and Express.js. Prior to this, I had never touched Node.js before, much less the other two backend Javascript frameworks (or libraries, whatever). In fact, I don’t even know much Javascript prior to this – I’m used to Rails, which is very opinionated and does much of the backend stuff under the hood for you. Moreover I’d always been more comfortable with frontend development, so working on backend is already a toughie. Imagine wading in the dark and unknown waters of new frameworks, yet not knowing how to swim. That’s how I felt.

And as if Strapi + Node.js wasn’t hard enough, I decided on using Nuxt.js for my frontend framework. I was learning some Vue.js before this already, but those were just tiny, standalone code snippets on Codepen which were not really production-level stuff. Learning how all the components, pages and APIs calls fit together into a production-ready Nuxt.js is another level of learning. 

So it’s now haaard amplified by two- to three-fold, on both ends! I could have went with good ol’ Rails—in fact I already had an existing writing platform called Your Life In Months up and ready, made on Rails—but JAMstack was way more interesting (for me). Many would advise that when making a SaaS, just use what programming language that you know. But I don’t think I’ll be as motivated and enthusiastic to keep going if I went with the old and familiar. It’s the learning, and the new that keeps me going despite the challenges. So no regrets (yet! *famous last words), even though I felt the need to vent and complain a bit here. Mostly importantly, to remind myself, as the title said.

Be brave enough to suck at something new.

Give yourself some permission to suck at something. I’m only going to pass through here once. Let’s enjoy it. Savour it. Bravely.