Tutorials teach the basics. Real-world software teaches you how messy things really are.
Real apps are messy.
- Migrations fail.
- Caches misbehave.
- Dependencies conflict.
- Local tests pass, production fails.
Tutorials don’t prepare you for this—but experience does.
Sources of Deeper Knowledge
Through experience, I’ve developed strategies to tackle complex, real-world software:
1. Experienced developers’ blogs
I focus on less popular blogs that dive into architecture, trade-offs, and production-level challenges. They show patterns and approaches tutorials skip.
2. Open-source projects
Studying code, pull requests, and discussions in mature projects reveals how developers structure systems, handle edge cases, and refactor over time. These are lessons you won’t get from a course.
3. AI as a tool
AI isn’t for copy-pasting solutions. I use it to explore ideas, test approaches, and challenge assumptions. By reasoning critically about AI suggestions, I often find faster or more creative solutions.
My Approach to Learning
I mainly work with TypeScript, with some experience in Python. I’ve touched frontend, backend, infrastructure, databases, DevOps, and product management. Every messy project reinforces that software engineering is vast, complex, and constantly evolving.
The difference between junior and senior developers isn’t just knowing tools—it’s:
- Depth of understanding
- Curiosity
- Questioning assumptions
Every bug, system quirk, and messy piece of code is an opportunity to learn.
Software is messy — but that’s what makes it interesting. Keep learning, keep experimenting, and don’t shy away from complexity.