Developers and their side project

Side-projects, they have always been a point of discussion amongst developers. To have one or not to have one.

In this post I’ll be discussing what a side-project exactly is, for those who do not know. I’ll also write about why you should have a side-project and how you could use them to your advantage. Let us get started.

What is a side project?

So what is a side-project exactly? Well, the name pretty much says it all.
A side-project is a project that you work on, but it is not a project related to work. It can be seen as a project for fun.

Why have a side project?

There are several reasons to having a side project. We’ll go over a few.

Learning

One of the many things you gave in a side project is freedom. The freedom to do your own thing, to test new technique. It is a great way to learn those new techniques.
Saw a new method, why not try and use it in your side project? Heard about a new pattern? Try it out in your side project. The possibilities are endless.

Languages

Say that you are a HTML, CSS and Javascript developer and you would like to start using PHP, what is better than learning it in a side project.
This works for any language out there. I personally use, and know several others who do too, side projects to get a grip on a new language.

You are free to experiment in whatever way you feel comfortable.

Get involved

One of the ways to become a better developer is to get involved with the community.

When you have contact with other developers you are more easily aware of how to improve your code, of what is going on and who you need to talk to when you’re stuck.
I dare to bet you that 99% of the active developers in each community is working on a side project.

The beauty of a side project is that you can easily do it with multiple people. Thanks to services like Github you can easily share and update your code with other developers.
This too will improve your skills in coding.

Create handy programs

Ever thought that if you just had that one program everything could go faster or better?
Why not turn it into a side project? These kind of thoughts are a great way to find ideas for side projects. Not only do you have a side project in which you can learn and experiment you will also have a handy program in the end that can help you out.

And why stop there. Share it with others to help them too and get your name out there.

Conclusion

As you can read having a side projects has a few advantages. Do not hesitate to try and start your own, you will be grateful in the end that you did.
If you already have a side project running do not be afraid to share it in the comments. Who knows, maybe others want to help you.