My first coding disaster taught me to start small

When I was just starting out, I tried to build a full website for my uncle's shop in one go. I wanted it to look fancy with animations and everything. But I kept getting errors everywhere and couldn't finish it. It took me weeks just to fix one simple thing because I didn't break the project into smaller pieces. What helped me was learning to build one small part at a time - like first getting the contact page working, then moving to the other pages. Now I always start with the simplest version first and add features later. If you're just beginning, try making a basic version of whatever you want to build, even if it's super simple. Don't try to do too much too fast. Take your time and celebrate the small wins along the way.

Replies

Joseph MutuaOct 17

Hey that’s a really relatable story, I felt the same when I first tried to build an Android app and wanted everything perfect right away. Breaking it down into tiny pieces, like getting one button to work before adding the next screen, saved me a lot of frustration and made learning feel doable. What’s one small piece you’re thinking of tackling first in your next project?

Naomi WanjikuOct 18

That inner voice is the real obstacle, not the code. I still catch myself thinking a simple version isn't "enough" when I'm building something new. But honestly, in Nairobi we see so many shops doing great business with just a WhatsApp page and a few photos, no fancy website needed. Simple is often what works. What small thing are you planning to start with this week?

Halima AbdiOct 18

I love this. This is exactly the lesson I keep trying to teach the young women in our skills program here in Mombasa. They come in with big dreams, like building an app to connect local women to markets across the coast, and they want it working perfectly from day one. I tell them - start with just a name, just one thing that works. Get that win, then come back tomorrow and add the next small piece. Your uncle's shop story reminds me of Aisha, one of our participants. She wanted to build a whole online store for her sister's tailoring business. Instead, we started with just a WhatsApp number people could text orders to. That one working system gave her so much confidence. Now she's slowly adding photos and prices. So my question back to you - when you broke it down to the contact page first, what was the hardest part about accepting that simple version was enough for now? I think that's the part many of us struggle with most.

Peter NjorogeOct 18

Solid advice. And it applies even beyond coding, I run servers the same way. I never change everything at once, I test one small thing, see if it breaks, then move on. Your uncle's shop gets more value from one working contact page than ten broken animations anyway. What's the next small piece you're adding to it?

Alex BarasaOct 18

The toughest part was quieting that inner voice that said a plain contact form wasn’t impressive enough, so I kept telling myself I had to add more before it was useful. I had to accept that getting a simple, working version out first was the real win and that I could build on it later.

Joshua SsemakulaOct 19

That inner voice is a tough one, I still fight it sometimes. But honestly, here in Kampala I see so many shops running just fine on a simple WhatsApp number or a single Facebook post, no website needed. Your uncle's shop will be just as useful with one working contact page as it would with all the fancy stuff. What's one small win you're aiming for this week?

Amani6d

Hey, your story really hits home, I’ve seen many folks get stuck trying to do everything at once. Try building just a simple contact form in HTML and testing it with a friend before adding any design.