Why Every Developer Should Have a Side Project (Even If You’re Busy)

Hey Devs, Let’s be honest—between work, learning new frameworks, and (hopefully) having a life, it feels like there’s zero time for side projects. But hear me out: having a side project might be the best thing you do for your career. I used to think, "Why bother? I already code at work." But then I realized something—side projects give you freedom. No deadlines, no managers, just you building something cool at your own pace. And guess what? That’s where the real growth happens. Still not convinced? Let me break it down. 1. You Learn Skills You Don’t Get at Work At your job, you probably work with a specific stack—React, Node.js, whatever your company uses. But what if you want to explore something new?

Mar 13, 2025 - 19:02

Why Every Developer Should Have a Side Project (Even If You’re Busy)

Hey Devs,

Let’s be honest—between work, learning new frameworks, and (hopefully) having a life, it feels like there’s zero time for side projects. But hear me out: having a side project might be the best thing you do for your career.

I used to think, "Why bother? I already code at work." But then I realized something—side projects give you freedom. No deadlines, no managers, just you building something cool at your own pace. And guess what? That’s where the real growth happens.

Still not convinced? Let me break it down.

1. You Learn Skills You Don’t Get at Work

At your job, you probably work with a specific stack—React, Node.js, whatever your company uses. But what if you want to explore something new?