The Hidden Value of Side Projects

I have been guiding students and professionals for over a decade now, and one advice I give to those looking to grow beyond their current roles is to pick a side project to build.

Unfortunately in today's time and era, a side project has been reduced to simple clones or freelancing gigs to make money on the side or put something up on the resume without building a solid understanding that is needed to explain the project end-to-end. While I do not completely deplore these actions, I feel we are not talking about the need to do innovative side projects anymore.

In the fast-paced world of software development, it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind of your assigned tasks. Whether you're a junior developer or a highly paid senior engineer, the reality of working in large organisations often means specialising in a specific area. While this specialisation can lead to expertise, it can also narrow your perspective and limit your growth. This is where the power of side projects comes into play.

The Cog in the Machine Syndrome

Many developers, even those in prestigious positions, find themselves becoming cogs in a larger machine. You might be writing cutting-edge algorithms or maintaining critical systems, but your exposure is often limited to a specific domain or technology stack. This specialisation can be both a blessing and a curse.

In large organisations, it's common for developers to:

• Work on a small part of a much larger system

• Have limited visibility into other aspects of the product or business

• Lose touch with the end-to-end process of building and deploying software

• Miss out on emerging technologies and methodologies

This narrow focus can lead to a form of professional myopia, where you excel in your niche but struggle to see the bigger picture. Over time, this can stifle creativity, limit problem-solving abilities, and even hinder career growth.

Breaking Free with Side Projects

Enter the world of side projects – your ticket to breaking out of this limited perspective. A side project is more than just a hobby; it's a powerful tool for professional development. The beauty of side projects lies not in their potential to make money directly, but in their ability to expand your skills, knowledge, and ultimately, your career prospects.

The beauty of side projects lies not in their potential to make money directly, but in their ability to expand your skills, knowledge, and ultimately, your career prospects.

Benefits of Building Side Projects

1. End-to-End Understanding

When you embark on a side project, you're not just a developer – you're the product manager, designer, developer, and DevOps engineer all rolled into one. This holistic experience provides invaluable insights:

• Full Lifecycle Exposure: From ideation to deployment, you'll navigate every stage of software development.

• Cross-Functional Knowledge: Gain a deeper understanding of how different roles contribute to a project's success.

• Technical Breadth: Explore areas outside your usual domain, from frontend to backend, databases to APIs.

2. Freedom to Experiment

Side projects offer a sandbox where the stakes are low, but the potential for learning is high:

• Risk-Free Innovation: Try out new technologies or methodologies without the pressure of work deadlines or production consequences.

• Learning at Your Own Pace: Dive deep into topics that interest you, without the constraints of project timelines.

• Failure as a Teacher: Learn valuable lessons from mistakes that you might not have the luxury to make in your day job.

3. Problem-Solving Skills

Tackling a project from scratch hones your ability to solve complex problems:

• Diverse Challenges: Face and overcome obstacles across different domains of software development.

• Resourcefulness: Learn to find solutions with limited resources, improving your research and troubleshooting skills.

• Holistic Thinking: Develop the ability to see how individual components fit into the larger system.

4. Personal Growth

The journey of building a side project is as rewarding as the destination:

• Confidence Boost: Completing a project from start to finish can significantly increase your self-assurance.

• Passion Discovery: Uncover new areas of interest that could shape your career path.

• Portfolio Building: Create tangible proof of your skills and initiative, valuable for future job prospects.

How Side Projects Enhance Your Career

The skills and perspective gained from side projects translate directly into career benefits:

• Improved Problem-Solving: Apply the diverse skills learned to tackle complex issues in your day job more effectively.

• Cross-Functional Understanding: Communicate and collaborate better with colleagues from different departments.

• Strategic Contributions: Participate more meaningfully in high-level discussions about product direction and technology choices.

• Career Advancement: Position yourself for promotions or new opportunities by demonstrating initiative and a broad skill set.

• Adaptability: Stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry by continuously learning and adapting.

Getting Started with Side Projects

Embarking on a side project doesn't have to be daunting. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Start Small: Choose a project that's manageable and aligns with your interests.

2. Set Realistic Goals: Define clear objectives and timelines to keep yourself motivated.

3. Balance Your Time: Allocate specific hours for your side project to avoid burnout.

4. Leverage Open Source: Contribute to existing projects to learn from established codebases.

5. Join Developer Communities: Engage with others for support, feedback, and collaboration.

Keep in mind, the goal is not always to create the next billion-dollar startup, but to learn and grow as a developer. If the project picks up, awesome. If it doesn't you still gained valuable skill lessons to last you a lifetime.

In conclusion, today's world of software development requires one to stay curious and learn continuously for their own long-term success. Side projects offer an opportunity to break free from your day job, expand your skills, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the software development landscape.

By taking on side projects, you're not just coding – you're investing in your future. The knowledge and experience you gain will make you a more valuable asset to your current employer and open doors to new opportunities internally and externally. So, whether it's a simple web app, a mobile game, or an open-source tool, your side project could be the catalyst that propels your career to new heights.

So why wait? Start that side project, expand your horizons, and watch as it transforms not just your skills, but your entire career trajectory.

P.S. Some organisations are amazing in that they allow you to take on work beyond your current sprint cycle, there is always value in expanding your scope by utilising these opportunities if available. I would prefer such an internal project over a side-project anytime. but most people reading this are stuck because of lack of opportunities within their own org, in which case a simple side-project may yield significant growth opportunities in the long term.

If you're read this far, thank you, here are 3 things you absolutely must do when your project is in a shareable state:

1. Post it to Peerlist's weekly project spotlight and stand a chance to be one of the top three projects of the week, month, or year.
   link here: peerlist.io/projects

2. I like to boost projects on my X account as well, QT my X post with your project details and I will boost it to all my followers if I like what you're building: https://x.com/sunnykgupta/status/1783542383076090160

3. Get your friends and family to use/critique it before you share it to the world. A lot of us are not comfortable asking for help related to our professional journey to our close friends for fear of judgement, please break free of that mindset and you'd be surprised by the kind of feedback and support you receive.

All the best, feel free to follow me on your favourite platform:
Peerlist | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Blog | SubStack