These are some of the lessons that have shaped me:

Foundation is everything.

At my current job, even though I am accustomed to building my projects with Next.js and TypeScript on the frontend, and Node.js/Express on backend, I’m building with FastAPI, a framework I never learned before. But guess what? Because I learned Python, C, Javascript, TypeScript, Data Structures and Algorithms, and have strong programming fundamentals, picking it up didn’t feel hard. A solid foundation made it feel natural and made me feel all the hardwork during ALX and my personal studies on Sololearn and other practice websites were really worth my time.

Planning will save you a lot of time.

Before you write code, pause and plan. Ask:

• What am I building?

• What problem is this solving?

• What features are needed and which ones come first?

• Any third-party services? What do they require?

• How will everything connect?

• What are the edge cases to consider?

• What’s the user’s journey?

Having answers helps you work with direction and avoid wasting time or rewriting large parts later.

Starting with an existing codebase? Learn it first

Don’t rush into fixing or adding features. First:

• Understand the stack being used.

• Explore the project structure.

• Identify key services, APIs, and libraries.

• Test endpoints. Trace how data moves.

• Ask: “What are we trying to achieve?”

If there’s no documentation, write your own as you learn. It’ll make things clearer, not just for you, but for others too.

You don’t know enough and that’s okay.

Even with years of learning, there’s always more. New stacks, tools, workflows, team cultures. Stay curious. Ask questions. Be a sponge. Even a job is also a learning experience.

Listen more than you speak.

Before jumping in with suggestions, listen. Understand others’ perspectives, from teammates to product owners. It builds trust, and you’ll often learn something unexpected.

Do your best, but communicate your limits.

Sometimes, things will be hard or unclear. Speak up. Share blockers early. It doesn’t make you weak. It shows responsibility and protects project timelines.

Final Thoughts

This journey has been more than just technical. It’s challenged my soft skills, how I work in teams, how I think through problems, and how I ask for help. I’m still learning, still growing and I’m grateful for every bit of it.

To anyone just starting: take your time, stay open, and don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know yet.”

I’m available for freelance projects!

If you need a passionate software engineer for your next idea, I’d love to help.

Send me a direct message at 0509581027 or reach me at: work.smaglago@gmail.com Website: https://samuella.site.