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Build in Public
Build in Public. Share. Create Content.
These are the buzzwords you might have heard a lot lately. But what do they mean, and why are they important for your career? Let's find out.
What is Building in Public?
"Building in Public" is the practice of openly sharing your development journey, including the highs, lows, and everything in between. It's like having a behind-the-scenes documentary of your work, accessible to anyone interested. This not only showcases your progress but also invites others to join your adventure, offering feedback, encouragement, and collaboration.
Why Build in Public?
Building in public offers several benefits for your career and personal growth. Here are a few reasons why you should consider it:
1. Accountability and Motivation
When you share your progress publicly, you're more likely to . The knowledge that others are watching can be a powerful motivator to keep pushing forward.
Each update you share can serve as a small win, helping you build momentum and stay motivated throughout your project.
2. Community and Networking
Building in public helps you individuals. You can find mentors, collaborators, or even future employers. It's a great way to expand your professional network.
"Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher." - Oprah Winfrey
It creates opportunities to build a supportive community that can offer encouragement, advice, and collaboration.
3. Feedback and Improvement
Early and frequent feedback from your audience can help you identify issues and improve your product or skills. It's like having an army of beta testers and mentors guiding you.
This will allow you to iterate and refine your work faster, leading to better outcomes and higher quality projects.
4. Personal Branding
Showcasing your work publicly helps you . People recognize your efforts, skills, and dedication, which can open doors to new opportunities.
"Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room." - Jeff Bezos
Consistently sharing valuable insights and progress establishes you as a credible and reliable developer in your field.
5. Inspiration and Influence
Your journey can . Sharing your struggles and successes can motivate aspiring developers to start their own projects and build in public.
By sharing your authentic experiences, you may become a role model for others, showing them that it's possible to overcome challenges and achieve success.
Wouldn't it be great to inspire the next generation of developers?
But you might say that, "Hey, there are so many developers that I know that don't do this, and they're still successful. Why should I do it?"
Well, building in public is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It's a tool that can help you
- Accelerate your growth
- Build meaningful connections
- Create opportunities
that might not have been possible otherwise.
Sure, you can be successful without building in public, but if you're looking to stand out, grow faster, and make a lasting impact, it's worth considering.
How Building in Public Can Create Opportunities
Here are a few ways building in public can create opportunities for you in my personal experience:
Visibility and Recognition
When you build in public, you demonstrate your technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. This visibility can from potential employers, collaborators, and investors who are looking for talented developers.
Publicly sharing your work creates a real-time portfolio that showcases your progress, achievements, and growth. This is more engaging and informative than a traditional resume or static portfolio.
Don't for opportunities to come to you. Create them by showing what you can do"
Collaboration and Mentorship
Building in public helps you connect with other developers who are on similar journeys. This can lead to , , and a supportive network that can help you overcome challenges and stay motivated.
By sharing your work, you can catch the eye of industry influencers who may share your projects with their larger audience, further increasing your visibility and credibility.
"Your network is your net worth. Build it with intention and integrity."
Job Offers and Freelance Opportunities
Your public work can attract job offers and freelance opportunities. Employers and clients often seek developers who are proactive, transparent, and able to communicate their process effectively.
Consistent sharing and engagement help you build a personal brand. A strong personal brand can lead to speaking engagements, writing opportunities, and invitations to participate in industry events, all of which can further your career.
"Your work is a reflection of yourself. Showcase it proudly, and the world will recognize your worth."
Trust and Credibility
Transparency in your development process builds trust with your audience. People are more likely to support, , or collaborate with developers who are open and honest about their work.
"Trust is built with consistency. Show up, be real, and build trust."
Regular updates show that you are committed and reliable. This accountability is a desirable trait for employers and partners, making you a more attractive candidate for various opportunities.
Many developers have found success by building in public. For example, Pieter Levels built multiple successful startups by sharing his journey on Twitter, attracting a massive following and numerous opportunities.
Developers who contribute to open source projects and share their work publicly often receive job offers from companies that use those projects or admire their contributions.
So, does that convince you to start building in public?
Okay, let's get practical. Now that you know the benefits of building in public, how can you get started?
Actionable Steps for Building in Public
-
Choose a Platform
- Twitter for quick updates.
- Blogging (e.g., Medium, your personal blog) for detailed posts.
- YouTube or Twitch for videos.
- LinkedIn for professional updates.
-
Set Clear Goals
- Define what you want to achieve (e.g., improve skills, launch a product, build a community).
-
Start Small and Be Consistent:
- Share updates regularly (daily, weekly, or bi-weekly).
-
Share Your Journey
- Post your wins, challenges, learnings, and progress.
-
Engage with Your Audience
- Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and encourage interaction.
-
Use Visuals
- Add screenshots, videos, and diagrams to your updates.
-
Reflect and Adjust
- Periodically review your journey and make adjustments based on feedback and observations.
It is that simple in words but requires consistency and dedication in practice. And you very well know how consistency and discipline is the key in developer life, don't you?
Examples
Here are some examples of how you can share your development journey in public:
Example 1: Building in Public with React.js
Monday:
🚀 Starting a new project with #ReactJS! This week, diving deep into server-side rendering with Next.js to optimize performance and SEO. Excited to share insights on SSR implementation! #BuildInPublic #100DaysOfCode
Wednesday:
💡 Today, tackled state management challenges using Recoil for complex data flows in my React app. Here's a peek at how I structured state atoms and selectors. Thoughts on optimizing this further? #ReactJS #BuildInPublic
(share code snippet or image)Friday:
🌟 Achieved seamless data fetching with SWR (Stale-While-Revalidate) and implemented fine-grained caching strategies. Excited to discuss optimizing data fetching for performance gains! #ReactJS #BuildInPublic
(share code snippet or image)Sunday:
🎉 Week in review: Explored advanced React patterns like Render Props and Higher-Order Components for flexible component composition. Looking forward to integrating more dynamic features next week! #ReactJS #BuildInPublic
Example 2: Building in Public with SEO
Monday:
🚀 Deep dive into advanced SEO strategies! Implementing dynamic rendering with prerender.io for enhanced indexing of client-side rendered content. Optimizing for speed and discoverability. #SEO #BuildInPublic
Wednesday:
💡 Deployed structured data markup using JSON-LD for rich snippets and schema enhancements. Here's how I structured data to improve search engine visibility and user engagement. #SEO #BuildInPublic
(share code snippet or image)Friday:
🌟 Analyzed Core Web Vitals metrics and refined Lighthouse performance scores through efficient lazy loading and image optimization techniques. Discussing impacts on SEO rankings and user experience. #SEO #BuildInPublic
(share performance metrics or insights)Sunday:
🎉 Week in review: Explored advanced SEO tools like Screaming Frog and SEMrush for comprehensive site audits and competitive analysis. Ready to elevate organic search presence next week! #SEO #BuildInPublic
Example 3: Building in Public with API Security
Monday:
🚀 Implementing end-to-end encryption with JWT and asymmetric cryptography for secure data transmission. Discussing key management and secure storage practices. #APIsecurity #BuildInPublic
Wednesday:
💡 Integrated OAuth2.0 client credentials flow for machine-to-machine authentication. Here's how I configured token expiration and scoped access for enhanced security posture. #APIsecurity #BuildInPublic
(share code snippet or image)Friday:
🌟 Conducted penetration testing and vulnerability assessments using OWASP ZAP to identify and remediate potential API vulnerabilities. Sharing insights on proactive security measures. #APIsecurity #BuildInPublic
(share security insights or findings)Sunday:
🎉 Week recap: Strengthened API security with advanced techniques like rate limiting and API key rotation. Ready to enforce stricter security protocols in upcoming deployments! #APIsecurity #BuildInPublic
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