Why Side Projects Matter More Than Tutorials

When I started coding, I spent a lot of time following tutorials. They were helpful for basics, but I noticed something. The moment I tried to build something on my own, I couldn’t think on how to implement features and how to actually initiate implementing.

That’s when side projects made the difference. Even a small project forces you to connect the dots: Design, APIs, deployment. Things that no single tutorial can cover together. Tutorials teach you “how,” but projects teach you “why.”

For example, before my 12th vacation, I could make a simple CRUD app by following tutorials. But when I built my first full web app (ballbyball), I had to figure out database design, flows, and real debugging on my own. That project showed me my actual potential, something no tutorial video could have done.

I’m not saying tutorials are useless. They’re a good starting point. But if you stop there, you’ll only know how to copy steps. The real growth happens when you take an idea, even a tiny one, and try to make it work. You’ll hit walls, you’ll Google or throw prompts to LLMs endlessly, but you’ll also remember what you learn because you solved it yourself.

Looking back, I’d say my journey really started the day I stopped relying only on tutorials and began building side projects. That’s when coding stopped feeling like lessons and started feeling like creating.