Finally, we are moving into implementation of the project. I started this week with setting up the models for the database, and I have to say that was the easiest aspect since there was already a lot of resources posted for that. Another aspect of my job for this week was helping with the front-end.
Speaking of the front-end, I have to say that getting into it, I assumed that my biggest problem will be figuring out how to structure the project, but it turned out to be regarding CSS. I think that is what most front-end developers face, CSS pains. Everything else is easy and straightforward, except getting the website in your head on the page before you.
By the way, my group decided to utilize the framework React, to build the front-end. While it makes some things easy to do, other things are not so clear. One example is setting up the CSS so that I have a fixed side bar while the other content is scroll-able. So like any other good software engineer, my first step, of course, is to look it up on Google. I do find some resources, but the issue that I face is that everyone has their own way of doing it. So when I see an approach that I like, and I am trying to change it to fit my needs, any other additional questions that I have cannot be answered, why? Because everyone answering that specific question implemented their program a different way to begin with. I wish there was a way to unify all approaches or make them truly modular, such that they don’t depend on approach.
So, I have ranted quite a bit about front-end, so now lets go back to the back-end and the database. On that matter, I can’t really say anything bad, because MongoDB has a pretty clear cut way of doing things, and all questions that I might have can be answered from the official documents. I can’t say the same thing about React. Okay, one last thing about React, one saving grace is the fact that I was finally able to solve the problem stated above, and now the pastures are truly looking greener. Except I have a new problem which I have to solve, which is related to implementing certain aspects of my webpage dynamically on page load utilizing information gained through API calls. I think I will have easier time solving that since it is not related to CSS.
Anyway that was what I faced this week, it was a bit more challenging than expected, but the good thing is that it will never get harder than this. Onward and upward.
