Mikayil - Full Stack Developer

Who am I?

Hello! I’m Mikayil, and I have a passion for creating software and websites that not only look great but work seamlessly.

Inspiration

2021 - My journey into coding was inspired by Apple products, especially by the vision of Steve Jobs. I’m captivated by how Apple products effortlessly integrate and provide an exceptional user experience.

The Computer Kid

Looking back, I wish I had started coding earlier. I’ve always been fascinated by computers and curious about how they work. My first real connection with computers came through video games. At the age of 12, I built my first gaming PC. It wasn’t anything extraordinary, but I was proud that I managed to put it together with the help of a YouTube tutorial. That experience sparked an obsession with optimizing, customizing, and personalizing my system (probably the reason why I’m using NeoVim as my Text-Editor / IDE and why I got into the Linux world). I became the go-to kid for computer advice and troubleshooting.

First Steps in Programming

A few years later, I found myself deep in Apple’s ecosystem. My initial foray into programming began with Swift, using an iPhone app, and later completing the “Learn Swift” course in Swift Playgrounds. By then, I had a basic grasp of Swift syntax and fundamental programming concepts like If/Else statements and loops. However, I quickly realized I needed a stronger foundation, and that’s when I discovered FreeCodeCamp. It’s an incredible resource for beginners, and I highly recommend it. I also explored The Odin Project, which is a bit more challenging at first but does an excellent job of preparing you to work like a professional developer.

Time to Get Serious

After completing these free courses and earning certifications in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I still felt like some concepts weren’t fully clicking for me. So, I decided to invest in my education and try a paid option that offered a “Full-Stack Developer Career Path” with a well-structured curriculum. That’s when I turned to Codecademy. It turned out to be exactly what I needed. The course structure, with its mix of guided mini-projects and larger, independent portfolio projects, really helped me absorb the material and made everything start to fall into place. After just a bit over 3 months of being serious about my education I was ready and landed my first job as a full stack developer in 2022.

Now 4 years after starting my journey I've built countless projects at work, refactored all kinds of legacy code and let my curiosity guide me in my free time through different topics that I wanted to explore.

I’m focusing on refining my skills and challenging myself even further. I’m excited to tackle more complex projects and deepen my understanding of full stack development and lower level concepts. The journey has been challenging but incredibly rewarding, and I’m eager to see where it takes me next. Whether it’s creating sleek websites or developing robust software solving business problems, I’m driven by the thrill of turning ideas into reality. The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to keep exploring them.

I feel like Software Engineering is what I was always meant to do. ❤️