Building a Side Project in 48 Hours: Lessons Learned

Codew
2 min readFeb 4, 2025

Introduction

  • Start with a hook: “What happens when you challenge yourself to build something from scratch in 48 hours? Spoiler: It’s messy, exhilarating, and surprisingly rewarding.”
  • Briefly explain why you decided to take on this challenge (e.g., to break out of a creative rut, learn a new tool, or just for fun).
  • Set the stage: “Here’s what I built, how I did it, and the lessons I learned along the way.”

The Idea: What I Built

  • Describe your side project in 1–2 sentences. For example:
    “I built a minimalist habit-tracking app using React and Firebase. It lets users set daily goals and track streaks with a clean, distraction-free interface.”
  • Explain why you chose this idea (e.g., simplicity, personal need, or to learn a new tech stack).

The Process: How I Did It

  • Break down your 48-hour timeline into key phases:
  1. Hour 0–6: Planning & Setup
  • Choosing the tech stack (e.g., React, TailwindCSS, Firebase).
  • Sketching a basic wireframe.
  • Setting up the development environment.

2. Hour 6–24: Building the Core Features

  • Focus on MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
  • Share a snippet of code or a challenge you faced (e.g., setting up Firebase authentication).

3. Hour 24–36: Styling & Debugging

  • Make it look good with TailwindCSS or another framework.
  • Fixing bugs and optimizing performance.

4. Hour 36–48: Polishing & Deployment

  • Adding small touches (animations, error handling).
  • Deploying to Vercel/Netlify and sharing it on social media.

Lessons Learned

  • Share key takeaways from the experience:
  1. Constraints Breed Creativity
  • Working under a tight deadline forced you to focus on what truly mattered.

2. Done is Better Than Perfect

  • You shipped something imperfect but functional — and that’s okay.

3. Small Wins Matter

  • Celebrating tiny milestones kept you motivated.

4. Document as You Go

  • Keeping notes helped you reflect and share the process later.

5. Community Support is Gold

  • Sharing progress on Twitter or Dev.to keep you accountable and inspired.

Conclusion: Why You Should Try It Too

  • End with a call to action: “If you’ve been putting off that side project idea, why not give yourself 48 hours? You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.”
  • Encourage readers to share their own experiences or projects in the comments.

Optional Add-Ons:

  • Include a GitHub repo link to your project.
  • Add a screenshot or GIF of your app in action.
  • Share a template for others to plan their own 48-hour challenge.

This structure keeps the article concise, engaging, and actionable while showcasing your creativity and technical skills. Let me know if you’d like help fleshing out any further sections! 🚀

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Codew
Codew

Written by Codew

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Front-End Developer & Shopify Partner Developer

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