The world of web development has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years.
Platforms like Wix, Webflow, Shopify, etc democratized website creation, removing the need for extensive coding knowledge for basic websites. These user-friendly tools empower anyone with a creative vision to build an online presence without relying on expensive developers.
This trend of accessibility is now extending into the realm of web application development. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are streamlining the development process, making it less complex and more approachable for aspiring coders.
This blog post tells the story of Shimna, who with no prior coding experience, transformed into a full-stack developer capable of building production-ready web applications in just three months. Her journey highlights the potential of AI-powered development platforms like mern.ai to restructure the developer landscape.
About Shimna
Fathima Shimna recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Kerala. She has limited exposure to the field of technology and certainly no prior knowledge of software development.
She aspired to build a career in tech, but the traditional path of web development seemed daunting due to the perceived need for extensive coding knowledge.
Undeterred, Shimna began exploring alternative options to bridge the gap between her mathematical background and the development world. The search finally ended with mern.ai, an innovative platform that utilizes AI and automation to empower individuals with minimal coding experience to build complex web applications.
Getting Started with MERN.AI
MERN.AI, as part of its early product development process, offered a unique opportunity – a three-month training programme for a select group of ten individuals. This program aimed to showcase the platform's capabilities by transforming beginners and amateurs into full-stack developers.
Shimna was one of the active participants in this pilot programme. The curriculum taught participants the necessary skills to navigate the MERN stack. This popular development framework combines MongoDB (database), Express.js (backend framework), React.js (frontend framework), and Node.js (JavaScript runtime environment).
The MERN.AI IDE and the MagicJS framework played a crucial role in helping her get a quick grasp of things. MagicJS leverages AI to automate repetitive coding tasks. Features like user authentication, file uploads, and real-time functionalities, which would traditionally require significant coding effort, could now be implemented with minimal code using MagicJS. This not only accelerated Shimna's development process but also allowed her to focus on the unique logic specific to her projects.
The 3-Month Training Programme
The three-month training program at mern.ai was meticulously designed to equip individuals with no prior coding experience with the skills to become full-stack MERN stack developers. The curriculum was divided into three distinct phases, each building upon the previous one:
Phase 1: Building the Foundation (Weeks 1-2)
Focus: Learning the fundamentals of web development, specifically HTML and CSS.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the core principles of web page structure and layout creation using HTML.
Master the art of styling web pages and components with CSS.
Learn best practices for responsive design, ensuring applications adapt seamlessly across different devices.
Teaching Approach:
Intensive instruction for the first 15 days with mern.ai experts readily available for full-time support.
Breakdown of the learning process:
Days 1-5: Focus on layout creation, understanding element hierarchy, and translating UI designs into clean code.
Days 6-10: Deep dive into CSS fundamentals, exploring styling techniques and responsive design principles.
Days 11-15: Introduction to pre-built UI libraries and templates like Ant Design (AntD) and Tailwind CSS, allowing students to avoid repetitive coding from scratch.
Phase 2: Exploring the MERN Stack and MagicJS (Weeks 3-6)
Focus: Transitioning from static web pages to interactive web applications using the MERN stack and leveraging the power of MagicJS.
Learning Objectives:
Grasp the functionalities of each component within the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js).
Understand the role of MagicJS and its documentation in simplifying development tasks.
Gain hands-on experience building basic web app features.
Teaching Approach:
Introduction to MERN stack concepts with guidance from mern.ai experts.
Deep dive into MagicJS documentation and exploration of its pre-built functionalities.
One week dedicated to "play around" phase:
Students experiment with basic tasks outlined in the MagicJS documentation.
Build a simple web app frame and add features like user login and authentication using MagicJS.
Phase 3: Building Industry-Standard Web Applications (Weeks 7-12)
Focus: Putting acquired knowledge into practice by building a complete web application independently.
Learning Objectives:
Apply the learned skills to develop a complex web app from scratch.
Work independently with minimal supervision, encouraging problem-solving and self-reliance.
Understand the development process followed in professional settings.
Teaching Approach:
Each student receives a brief for a specific web application, like Shimna's end-to-end process management application.
Students are encouraged to build the app independently with access to support from mern.ai experts when needed.
Shimna's Success Story:
Assigned an end-to-end process management application.
Completed the application in just 4 weeks, way ahead of the allotted 6-week timeframe.
Details about Shimna's App
To understand Shimna's accomplishment better, we can delve into the details of the process management application she built. Here's a breakdown of the steps she followed:
Planning and Design: Analyze the app's functionalities, define user roles and workflows, and create a basic wireframe.
Frontend Development with React.js: Build the user interface using React components, utilizing pre-built UI libraries like Ant Design or Tailwind CSS for faster development.
Backend Development & Integration: Develop necessary APIs and integrate with the frontend using the MagicJS framework.
Implementation of Process Management Features: Integrate essential features like task creation, assignment, tracking, progress monitoring, etc., leveraging MagicJS for tasks that can be automated.
Testing and Deployment: Thoroughly test the application for functionality, security, and responsiveness before deploying it.
Shimna Becomes Team Lead at MERN.AI Professional Services
The three-month training program at mern.ai concluded in October 2023. Shimna's dedication and exceptional progress throughout the program impressed the team.
Recognizing her potential, mern.ai offered her a developer position in November 2023. This presented her with the exciting opportunity to work alongside the core team and contribute to the ongoing development of the mern.ai platform.
Her journey continued in May 2024 with the launch of MERN.AI Professional Services. As part of a select five-member team established for this purpose, Shimna's talent and leadership qualities shone through. She was appointed as the lead developer for MERN.AI Professional Services, a testament to the remarkable transformation she underwent in just a few months.
In her current role, Shimna spearheads web application development projects for clients. Her expertise in the MERN stack and proficiency with MagicJS empower her to deliver projects at an impressive pace. This not only benefits clients with faster project completion times but also showcases the effectiveness of the mern.ai platform in streamlining the development process.
Shimna's story is a testament to the transformative potential of mern.ai's training program. In just three months, it equipped her with the necessary skills and knowledge to not only become a full-stack developer but also take on a leadership role within a professional services team. As mern.ai continues to empower individuals like Shimna, we can expect to see a wave of new talent revolutionizing the web development landscape.
Impressive Transformation. Kudos to the team that supported her to achieve of what she's now.